Contextual Constraints on Intonation Choices in Family Conflicts in Chinwe Egwuagu's Mr & Mrs

Abstract

Family conflicts, with their societal impacts, are a central feature of discourse in different media, including English Nollywood films. While previous studies have examined ideological clashes, conflict discourse, Fand gendered language use, little attention has been given to how contexts
influence intonation in Nigerian family conflicts. This study therefore investigates the intonation patterns used by family members in Chinwe Oguagu's Mr & Mrs, focusing on the contextual factors that shape their intonation choices. The analysis adopted Brazil's (1975) Discourse Intonation model and Mey's (2001) Pragmatic Acts theory as theoretical framework. Four discourse intonation patterns were identified: proclaiming fall (PFT), referring rise (RRT), proclaiming rise-fall (PRFT), and referring fall-rise (RFRT), along varying pitch, prominence, and intensity to encode pragmatic meaning. Contextual factors strongly constrain these choices: patriarchal dominance, unmet expectations, gender role assignments, sexual responsibility, and
physical/psychological stress shape how characters deploy intonation to assert authority, signal protest, or manage relational tensions. Male characters predominantly use high-pitch, emphatic PFTs, interruptions, and increased intensity to assert control, while female characters employ mitigated contours and mid/low pitch to show compliance or appeal for empathy, but RRT or PRFT with high pitch to resist subjugation or signal frustration. Findings demonstrate that intonation in Nigerian English is highly context-sensitive,
reflecting societal norms, gendered power structures, and psychological state of speakers. It is concluded that family conflicts are portrayed as aspects of social issues that are conveyed through intonation patterns and constrained by
contexts.