ABSTRACT
This research is a pragmatic analysis of Etsako Naming System. Etsako is a language spoken by the Afemai people which consists of the Weppa Wanno, the Uzairue, the Auchi & the Ivie respectively. The major aim of the study was to analyse some selected names in Etsako based on their contextual imports, hence the title of this work(A Pragmatic Analysis Of Estako Naming System). It's indeed a fact that every naming in any society is done using language because it is a potent weapon through which concepts, ideas, thoughts, messages, information, cultural beliefs are communicated and exchanged between group of people to ensure inter-personal relationship, identity and sense of belonging in a society. This is indeed particularly true of naming system which is done using language. Names are believed to be a symbol of people’s identity in every human society, of which Etsako is not an exemption.This study/research examines the naming system of Etsako, using personal names as a case study. The data collected for the study were drawn from oral interviews of some competent speakers of the language who understand how naming is done in Etsako. Another source of the data collected was from a handbook written by Solomon O.J(2019) titled "Etsako Names And Their Meaning". Thus, the sources of the data were both primary and secondary.
In the course of data analysis, the study adopted Lawal's(1997) pragmatic model(theory) as the theoretical framework because of it's numerous advantages as the model accounts for various variables that makes it easy and possible to study and analyse the contextual aspects of some entities like Naming.
The findings of the work, it was discovered and found out that context plays a very pivotal role in the bestowal and interpretation of names in Etsako It was found out in the study that names reveal the sociocultural beliefs of the people (of Etsako).. It was also found out that to better understand the concept behind some names, some levels of background knowledge must be deployed to unravel the contextual imports of such names. Moreso, it was found out in the study that many names in Etsako are situational/circumstantial in nature due to the explication of experiences of the people.
It's recommended and expected that the study serves a a further research purposes for those who want to carry out a research on pragmatic of names in any language, most especially in Etsako as this study will be of great importance and help as guide to a more better work. The study will inculcate in some Etsako people who lack understanding in the true meanings of the various names in the language & expose them to the contextual imports that accompany every Etsako names.
