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ABSTRACT
This research investigates the features of discourse in the interaction among market women and their customers in koko market Delta state. The study is restricted to the spoken language as used by the koko market women. This was done through the method of participant observation; the researcher was highly involved by tape recording their discourse during the course of their business interaction. The primary data were collected in Urhobo, Ijaw, Itsekiri, Edo language, Hausa slangs, Warri slangs, as well as the Nigerian Pidgin English. All these languages were then rendered in the Standard English Language.
This research adopting Norman Fairclough (1995) theory “Language and power” posits a theoretical framework which serve as a lens to explore the relationship between language, power and society. At the core of this theoretical framework lies the concept of “power in discourse” and “power behind discourse”. The Koko market women possess “power in discourse” because they control the business interaction. During the course of this findings, it was discovered that the koko market women have powerful convincing language that enable them interact effectively in business interactions like the use of code-switching and code-mixing in the market discourse to show a level of understanding and relationship between the buyer and seller. It was therefore discovered that interactional talk is the bedrock behind every successful business transaction. It is suggested that further research can be carried out on written discourse or using other social cultural context.
