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Language as a Didactic Tool and Vehicle of Cultural
Preservation: A Pragma-sociolinguistic Study of
Selected Igbo Proverbs
1a
Uche Gloria Oboko
Abstract
Language plays major functions in society. The way of life
ARTICLE HISTORY: of a people is handed down from generation to generation
Received July 2020 through language. The Igbo people are known for their rich
Received in revised form August 2020 oral tradition and cultural heritage especially in the use of
Accepted September 2020 proverbs. Some studies on Igbo proverbs have focused on the
Available online September 2020 semantic classifications, structures of the proverbs, the
relevance of Igbo proverbs in interpersonal relationships and
conflict resolutions as well as explored the stance of proverbs
in the creation of dichotomy in gender relations in Igbo land.
The present study aims at establishing the relationship
between Igbo proverbs, their functions in society and their
pragmatic force as didactic tools. The proverbs were selected
KEYWORDS: from texts written by Igbo native speakers. Twenty proverbs
that teach respect and honour in Igbo land were selected,
Context translated to English and analysed. In Igbo land, proverbs are
Linguistic situated in contexts; hence, the work adopts context, an
Respect aspect of Lawal’s 2012 pragmatic theory. The work is
Socio-cultural analysed in line with the six levels of context identified in the
Speech act theory in consonance with the Igbo worldview. These levels
include cosmological, sociological, social, psychological,
situational and linguistic.
© 2020 IJSCL. All rights reserved.
1Associate Professor, Email: ucheoboko@yahoo.com
Tel: +234-803-2963920
a Madonna University, Nigeria
122 Language as a Didactic Tool and Vehicle of Cultural Preservation
1. Introduction Chikwelu (2019) who worked on the proverbial
oppression of women in African culture. The
he language of the people provides a study discovered that the stereotypical
veritable tool through which their depiction of women in Igbo African proverbs
Tl iterature is preserved and carried on has continued to limit and deny the notable
from one generation to another. It is through the contributions of women in Africa. In like
means of language that the norms, values, manner, Meshesha (2016) studied the
riddles, idioms, music, oratory, folktales, prejudiced negative images of femininity in
folklore, incantations, proverbs, poems, and the Wolaita proverbs. The study exposed the
people’s way of life are fully expressed. prejudiced negative images of women through
WaThiong’ O (1994) expresses the point Wolaita proverbs and discouraged their usage
clearer when he writes that language is not a in different social settings. Similarly, Oha
mere string of words but a means through (1998) surveyed the semantics of female
which the riddles and proverbs of the people are devaluation of Igbo proverbs. The study
brought into play. From the foregoing, it shows concludes that attention should be paid to the
that the cultural content of the people role of male-oriented rhetoric in Igbo proverbs
isexpressed through language. Babatunde and that signify prejudice and hostility towards
Shobomehin (2007) affirm that the cultural women in social discourse. Conversely, Egenti
content of language is the means by which and Okoye (2015) examined some Igbo
members of society express their thoughts and proverbs to determine the extent to which
ideas to one another and thus, shows the proverbs are used as tools in reconciliation and
diversity for each society.Every culture has a crisis management. The study discovered the
unique way of using language which various functions and impacts of proverbs in
differentiates it from other cultures. This enhancing conflict resolution and the
uniqueness in language lends credence to the promotion of peaceful coexistence in human
difference in human perception about issues interpersonal relationships. Similarly, in
and behaviour which is a confirmation that exploring the role of Igbo proverbs in
human behaviour is conditioned, moderated, interpersonal relationships, Ogwudile (2016)
and influenced by the language they speak. surveyed the encouragement proverbs and their
Of particular interest in language use and which discourse relevance in the Oghe dialect of Igbo.
depicts creativity is the use of proverbs.The His study discovered that proverbs imbue the
Igbo man refers to proverbs as ‘the palm oil speaker with the ability to make his/her
with which words are eaten’. Proverbs are used expressions flashier and culturally relevant in
creatively to achieve different purposes. They the topic of discourse which cannot be realized
can be used to teach, soften words and by ordinary words. Some scholars have equally
situations, deepen the meaning of what is said, focused on the contextual use of language in
add aesthetics to discourse, interpret what is literary texts. Such scholars include Adeeko
(1998) who studied the contextual paradigm of
said, drive home one’s points, admonish, draw meaning in Achebe’s novel and examined the
inspiration and make an impact. In Igbo land, use of proverbs in the textuality of the work. In
proverbs are not just used for the fun of it. This the same vein, Aremu (2015) examined
explains why it is more prevalent among certain
age bracket and gender.This suggests, among proverbs as cultural semiotics in Soyinka’s
other things, that the users know the meanings, Death and the King’s Horseman. Findings from
how and when to apply them appropriately in a the research reveal that proverbs in the literary
discourse. For the purpose of this paper, the work contain both verbal and non-verbal cues.
emphasis is on how proverbs can be used to The study further revealed that proverbs in the
teach respect and honour especially to the work have indexical signs of warning,
young ones of the Igbo ethnic group. eulogizing, and condemning.
Proverbs add beauty to language use. Hence From the works reviewed, it is clear that Igbo
different scholars have discussed proverbs from proverbs have not been studied as a didactic
different points of view. For instance, some tool from the pragmatic point of view. The only
scholars have focused on the degradation of work that is close to the present study is
women through proverbs. Such works include Fadumuye (2017). The researcher studied the
pragmatic analysis of politeness strategies in
U. G. Oboko / International Journal of Society, Culture & Language, 2020, 8(2) ISSN 2329-2210 123
selected Yoruba proverbs. The study analysed or honour to deserving individuals might earn
Yoruba proverbs into hard work/laziness, one a fine, chastisement or ostracization. This
wisdom/foolishness, truth/untruth and decency/ knowledge is shared pragmatically by members
indecency. Her findings reveal that Yoruba of the speech community. Apart from the
proverbs employ different politeness strategies above, other linguistic elocutions such as the
to promote peace. The present study is different use of formulaic and honourifics, fossilized
from the previous studies examinedin the sense expressions, and proverbs are used to show
that itstudiesselected Igbo proverbs that teach respect and honour in Igbo socio-cultural
respect and honourfrom six contextual levels: setting. The present study analyses proverbs
cosmological, sociological, social, psychological, that strengthen the Igbo belief in respect and
situational, and linguistic in accordance with the honour.
Igbo milieu.From the works reviewed, it is 2.2. Examining the Concept of Proverb
evident that Igbo proverbs have not been
studied from these angles andit is in line with Different scholars have defined proverbs from
this gap in knowledge thatthe present study varied perspectives. It has been defined “as a
finds essence. discourse deviant, relatively concrete, present
2. Theoretical Framework (non-past) terse statement that uses
characteristic linguistic markers to arouse
2.1. The Place of Respect and Honour among cognitive ideals that serve to categorize topics
the Igbo in order to make a pragmatic point about them”
(Honeck, 1997, p. 18). What this simply means
The Igbo people are known for their communal is that proverbs do not follow the usual rules. It
life, belief in God and other gods, hard work, talks about things in referents or ideals. In the
the dignity of labour, respect, and expectations same way, Mohammad and Majed (2019, p. 42)
based on age difference which are the basis for express that “proverbs add flavour to the idea
respect and honour (Emenanjo, 2000; Nwoga, or truth we want to express based on common
1984). In fact, respect and honour constitute an sense and a community’s shared experience”.
important aspect of the linguistic and socio- Similarly, a proverb is taken to mean “a
cultural identity of the Igbo people. This statement which conceals the clear in the
explains why a child who lacks respect is taken unclear, or which through concrete images
as not to have come from ‘a home’.Besides, the indicates intellectual concepts, or which makes
admonition of deviant behaviour is seen as a clear the truth in furtive fashion”. In addition, it
collective responsibility as it is assumed in Igbo is “a trite phrase constantly used in popular
culture that the child belongs to everybody. In speech … or a saying that has become
Igbo culture, certain words and behaviour are thoroughly habitual in our daily customs and
expected from the young ones in order to show life” (Apostolius, in Whiting (1994) quoted by
respect and honour to the elders. Certain Lau, Tokofsky, & Winick, 1997, p. 3). From
behaviour is frowned at and is regarded as lack their postulations, it shows that proverb is part
of respect and honour.Some of the behaviour of the custom of the people and they make
include refusal to greet an elderly person, habitual use of it in their daily lives.
talking while an elderly person is talking, Corroborating the position, Omoera and
addressing an elder by his name, sitting while Inegbeboh citing Manikas-Forester and
an elderly person is standing, pointing at an Syswerd (1990, p. 17) present their position in
elderly person, refusal to lend a helping hand to
an elderly person, using obscene or taboo these words, “… these wise sayings (proverbs)
describe patterns that operate in everyday life,
words, outright insult of an elderly person or offering us advice on how to conduct ourselves
blunt refusal to obey constituted authorities in various situations”.
among others.Apart from the relationship
between elderly people and younger ones, The scholars’ positions confirm some of the
adults in Igbo land have ways of showing elements of proverbs which include brevity,
respect and honour to one another. In fact, a terseness, truth, sensibility, fixity and
high premium is placed on respect and honour aesthetics. In proverbs, abstract ideas, values,
and emotions are represented by certain
especially among one’s kindred. It is taken as linguistic markers. More so, the actualization of
sacrosanct, and failure to respect or give respect
124 Language as a Didactic Tool and Vehicle of Cultural Preservation
the meaning of proverbs in situations depends Since meaning is also involved in pragmatics,
on the adroitness of the user, context of the there is need to differentiate between semantics
utterance, cultural inference, and the and pragmatics. Umera-Okeke (2011, p. 101)
interpretative ability of the hearers as well as quoting Lyons (1995) maintains that
other linguistic considerations. Fashina (1998, “grammatical and lexical meaning belongs to
p. 314) summarizes the argument on the semantics while utterance and context meaning
definition of proverbs when he writes that a belong to pragmatics.” So, in semantics,
proverb is “a condensed text which embeds a meaning is seen from the totality of the
whole gamut of historical, cultural and moral meaning of the individual words and not from
narrative with the intent for didactic values as a the functional or the meaning of words in
school of philosophical thought”. It is in line relation to the language user/context which
with the didactic function of proverbs that the belongs to pragmatics.
present work finds essence. One of the guiding principles in pragmatics is
2.3. Pragmatics and Speech Act: An Overview that the utterances obey certain principles and
Pragmatics is a sub-field of linguistics which are used to perform certain acts. This is what
various scholars have attempted to define from Austin (1962) and Searle (1969) called the
various dimensions. For Yule, pragmatics is speech act. Austin identifies three kinds of
“the study of intended speaker meaning which speech acts that are performed when language
is used which are: locutionary acts, illocutionary
borders on ‘invisible meaning’, or how we acts, and perlocutionary acts. Locutionary act is
recognize what is meant when it is not actually considered as an act of speaking. Osisanwo
said or written” (1996, p. 127). This further (2008) holds that locutionary act has three
suggests that both the speaker and the hearer components – phonetic (phonological), phatic
should share a lot of assumptions and (syntactic), and rhetic (meaning). On the
expectations before they will be able to arrive contrary, illocutionary act refers to acts done in
at the intended or invisible meaning.Watson speaking.It refers to the intention behind the
and Hill (1993, p. 146) consider pragmatics
from the angle of the language user. Hence, speaker’s utterance which could be to inform,
they see pragmatics as “the study of language advise, promise, warn, sentence, guarantee, and
from the point of the user, especially the many others.
choices, the constraints he meets with, in In classifying illocution, Omoniyi Friday-Otun
employing the use of the language and the (2016) citing Allan (1986) submits that every
effects the use has on the communication utterance possesses both direct and indirect
situation”. This shows that pragmatics goes speech acts simultaneously. According to him,
beyond the mere use of language but involves the sentence type identified in the utterance
other considerations and effects of such represents the direct speech act, while the
considerations on the utterance. Conversely, functions performed by the utterance such as
Mey (2001, pp. 5–6) avers that the proper greetings, promising, informing, and so on are
domain of pragmatics is captured in what the indirect speech acts. He goes further to
Chomsky called performance which is the explain that the statement: I'm hungry which is
actual use of language in concrete situations. a direct act of “stating” can also perform an
Hence, he summarized pragmatics in these indirect act of requesting the food vendor to
words: “pragmatics studies the use of language serve the speaker. Crystal (1987) quoting Searle
in human communication as determined by the further classifies the illocutionary acts into five
conditions of society”. The common basic types: representatives (assertatives),
denominator in the positions of these scholars directives, commissives, expressives, and
is that pragmatics goes beyond the surface declarations.
meaning of utterances to the deep meaning that In representatives (assertatives), the speaker
such utterances denote. In addition, it looks at expresses a belief that the propositional content
the way humans use language in is true.Verbs like affirm, believe, claim,
communication and social contexts following conclude, deny, report, assert are used in such
the stipulations of society and the effect of such cases. In directives, the speaker tries to get the
language use. hearer to do something by using verbs like ask,
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