<i>dropping remarks</i> and the Barbadian audience¹

Abstract

Dropping remarks is an organized and typically clever routine used by Barbadians to goad an opponent during an intermediate stage of dispute. In a prevalent form the speaker makes a comment ostensibly for one hearer, though the intention is to demean an overhearer who recognizes the speaker's intention to insult. This paper focuses on the deliberate creation and propagation of interpersonal strife through the manipulation of these transparently ambiguous messages. The strategy of dropping remarks, as well as the strategic response to these remarks, is investigated, and implications are drawn for the cultural analysis of speech events in general .