Mitigation and Hedging in the Speech of Men and Women in Ubiaja Dialect of Esan

This is a study on mitigation and hedging in the speech of men and women in the
Ubiaja dialect of Esan. It centers on examining how men and women that speak
Ubiaja dialect of Esan use specific language techniques to moderate the tone of
their speech and avoid being overly direct. The methodology employed for data
analysis is a descriptive approach, combining information from both primary and
secondary sources. Primary data was collected from natural speeches of native
Ubiaja speakers in various contexts, and secondary sources, such as library
materials and journal articles, provided additional information. The analysis,
conducted using the descriptive research method, revealed that both men and
women use mitigation strategies such as indirect language, hedging, and
euphemisms to maintain politeness and social harmony. The study adopts Dixon's
(2010) Basic Linguistic Theory, providing a structured framework for examining
gendered use of mitigation in Ubiaja Esan speech. The findings of the study
emphasize that women use empathetic, indirect language, while men are more
direct and assertive. Women emphasize harmony, men focus on leadership.
Dixon's framework connects speech to societal norms. The primary objective of
this study is to identify the scenarios where people in Ubiaja mitigate their speech
and avoid direct statements, examine the linguistic strategies used by speakers of
the Ubiaja dialect to mitigate their speech and avoid directness and find out the
differences and similarities in how men and women use these Mitigation and
hedging techniques. This study is essential for preserving the Ubiaja dialect and
making it accessible to younger generations.