Between Beeps and Blasts Jordanian Driving Culture's Nonverbal Pragmatics

Abstract

The pragmatic functions of car horn use in Jordanian urban traffic are examined in this study, with particular attention paid to the interpretations and communicative intentions connected to different horn patterns. The study examines how drivers use horn sounds as non-verbal speech acts, with a focus on their locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary dimensions. It is based on speech act theory and socio-pragmatic analysis. Two tools were used to gather data: semi-structured interviews with a targeted group of ten participants and some observations, as well as an adapted Discourse Completion Task (DCT) that was completed by thirty licensed drivers. A complex system of horn signaling was revealed by the DCT responses, which included repeated beeps for celebratory or expressive purposes, long honks for commands or warnings, and short beeps for alerts or greetings. The interviews supplemented these findings by demonstrating the impact of context, emotion, and social relationships on the interpretation of horn signals in real-life interactions. Results indicate that the use of horns in Jordan serves as a practical, culturally based form of nonverbal communication. While some horn patterns are widely recognized, others can cause confusion or misinterpretation because they rely heavily on situational factors. The study contributes to pragmatics by showing how everyday sound-based activities, like blowing a horn, serve as communication acts that have real social significance, expressing both personal purpose and collective social meaning.