SPEECH ACTS IN FILM DIALOGUES: A PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OFMIKE BAMILOYE’S ÀBÈJOYÈ SEASON 5

Language in film serves as a powerful tool for communication, shaping narratives and influencing audience perception through the strategic use of speech acts. This study examines the use of speech acts in the dialogues of Àbèjoyè Season 5, a Nigerian Christian film, through the lens of pragmatics. Drawing from John Searle’s Speech Act Theory, the research identifies and analyses illocutionary acts such as directives, commissives, and expressives that drive interactions between characters, particularly in moments of conflict and persuasion. The study highlights how performative utterances—including witches’ incantations, pastoral declarations, and moral instructions—function to command, persuade, or challenge other characters, thereby advancing the film’s religious and cultural themes. The findings reveal that speech acts in Àbèjoyè are not only a storytelling medium but also a means of ideological reinforcement, shaping moral and spiritual convictions. The study concludes that the film’s dialogues illustrate how language in religious films serves as an agent of influence, fostering audience engagement and reinforcing Christian beliefs. This research contributes to the growing field of pragmatics in film studies by providing insights into how language generates meaning and action within cinematic narratives.