Metapragmatic Acts in J.P. Clarks' Wives Revolt

Abstract

This study explores the metapragmatic acts in J.P. Clark’s Wives’ Revolt; highlighting how conversational dynamics are shaped and reinforced in the play’s thematic preoccupations. It investigates the functions of metapragmatic acts as both a linguistic and sociocultural tool in literary discourse. The research primarily analyses the types, forms, and features of metapragmatic acts in the text, emphasising their communicative functions. A qualitative method of data analysis was employed to investigate the explicit and implicit metapragmatic acts within the conversation. Explicit acts were evident through performative verbs such as summoning, decreeing, questioning, and confronting, as well as self referential expressions, hedges, and contextualisation cues. Implicit acts were realised as deictic references and mood variations (exclamative, interrogative, and declarative). Findings showed that speech act descriptions and talk regulation strategies enhanced interaction and thematic expression. The study concluded that metapragmatic acts in Wives’ Revolt serve as a vehicle for sociocultural critique, establishing language as a tool for power negotiation and social change.