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Abstract
The concern of this study is the socio-linguistic analysis of traditional trading in Onitsha market, Nigeria. As discovered in the study, the use of several non-formal approaches to the communication among buyers and sellers in Onitsha market as a speech community is predominantly found among youths and adults. The study employing conversational linguistic theory affirms to the fact that the language of buying and selling is not ambiguous as many new users consider it to be. In the course of using theoretical application, the study discovered that the use of question as a way of opening conversation is mostly found against the expected greeting (exchange of pleasantries) to begin transaction. Also, the findings of the study highlighted the areas in which the language of buying and selling in Onitsha market encompasses. They are opening, message, closing at one hand, while the analysis in terms of item or goods purchase focuses on food items, soup ingredients, and domestic animal. The findings in these categories show that the conversation opening and closing could take any form depending on the attitude of the person(s) involved.
