Language, Gender, and Assertiveness in Taxi Drivers’ Communication Practices in Bambili, North West Cameroon

Abstract

This study investigates the intersection of language, gender, and assertiveness in the context of taxi drivers’ communication styles in Bambili, a culturally diverse environment. Despite the recognised importance of effective communication in service-oriented professions, there remains a dearth of understanding regarding the specific ways in which taxi drivers adapt their language to interact with male and female passengers, and how these adaptations impact their assertiveness. Grounded in the descriptive design, qualitative method, and the Social Identity Theory (Tajfel and Turner, 1979), this research examines the communication styles employed by 40 taxi drivers, aged 25-40, in Bambili. Observational data reveal that drivers’ linguistic strategies vary significantly depending on passenger’s behaviour and gender, with women more frequently associated with confrontational interactions in the observed data. Drivers’ responses to passenger behaviour, such as door-slamming, demonstrate nuanced assertiveness, often employing colloquialisms like "Lock that door small small" or "No spoil me moto massa." Findings corroborate existing research (Lakoff, 1975; Kramer, 1975; Holmes, 1992) highlighting gendered communication patterns, with drivers displaying greater politeness towards men, and, in some cases, older women (Goffman, 1955). The majority of drivers exhibited assertive communication styles. However, the underlying motivations for this assertiveness remain unclear. This investigation elucidates the complex interplay between language, gender, and assertiveness in a real-world context, with implications for communication training in service-oriented professions, passenger satisfaction, and future research on gendered communication dynamics in analogous occupations.