Paradigms of Interaction: A Comparative Approach between Western and African Communication through the Metaphysical Lens.

ABSTRACT:

This study explores the fundamental divergences between Western communication, rooted in the pragmatics of the Palo Alto School, and African communication, as theorized by Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo. While the Western model is structured around the immediacy of feedback and the horizontality of interpersonal exchange (“one cannot not communicate”), the African paradigm unfolds within a holistic and ontological dimension. The “hidden dimension” of African exchange integrates metaphysical actors (ancestors, spiritual entities) who relativize the notion of immediate feedback in favor of cosmic harmony. Through a socio-semiotic approach, this research demonstrates that communication in Africa is not merely a transfer of information but a ritualistic dynamic aimed at maintaining the balance between the visible and invisible worlds.

Keywords: African communication, Metaphysical feedback, Socio-semiotics, Cosmic harmony, Rituals