Discourse and pragmatic features in children’s narratives in trauma related challenges: A case of the Anglophone Cameroon crisis
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Abstract
The Anglophone Cameroon crisis has exposed children to violence, displacement, loss, and prolonged insecurity, significantly affecting how they communicate traumatic experiences. While previous studies have focused mainly on psychological outcomes, limited attention has been given to the linguistic construction of trauma in children’s narratives. This study examines how discourse and pragmatic features reveal intended meanings in the narratives of trauma-affected children during the Anglophone Cameroon crisis. Guided by Pragmatics Theory and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the study adopted a qualitative research design to explore children’s narratives within their socio-political context. Fifty children aged 8–17 years from the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon were purposively sampled. Data were collected through observation, interviews, field notes, and audio recordings. Analysis was conducted using Fairclough’s three-dimensional model of text, discourse practice, and social practice, alongside pragmatic analysis focusing on speech acts, implicature, and presupposition. Findings reveal that children’s narratives reflect psychological trauma through features such as silence, repetition, and implicit meanings, while also indicating challenges in communicative competence resulting from fear and resistance. The study contributes to discourse, trauma, and linguistic research by demonstrating how pragmatic and critical discourse approaches uncover hidden meanings in children’s trauma narratives. It recommends greater investment in child-centered communication tools for conflict-affected contexts.
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