(Ife Studies in English Language, Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife, 2017-12) Odebode, Idowu
This paper analyses Wole Soyinka’s King Baabu from an onomastic
(study and science of names) perspective. Five major characters’
names from the text, serve as the data corpus for the study. The names
are dissected, drawing upon the theory of ethnography of
communication (i.e. SPEAKING acronym by Hymes and Gumperz).
Findings indicate that the preponderant setting and participants are
Guatuna and Guatunans respectively. The dominant act is informative;
the foremost key is satirical; the major instrument is verbal and the key
instrument is conversation. The study also indicates that Basha/Baabu
is the principal character as the end and norm analyses point to him
textually and extra-textually.