Ya as a Marker of Socio-Pragmatic Variation and (Im)Politeness: A Variationist Pragmatic Analysis

This study investigates age-based socio-pragmatic variation in the use and evaluation of the honorific particle ya in Congo-Brazzaville, situating the analysis at the intersection of variational pragmatics and (im)politeness theory. Using data from 823 respondents to a mixed-methods online survey, the study examines how ya functions as a moral and ideological index within a single national speech community. Quantitative patterns reveal a strong correlation between age and frequency of use, while qualitative metapragmatic evaluations show competing politeness ideologies across generations. Older participants conceptualise ya as an obligatory marker of hierarchical respect and collective face, whereas younger participants reinterpret it as a flexible resource for stance-taking, solidarity or identity work. These findings demonstrate that (im)politeness norms are not stable but ideologically contested and generationally stratified. The study advances variational pragmatics by foregrounding intranational and intergenerational pragmatic differentiation and by conceptualising politeness markers as sites of ideological negotiation rather than fixed realisations of social norms.