Discourse Analysis of Bolaji Abdullahi’s Sweet Sixteen

This study conducted a discourse analysis of Bolaji Abdullahi's Sweet Sixteen.Discourse analysis, as a branch of sociolinguistics deals exclusively with the approach to the study of language. Since discourse analysis focuses on conversation in language events, the study focuses on the conversational exchange between the fictional participants in the text, because an easy way to understand the meaning embedded in literary text is to, first of all, understand the underlying meaning of the units of conversation. This brings the following concepts to prominence, discourse elements such as: exchange structure, conversational tone, turn taking, topic negotiation, topic change, discourse rank scale and other paraphernalia of discourse analysis were instrumerital to the analysis of the work. The J.R. Firth's systemic model of grammar will be adopted as template of study. This choice is mainly informed by the fact that, the systemic grammar is the only grammatical model that emphasizes how language functions in texts, and the nexus between language and what it is used for, or to achieve.The study adopts a four-chapter format. Chapter one introduces the study, and expands to cover the background to the study, aim and objectives of the study, statement of the problem, scope and limitation of the study, method of study and theoretical framework of the study and significance of the study.Chapter two contains the literature review. This chapter expands to cover the concept of discourse analysis, speech act theory, elements of discourse analysis and a brief review of the text. Chapter three carries out a discourse analysis of Bolaji Abdullahi's Sweet Sixteen, by harnessing the theory of discourse analysis, such as discourse participants, rule breaking, turn taking. conversational tone, adjacency pairs, discourse participants, and so on.Chapter four summarizes and concludes the study.