Anthropological analysis of the loincloth: discourse and uses

This dissertation examines the naming mechanism of loincloths in the third arrondissement of the city of Cotonou and the influence of these names on the relationships that users have with these cloths. We have worked to understand the values and opinions conveyed by the patterns printed on the cloth, to list those that are codified and to assess the codification in relation to the socio-cultural context of use. The analytical models used are those of symbolic interactionism and Weber's comprehensive sociology, supported by systematic communication theory. The research that led to this thesis is qualitative in nature. The sample size was limited to 114 respondents, due to the saturation threshold of the information. Beyond the simple clothing tool that it constitutes, the loincloth has a linguistic dimension. This study therefore contains theoretical foundations relating to sign language, verified from the data collected in the field.