A COMMUNICATIVE VALUE EXPLORATION OF SELECTED NUPE PROVERBS AND RIDDLES

Abstract

This study is an interpretive exploration of Nupe proverbs and riddles. It is intended to underscore the instrumentality of proverbs and riddles in engendering unity, peace and development. A total of twelve proverbs and six riddles are gathered and analysed. Ideational and interpersonal metafunctional parts of Hallidays Systemic Functional Linguistic theory (SFL) which are premised on how experience and the relationship between participants or context influence not only the choice of a language system or an utterance in a speech event or community but also the meaning potentials of such an utterance is explored as the theoretical framework of the study. The findings of the study reveal that people, especially the elderly, exploit proverbs to caution, admonish, and challenge their addressees, while ensuring that the face (public image) of such addressees is neither threatened nor perceived to be threatened so that there may be peace. The findings also reveal that riddles are explored to engage the young for the purpose of socialisation and intellectualism and consequently unite them for development. The author therefore, concludes that proverbs and riddles are effective for correcting the wrongs in the society and discouraging individualism for social cohesion.