Relational Work and Marital Conflict Discourse: Evidence from Selected Nollywood Films

Marital conflict is not produced by disagreement alone but is interactionally constructed through the linguistic choices spouses use to negotiate identity, authority, intimacy, and relational expectations. Although relational work is a key framework in interpersonal pragmatics, its application to marital conflict in Nigerian cinematic discourse remains underexplored. This study examines relational strategies in marital conflict interactions in the Nollywood films Mr. & Mrs. and Finding Us. Drawing on Locher and Watts’ (2005) relational work theory, it adopts a qualitative discourse-pragmatic approach to analyse ten purposively selected conflict excerpts. The analysis focuses on four dimensions of relational work: politic behaviour, politeness, over-politeness, and impoliteness. Findings show that marital conflict is represented as a gradual relational process rather than isolated face-threatening acts. Interactions typically begin with politic behaviour before shifting to marked relational practices as tensions escalate. Politeness functions primarily as a strategy for relational repair, while over-politeness can indirectly express resentment and emotional distance. Impoliteness emerges as the dominant conflict strategy through interruptions, ridicule, sarcasm, threats, accusations, and withdrawal. The study demonstrates that relational work in Nigerian marital discourse reflects culturally situated expectations about gender roles, family obligations, respect, and relational authority, highlighting Nollywood as a valuable site for examining the linguistic negotiation of interpersonal relationships in contemporary Nigerian society.