Non -VERBAL Communication Used in Iluu Abbaa Booraa Oromo Society
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Date
2012-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The aim of the study was to explore the Non-verbal communication used in Oromo. The
study was conducted in Iluu Abbaa Booraa Zone of Oromia Regional State. Specifically
the study was intended: to identify the object languages used during marriage, ajjeečaa
‘heroism’ and lightning ceremonies, to describe the semiotic representation of nonverbal
communication (object languages) in the cultural practices; and to show the
interaction between non-verbal communication and the society.
In order to achieve the intended objectives, qualitative research was adopted.30
respondents were selected using purposive sampling method. However the woradas were
selected using simple random sampling method. Two data gathering instruments namely:
Interview and document analysis were used to collect the necessary information.
It was found that the Iluu Abbaa Booraa Oromo society use different cultural objects
during different occasions such as marriage, lightning and hunting ceremonies. The
society mostly communicates through the non-verbal codes especially cultural objects
since they believe that the non-verbal communication has more reliability and
believability. In addition, the Iluu Abbaa Booraa Oromo society uses non-verbal
communication (cultural objects) to show socio-economic status, personal status, norms,
identity etc. The society also uses non-verbal communication as a medium of shared
understanding in-day-to-day activities and on occasions of cultural practices. In the
society, every thing is related to cultural objects and all cultural objects have their own
implication or semiotic representations depending on their contexts. Thus, from the
results found, in the society object languages (cultural objects) have multiple functions
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Keywords
Communication