Abstract
Proverbial expressions have typical linguistic and figurative features. These are normally captivating to the listener. The expressive culture of the Dagara and Akan societies is embellished by these proverbial expressions. Most African proverbs, express various images depicting both pleasant and unpleasant situations in life. Unpleasant language normally depicts several terrifying images particularly when threats, insults and other forms of abuse are traded vehemently. Dagara and Akan proverbs are no exceptions to this phenomenon. This paper seeks to examine images of contention and violence depicted in Akan and Dagara proverbial expressions. To achieve this, a variety of proverbs from Akan and Dagara were analysed for their meanings using Yankah’s and Honeck’s Theories. The result revealed that structurally, as with many proverbs, the Akan and Dagara proverbial expressions are pithy and terse. The most dominant images of contention and violence in these expressions expose negative values and perceptions about the people who speak these languages.
Highlights
1.1 African Oral TraditionsThe scope of African oral traditions is wide
Dagara and Akan proverbial expressions are embedded with a lot of images and symbols that are normally taken for granted when people are engaged in various forms of discourse
Most images of contention and violence that are evoked in Dagara and Akan proverbial expressions are terrifying and they deserve a deeper interpretation than what most of their people perceive in discourse
Summary
The scope of African oral traditions is wide It covers, among others, proverbs, riddles, folktales, folk music, dirges, drum language and lyrical poems. Among others, proverbs, riddles, folktales, folk music, dirges, drum language and lyrical poems Most of these oral art forms are used in one form or another in both the traditional and the modern urbanised African societies. Folk literature to a large extent is an important aspect of folklore and forms a vital part of the cultural heritage of the ordinary people (Egonu, 2010). It encapsulates certain values and ideals, customs and beliefs that are greatly cherished by the community. It is against this background that this paper sets the task of analysing Akan and Dagara proverbial expressions which depict images of contention and violence
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