J.O. ONU

This study examines the use of proverbs in Igbo traditional communication from a pragmatic perspective. It aims to show how Igbo proverbs serve as tools for expressing wisdom, maintaining social harmony, and conveying meaning beyond the surface level of words. Data for the study were drawn from selected Igbo proverbs commonly used in daily communication. The analysis focused on how context, speaker intention, and cultural knowledge shape the interpretation and functions of these proverbs. Findings reveal that Igbo proverbs perform several communicative and social functions such as advising, warning, correcting, teaching moral values, promoting unity, and reinforcing cultural norms. The study further shows that the pragmatic meaning of a proverb depends largely on the situation in which it is used and the shared understanding between speaker and listener. The research concludes that proverbs remain a vital aspect of Igbo language and culture, serving as effective tools for teaching, persuasion, and cultural preservation. It recommends that more attention be given to the teaching and documentation of proverbs to sustain their communicative and cultural relevance in modern Igbo society.

This research examines Igbo traditional marriage songs as a vital aspect of the Igbo people’s oral literature and cultural heritage. The study explores the linguistic, stylistic, thematic and cultural features of the songs performed during traditional marriage ceremonies. It aims to reveal how these songs serve as instruments of communication, education, entertainment and cultural preservation. Data for the study were collected through oral interviews, observation and recordings of live performances. The analysis focused on the language use, poetic structure, stylistic devices and underlying meanings of the selected songs. The study is anchored on two theoretical frameworks – the Semiotic/Structuralist Theory and the Performance Theory. The Semiotic/Structuralist approach provides a framework for interpreting the symbols, signs, ad structures embedded in the songs, helping to uncover the deeper cultural meanings conveyed through linguistic and poetic patterns. The performance Theory, on the other hand, views the songs not just as texts but as dynamic acts of performance that involve interaction, participation, and emotion, reflecting the social and cultural context of Igbo marriage ceremonies. Finding shows that Igbo traditional marriage songs are rich in imagery, metaphor, repetition, proverbs and call and response patterns that promote communal participation and aesthetic beauty. Thematically, the songs express love, unity, fertility, respect and moral instructions all of which reflect the Igbo worldview about marriage as a sacred and communal institution. The songs also serve as a means of transmitting cultural values and social norms from one generation to another. The study concludes that Igbo traditional marriage songs are not merely for entertainment but are powerful tools for sustaining the people’s language, traditional and identity. It recommends the documentation, preservation and promotion these songs as an essential part of Nigeria’s intangible cultural heritage.

This study looked at several selected Yoruba proverbs that were translated into English. For the selected proverbs, the researcher used a contextual and functional analysis. According to the results of the contextual study, despite the proverbs serving various contextual purposes in our daily interactions, the English translation reflected some lexico-semantic qualities, such as meaning distortion, meaning substitution, meaning modification, meaning constriction, and sometimes, the meaning is actually kept. However, the study found that the poetic elements embedded in Yoruba proverbs were not well disseminated through translation practice in the use of proverbs in communication.

The purpose of this thesis was to examine the effects of the students’ L2 language, English, as well as their native language, Igbo, on how they speak and write English. The students attended the West-end Mixed Secondary School in Asaba DELTA State. This study used a qualitative methodology, collecting data for the study through interviews and written essays. All of the teachers and students at West-end Mixed Secondary School in Asaba Delta State served as the study’s population. The non-probability (purposive) sampling strategy was utilized by the researcher to choose the study participants. Some of the teachers were interviewed by the researcher. Students’ essays were also selected using a non-probability sampling technique. Utilizing frequency tables and charts for percentages, the generated data was evaluated. Based on the research objectives, the qualitative analysis of the interviews was added to the numbers and percentages discovered through the analysis. According to the study, students seldom think in the L2; instead, they first think in the L1 and then convert those thoughts into the L2. They make mistakes in their second language due to this immediate translation. The survey found that some teachers interact with their students in their home tongue. In response, all of the teachers said they encourage their students to speak English and make sure they use proper or standard English. Direct translation from Igbo to English, concord, and proposition are the primary areas where the students’ writings deviated in the areas where the L1 interfered with the L2, as seen in the essays of the students. The study found that negative transfers from the native language to the L2 are the cause of the faults shown in the students’ essays as reflected in their writing and the opinions of the teachers. The study suggests that teachers should encourage students to speak
English with one another in class. Students should develop a reading habit as well to help them with their English.