Speech Act Analysis of Tariq Rahman’s Short Story Bingo: A Pragmatic Approach

The present study analyzes the speech acts in Tariq Rahman’s short story Bingo according to the pragmatic analysis, using Searle’s (1976) speech acts classificatory—assertives, directives, commissives, expressives and declarations. Through analyzing the use of speech acts, the study explores how the characters in the narrative shape identity, position power relations, and respond to the players who respond to the social and political context. Examining dialogues and interactions, the research uncovers implicit meanings, intentions, and communicative strategies that mold character relationships and advance the narrative. In particular, the study investigates how Rahman’s choices of lexis are underlined by the broader cultural and ideological representations of indigenous tribes and Assam's socio-political framework. These findings add to our understanding of Rahman’s stylistic and thematic concerns and point out the importance of pragmatics in literary discourse. It contributes to the scholarship on speech act theory and expands its scrutiny in the context of literary studies as well as in dynamics of Pakistani fiction discursive continua of language, power and identity.