Written and Spoken Language in Igbo Cultural Milieu: A Philosophical Approach

Abstract

Aristotle in his De Interpretatione sketches how words are related to things through the mind. It is the spoken word that brings to light the secret intentions of the human heart. Hence the Igbo people usually say that the spoken word is the human mind made visible. In our contemporary society, the effects of many related spoken word problems are often misconstrued as either attacks from the malevolent spirits or as the machinations of the evil people. The spoken words can create as well as destroy. There is, therefore, a serious need to create the awareness and enlightenment in this regard to the grassroots. This work will, therefore, attempts to bring out the concept of the spoken language in Igbo cultural milieu, as a phenomenon to a philosophical scrutiny and, hence to provide the much needed literature in the field. Hence, the work intends to bring some enlightenment concerning the Igbo concept of the spoken words. This enlightenment will as well create awareness on the effectiveness and efficaciousness of the spoken words both in the positive and the negative dimensions, as well as the reason Igbo-African prefer spoken words to the written words. The researcher primarily uses philosophic techniques as a method to achieve the purpose of the study.