Sociolinguistic Analysis of Gender and Language Use in Lara Owoeye's Erelu

Student: Iyanuoluwapo Esther Borode (Project, 2025)
Department of English and Literary Studies
Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between gender and language in Lara Owoeye’s novel Erelu, applying M.A.K. Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) as the theoretical framework. Sociolinguistics examines how language interacts with social factors, such as culture, power, and identity. The study investigates how the characters’ language choices in Erelu construct gender identities, reflect societal norms, and challenge traditional gender roles. It focuses on three main linguistic metafunctions: ideational, interpersonal, and textual, to analyze the novel’s portrayal of gendered language. The research addresses a gap in sociolinguistic studies on Nigerian literature by examining how gender roles are conveyed through language in the context of African narratives. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of how literature reflects and contests gender norms, offering insights into the intersection of language, identity, and power in Nigerian society. This study enhances sociolinguistic scholarship by recognizing the diversity of gendered language use, thus promoting a more inclusive approach to gender studies.

Keywords
Interpersonal Ideational textual Gender Language Culture Power dynamics Choices of words.
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