Forms of Prohibiting and Asking for Permission in English and Bajhangi

Abstract

This research entitled “Forms of Prohibiting and Asking for Permission in English and Bajhangi” has tried to find out the forms of prohibiting and asking for permission used in the Bajhangi dialect and compare and contrast with them with those of the English language. It compared and contrasted the forms on the basis of the relationship in family, with neighbours, guests and strangers. The data were collected from the 40 native speakers of Bajhangi dialect. The informants were selected using judgmental non-random sampling and snowball sampling procedures from Masta and Kalukheti VDCs in Bajhang district. I selected the ones who would help me to collect others’ information. The data were collected with the help of interviews and questionnaires. The sources of data for English were based on different books, theses, dictionaries and articles. I found that both English and Bajhangi speakers used the formal and polite forms with strangers and guests. They used informal forms with junior family members, students and intimate friends while prohibiting. Bajhangi speakers prohibited younger neighbours and friends in a way that resembles ordering in English. In contrast, English speakers expressed prohibition in the form of requesting. This thesis consists of four chapters. The first chapter deals with general background, review of related literature, objectives and the significance of the study. The second chapter contains the methodology in which tools for data collection, process of data collection and limitations of the study are included. Similarly, the third chapter deals with the analysis and interpretation of the data. The fourth chapter comprises the findings and the recommendations of the study. At the end, the references and appendices are included.