A Semiotic Analysis of Non-Verbal Communication Among the Igede of Central Nigeria
Keywords:
Non-verbal communication, signs and symbols, referential theory and pragmaticsAbstract
Communication, being an art and process of passing information or messages, rests on a tripod of channels: written, oral and non-verbal. Humans are gregarious and as such rely on all of these channels of communication in everyday interaction. This paper however, focuses its searchlight on the non-verbal aspect of communication as used among the Igede ethno-linguistic group of Benue State in Central Nigeria. The paper explores how the various linguistic signs and symbols are able to convey information among the people based on their historical and linguistic background as well as their worldview. In achieving this, the referential theory of meaning as enunciated by Ferdinand de Saussure as well as Charles Sandal Pierce’s semiotic theory is adopted. The study discovers that among the Igede people, non-verbal communication serves as a very significant avenue for information dissemination and meaning sharing among the people.
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