Unveiling religiosity in academic discourse: A new religio-pragmatic perspective on university students’ speech acts

Abstract

This study is motivated by the relative neglect of religious expression in students’ academic discourse. Prior research has largely focused on religious expressions in ritual contexts. To address this gap, the present study identifies the forms, speech-act types, and communicative strategies of religious expressions in university students’ academic discourse. This study employed a qualitative approach using a religio-pragmatic analytical framework. Data were obtained through audio recordings and transcriptions of student utterances during academic interactions in the Department of Indonesian Language and Literature at Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia. We analyzed selected utterances using speech-act and politeness theories. The findings reveal five principal forms of religious expressions: gratitude, greetings, openings, closings, and hopes, realized through assertive, directive, and expressive speech acts, with direct and positive politeness strategies. Religious expressions function as a pragmatic resource to legitimize epistemic claims, mobilize collective actions, manage affective expressions, mitigate face threats, and strengthen social solidarity. The study concludes that religious expressions in academic discourse serve as a strategic communicative instrument linking spiritual dimensions to communicative actions. Theoretically, the study extends speech-act and politeness theory by foregrounding the religious dimension within academic interaction. Practically, it underscores the significance of religio-cultural sensitivity for developing academic communication and pedagogy in higher education.