EKWE JONAL

This study examines the pragmatic functions of silence in instant messaging environments, focusing on non response and delayed communication among Nigerian users. While silence in face-to-face discourse has been extensively theorized, digital silence—manifested through seen-but-unanswered messages, typing indicators, and delayed replies—remains underexplored, especially in non-Western contexts. Using pragmatic theory and discourse analysis, this research investigates how Nigerian users interpret and negotiate digital silences within relational and cultural frameworks. Findings reveal that non-response serves multiple functions: politeness, passive resistance, emotional regulation, or strategic relational management, depending on expectations shaped by Nigerian socio cultural norms. The study calls for an expansion of pragmatic frameworks to account for asynchronous, culturally grounded digital communication practices.

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