Language Use and the Marketing Communication Strategies of Ambulant Bus Vendors: The case of the Northwest Region of Cameroon

Abstract

This study investigates the use of Pidgin English and the linguistic communication strategies employed and the difficulties encountered by the ambulant bus vendors in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. Two questions aked are: what langage is used by ambulant bus vendors and what are some of the linguistic communication strategies used by these ambulant vendors in Bamenda?  To achieve the objectives of the study, the researchers recorded on-the-bus presentations in Pidgin English by the vendors while accompanying passengers at various travel agencies to and from Bamenda. The recordings were transcribed into the English language and transformed into text for analysis. The Persuasion Theory, Textual Conceptual Functions, Framing Theory, Critical Discourse Analysis, and Content Analysis were used to analyse the data. Findings revealed that ambulant bus vendors in Bamenda use Pidgin English as a predominant language and it is very instrumental in the introduction of new products to the final consumer and as well serves as a link in the production chain between the producer and the final consumer. Thus, if they are well organized to work as company agents or representatives, they will contribute greatly to the growth of the economy and business. The study also revealed that ambulant bus vendors in Bamenda make use of linguistic communication strategies like negating, naming and describing, exemplifying and enumerating, equating and contrasting, and finally hypothesising. On the other hand, the study equally revealed that alongside linguistic communication strategies, ambulant bus vendors employ marketing communication strategies like songs, prayers, announcements, product endorsement, sex sales, product universality, allusion, and self-certification.