SEMANTIC FORMULAE IN REFUSAL RESPONSES AMONG NATIVE SPEAKERS OF GA WITH LIMITED FORMAL EDUCATION

Abstract

This study explored the factors shaping the semantic formulae used by
native speakers of Ga, a language spoken in southern Ghana, when refusing two offers and one request. The research employed a qualitative approach and an ethnographic design, with participants interviewed in their natural environment. Twenty native Ga speakers with limited formal education took part in the interviews. In addition, five proficient Ga speakers participated in a focus group discussion to offer further cultural insights into the responses. The research was carried out in Chorkor Chemunaa, a suburb of
Accra. The findings indicated that participants’ choice of semantic formulae
was influenced by situational factors both within and beyond the immediate context of the refusal event. The study also highlights that refusal behaviour among Ga speakers reflects the sociocultural norms governing interaction
within the speech community.