The evening conversation of the Efe Pygmy men and its social implication: a men's display to women

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Periodical article

Title:	The evening conversation of the Efe Pygmy men and its social implication: a men's display to women
Author:	Sawada, Masato
Year:	1987
Periodical:	African Study Monographs: Supplementary Issue
Issue:	6
Pages:	85-96
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Congo (Democratic Republic of)
Subjects:	Pygmies oratory
External link:	http://repository.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2433/68342/1/ASM_S_6_85.pdf
Abstract:	The evening conversations of the Efe Pygmy (Zaire) are described and analysed. The conversation process is divided into calm phases (c-phases) and excited phases (e-phases). While in c-phase, calm and ordinary speech is heard, in e-phase, loud and rapid speech is heard. In c-phase, adult women sometimes participate in the conversation. However, in e-phase, they do not and only adult men speak. In e-phase, adult men mutually support one another's assertions, and rarely contradict each other. It is shown that in e-phase, the pragmatic variables e.g., loudness, rapidity of speech, function to silence women and to draw their attention to the men's conversation. It is suggested that the e-phase is a collective display towards women by men in which the men demonstrate their mutual supporting relationship. Bibliogr.