Syntaxe et signifiance de la parole conative dans la poésie Africaine Francophone

Abstract

Syntax and Meaning of Conative Speech in Francophone African Poetry

For those with an interest in African poetry, particularly Francophone poetry, several distinctive features underlie its originality and authenticity. These encompass rhythm, symbolism, and poetic imagery, serving as fundamental markers of the dominant poetic function within poetic discourse. These elements are inevitable considerations in any analysis, be it poetic or stylistic, of literary texts. Poetry in Africa, and conceivably beyond, undoubtedly serves a pragmatic, or more precisely, pragma-enunciative function, often obscured and overshadowed by the omnipotent poetic function—the quintessential literary function. In practical terms, the pragma-enunciative function of a poetic text is revealed through its conative nature. Essentially, poetry is a form of discourse inherently directed towards otherness, intended for an audience. Even when masquerading as an introspective work originating from the soul, ostensibly focused inward to express emotions in a context of heightened lyricism, poetry is fundamentally a conative expression. This characteristic is intrinsic to African poetry, with conative speech representing an indispensable aspect that may even be considered the ultimate purpose of the unavoidable poetic function of language. It is undeniable that elements such as rhythm, symbol, and poetic imagery, along with other aesthetic devices in verbal creation, serve as means of captivating and elevating the discourse, enabling the poet to construct a message aimed at captivating and stirring the reader. Nearly every aspect of the poem contributes to transforming it into a communication from self to other, essentially constituting second-person poetry. Conative speech, in the context of poetry, also assumes an incantatory function, a concept championed by Roman Jakobson, involving the conversion of an absent or inanimate "third person" into the recipient of a conative message. In the realm of French-speaking African poetry, conative speech holds literary, pragmatic, communicative, psychological, and cultural significance, among other dimensions. It is an indispensable component of African poetry, enhancing its illocutionary or even perlocutionary nature. Consequently, a nuanced examination of the syntax of this speech, especially its unconventional or unexpected elements.