Apology strategies

Illustrative utterances

Proportion in 105 conversations

1.

Recalling the offence

Wich kain man yu bi? Hau yu go manej brin anoda wuman rait fo wa rum, eer? (What kind of man are you? How dare you bring another woman into our room?)

Weti yu di kam fain fo ma hos afta we yu akius mi se A di slip witi ya masa? Yu stil get da koraj fo kam fo ma do afta yu don kosh mi sote-eeh―eeh.

91

(86.67%)

2.

Claiming ignorance

Hmmm! Ma fren. Yu di veks witi mi fo sika weti? (Hmmm! My friend, why are you angry with me?)

15

(14.29%)

3

Denial of the offence

Na lai. A nova kol ya nem fo som pesin. (It is a lie. I have not mentioned your name to anybody.);

No bi tru (It is not true)

No bi mi brok ya fon (It is not me who broke your phone » I did not break your phone.)

15

(14.29%)

4

Giving evidence

A bi di si yu taim we A bi di kol yu (I was seeing you as I was calling you.)

12

(11.43%)

5

Use of interjections

We’eh!; Eeeh!; Eeee woooh!

10

(9.52%)

6

Use of address terms

Mom; ma bebi; ma mami; ma wan an onli; ma kombi; bo.

70

(66.67%)

7

Use of comforting devices

no vex; yu hie; no veks oh;

21

(20%)

8

Use of illocutionary force indicating devices

A bi veri sori; plis; fogif mi; A bek; A bek yu fo Got yi name (I beg you in God’s name).

105

(100%)

9

Use of devices to reduce the severity of the offence

De gel sidius mi; na som ma fren tel mi se yu an ma masa di folo. Na wai da A veks kom di kworel yu.

63

(60%)

10.

Refusal to accept the apology

An yu tin se yi bi izi fo jos fogif yu so?

(And you think that it is easy to just forgive you?)

Maa no hie. Yu se weti? Maa fogif yu jos laik dat? Yu no wel? So, fo yu, A go jos fogif yu so)

10

(9.52%)

11.

Non-verbal communication

Kneeling down; shedding tears; kissing; movements of the hand (beckoning, raising the hands)

13

(12.38%)

12.

Use of pre-conditions

Yu get fo bek mi witi plenti kago, Plenti kago laik weti noh? Yu get fo go bai mi niu fon as yu bi veks trowe di oda wan, den yu bai mi kol jus an chiken bifo ol tin go pas

7

(6.67%)

13

Issuing warnings

If yu no want-am, yu liv-am noh; no frenship

8

(7.62%)

14

Accepting of the apology

A don hie; oke; A don fogif yu.

63

(60%)

15

Promise of non-recurrence of the offence

A promis se A no go eva du so egen.

35

(33.33%)

16

Repair of the offence

Oke. I don chop chop ol. A go kuk anoda chop. (OK. I have offended you as I ate all the food. I will cook another food.); wi go fiks-am (We will fix it.)

14

(13.33%)