The Pragmatics of Resistance: Multilingual Strategies in Ethnic Narratives of Marginalized Communities in Nigeria

Abstract This paper examines the pragmatics of resistance in ethnic narratives of marginalized communities in Nigeria, focusing on the Igbo, Ogoni, and Tiv. Using Giles et al.'s (1977) Ethnolinguistic Vitality Theory (EVT) and Fairclough's (1995) Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the research explores how multilingual strategies empower these groups to resist sociopolitical marginalization and assert their identities. Data drawn from 3 speeches, each from the 3 minority group under study were analyzed using a qualitative approach. The study highlights how linguistic choices—code-switching, translanguaging, implicature, metaphor and indigenous idioms—serve as pragmatic tools for contesting dominance, reclaiming agency, and fostering solidarity. It further emphasizes the complex interplay between language, identity, and power. EVT, however, provides a framework for analyzing the vitality of these languages amid hegemonic pressures, while CDA unveils the underlying power dynamics in their discourses. The findings reveal that these multilingual strategies reinforce cultural resilience and challenge the structural inequalities that perpetuate their marginalization. By intertwining pragmatics and discourse, this study underscores the transformative potential of language in ethnic resistance and identity construction.