Abstract
The purpose of the study is to investigate the idiomatic expressions and their pragmatic functions in the conversations of the novel Taxi in the light of Speech Act Theory. The study adopts a qualitative linguistic analysis method of research. After analyzing the 58 episodes of the novel ’Taxi’, the study reveals 80 idiomatic expressions fulfilling 13 pragmatic functions: describing with six subcategories, complaining, stating, concluding, and swearing, thanking, condoling, sympathizing, deploring and excusing, agreeing and opposing and advising. These pragmatic functions have been classified based on four of Searle’s speech acts: (1) representatives, (2) expressives, (3) commissives and (4) directives. Hence, the study shows that idiomatic expressions fulfill a satisfying number of pragmatic functions which in turn operate in facilitating conversations among speakers as they are stored in their memory and easily retrieved in diverse contexts. In addition, the study shows the high usage of negative pragmatic functions such as complaining, deploring, describing negative issues in comparison with positive ones in the conversations of taxi drivers. It has been also observed that these positive and negative functions shed light on a multitude of cultural aspects in Egyptian society. The study suggests pedagogical implication: the result that the idiomatic expressions perform various pragmatic functions and fulfill cultural aspects provides a rationale for including them in Arabic foreign language classes as their main aim is to use the language appropriately and achieve cultural competence as well.
Department
Applied Linguistics Department
Degree Name
MA in Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language
Graduation Date
2-1-2016
Submission Date
January 2017
First Advisor
Taha, Zeinab
Committee Member 1
Kamel, Mona
Committee Member 2
El Seoud, Dalal
Extent
92 p.
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Rights
The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy.
Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval
Not necessary for this item
Recommended Citation
APA Citation
Elshamy, H.
(2016).An analysis of the pragmatic functions of idiomatic expressions
in the Egyptian novel ‘Taxi’ [Master's Thesis, the American University in Cairo]. AUC Knowledge Fountain.
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/601
MLA Citation
Elshamy, Hala Mohamed. An analysis of the pragmatic functions of idiomatic expressions
in the Egyptian novel ‘Taxi’. 2016. American University in Cairo, Master's Thesis. AUC Knowledge Fountain.
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/601