A Semiotic Analysis of Nonverbal Linguistic Signals Used on Social Media  During the Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon

Fuh Ngonjo, Victor; Fon Fonki, Andrew

أطراس
Volume 4, Numéro 2, Pages 24-42
2023-07-15

A Semiotic Analysis Of Nonverbal Linguistic Signals Used On Social Media During The Anglophone Crisis In Cameroon

Authors : Fuh Ngonjo Victor . Fon Fonki Andrew .

Abstract

This paper examines the use of nonverbal signals in online posts during the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon. It has been observed that nonverbal signals such as gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, and body expressions play a greater role in the way human beings communicate, especially during periods of crises. Although nonverbal, this means of communication acts more than verbal. This work, therefore, focuses on nonverbal linguistic features used mostly by women during the Anglophone crisis to call for an end to the ongoing crisis. It should be said that this work is of great relevance in language use in the sense that it shows how people can express their wrath without using any harmful means. This research uses a qualitative research design. The reason is that the researcher collected some pictures that were posted on social media during the period of the crisis (2017-2022). Insight was drawn from Barthes’s (1964) theory of semiotics. The findings indicated that people used “nkeng” (peace plant), branches of trees, boards, colors, black dresses, and facial expressions. In addition, it has also been found that some women were kneeling with their faces facing the ground, bend of the head with two hands on the legs, sitting on the ground in bare feet and the legs stretched out to show that they are overwhelmed by the situation. The researcher suggests that educators or public facilitators should teach the public how to love each other and how to preserve national unity.