Analysing the Discourse of Tour Guiding Communication: The Case of Lalibela Rockhewn Churches
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Date
2015-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study has aimed to analyse the discourse of tour guiding communication. Specifically, an
attempt has been made to describe the way local tour guides of Lalibela view the required
discourses for tour guides; to investigate the ways local tour guides discursively construct and
represent the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela; to identify challenges that local tour guides
experience in representing and communicating the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela to foreign
tourists; and to find out strategies employed by local tour guides to overcome communication
challenges. To address these issues, data have been collected through interview and video
recording of the actual guiding practice. Both the interview and video data have been first
analyzed thematically. Then, discourse analysis which is considered as both theoretical and
analytical framework has been employed in the analysis stage of the study. Specifically,
conversation analysis, speech act theory and critical discourse analysis which are considered as
different approaches of discourse analysis have been used to describe, interpret and explain the
data.
The study findings have showed that local tour guides of Lalibela view the discourse of tour
guiding communication at the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela as religious information,
participants with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds and prescribed rules and norms
of behaving. As a result, religious knowledge, language ability, cultural awareness and good
code of ethics have been found as major requirements for local tour guides of Lalibela. Besides,
the findings have showed that local tour guides of Lalibela attempt to discursively construct
personal identity, destination significance and connection of the destination to other relevant
things. The findings have further showed that tour guides have experienced language and culture
related problems in their tour guiding practice. While, pronunciation, word choice and grammar
have been found to be typical language related problems, nonverbal acts performed by tourists
in and around the churches are major challenges for local tour guides of Lalibela. In order to
cope up with such challenges, tour guides are found to employ different strategies.
Simplification, compensatory and avoidance strategies have been employed to overcome
language related problems, whereas providing tourists with cultural orientation has been found
to be a remedy for problems related to cultural differences.
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Keywords
Lalibela Rockhewn Churches