Abstractyorubapeople relish in interspersing their utterances with proverbs. Yoruba proverbs are wise sayings passed through generations to teach historical lessons, highlight good morals, and instil social values. When first glancing to the play, death and the kings horseman its clearly written in english but with the usage of yoruba proverbs. The use of a yoruba proverb by a younger person is prohibited in the presence of an older person, without prior permission to do so. Yoruba philosophy is rich in aphorisms and proverbs. We madeplantainpancake out of them and then these dodo ikire.
So some yoruba proverbs and idioms should be found on every social media page of a nigerian person as it shows wisdom. Yoruba is a popular indigenous language in nigeria alongside hausa and igbo. Each proverb is presented in yoruba with a literal english translation, followed by a brief commentary explaining the meaning of the proverb within the oral tradition. Other languages using the vigesimal with 20 as the block unit numeral system include dzongkha national language in bhutan, ainu japan, french, mayas, aztecs, danish, welsh, scottish gaelic, georgian and has also found historical use in england where the old british currency system involved 20 shillings and 240 pence or usage in literature. Proverbs in midlife are largely derived from yoruba proverbs and osundare being a nature poet undertakes a. Department of english university of lagos akoka lagos, nigeria. So to better understand this language, below are 50 of the top english proverbs, clearly explained just for you. The use of proverbs in nigerian culture information parlour. Yoruba language and speech practices do feature forms that are practically, if not. The eunuch cannot make fun of the person with gonorrhea. Proverbs and gender equalities and equities in african cultueres.
Apr 29, 2011 yoruba proverbs and their meaning eera ko fe poroporo denu. How to say hello in nigerian easiest way these three tribes are mostly the most populous in nigeria with. The paper discusses some of these hidden beauties of yoruba proverbs. Proverbs 20, new living translation nlt the bible app. Topics yoruba language collection opensource language english. This is, in my opinion, the best and most beautiful recording of the king. Proverbs and gender equalities and equities in african. It is primarily, but not exclusively aimed at women, and will provide an opportunity for people to engage in discussions about a range of issues such as politics, social justice, development, financial security, womens rights, health, entrepreneurship, popular culture, faith, parenting, relationships, and. A study of selected yoruba proverbs and proverbial expressions article pdf available january 2014 with 2,160 reads how we measure reads. An analysis of the proverbs the yorubans live by semantics archive. Washing ones hands before meals is both a health requirement and a mark of social grace. This definitive source book on yoruba proverbs is the first to give such detailed, systematic classification and analysis alongside a careful assessment of the risks and. Oyekan owomoyela at the university of nebraska lincoln.
It has different answers to important questions in their religion and wise words. This paper examines the proverbs found in yoruba language with the aim of. As an ethnomethodological study, this paper will explicate how yoruba proverbs are employed for social interactions. The recording is dramatized, from the king james bible. This is the collection of yoruba proverbs for yoruba people only. You can find also find nigerian comedy, jokes, proverbs, traditional dances, baby names, news, food, and other nigeria related content. But yoruba proverbs relating to health matters can do more. Owe ile yoruba some lovely yoruba proverbs and their. Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat. By using some of these 150 popular proverbs, you can up your english language skills by few notches.
However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. English language is however the main medium of communication especially in schools and institutions of learning. Above whispers is a platform for those who want to have a mature engagement online. Yoruba, one of the three largest ethnic groups of nigeria, concentrated in the southwestern part of that country.
My sister was going to throw out some very ripe plantain when i was like we could actually put them to use. Online edition of the fist section of proverbs collected, translated and explained by dr. The yoruba great fathers in the past composed these proverbs based on their wisdom, deep thoughts, observations and. The nature and form of yoruba proverbs proverbs are one of the many kinds of sociocultural use of language although the sociolinguistic significance of proverbs in africa is brought about by their close connections with other forms of language use.
Pdf the nature, form and functions of yoruba proverbs. Interpreting yoruba proverbs department of english. May 20, 2015 proverbs are difficult to interpret, thus, mostly interpreted by old people that are conversant with the use of language and proverbs. It is also committed to a search for love and wisdom, which is evident in the first novel published in the yoruba languaged.
Seeks to propagate yoruba proverbs and increase their usage thereby preserving the yoruba language and the wisdom of the yoruba people for posterity. My motivation to do this is mainly to empower my kids to communicate proficiently using yoruba. There is no doubt that in any culture or civilization, language is basic, and wherever you find a similar language being spoken, there is no doubt that there must be some historical connection. The holy bible book 20 proverbs kjv dramatized audio. The yoruba numbered more than 20 million at the turn of the 21st century. If culture is a veritable instrument of development, if language is a carrier of culture and if the relationship between language and culture is like that between. Biblica, the international bible society, n pese r. Hardly can a typical yorubaman or woman utter three sentences without putting in a proverb.
Snuff sellers use chicken feathers to sweep the snuff from the grindstone. However, from the details of yoruba proverbs it is obvious that some sort of heightened speech, in one form or the other is frequently used. Proverbs encapsulate the sociocultural significance of a people. But nevertheless, we still have the dominant tribes which are the hausas, yorubas, and igbo. It is customary for litigants in yoruba courts to state their cases on their knees. The yoruba religion system comprises of traditional practices and spiritual concepts which has evolved into a robust religious system. Bibeli mim ni ede yoruba odeoni ycb download the free. Ten storyfied yoruba proverbs for children by tayo solagbade. Out of the three ethnic groups in nigeria, the yoruba and the igbo ethnic groups are known to be the richest in the use of proverbs. This is achieved through a content analysis of twentyfour24 randomly selected yoruba proverbs, and proverbial expressions, with particular reference to the themes of warning, cooperation, and. Ondo is one of the largest ethnic groups in yoruba land and shares a good. Sep 16, 2012 this is the holy book of proverbs, known simply as the proverbs. Nairaland forum nairaland general culture owe ile yoruba some lovely yoruba proverbs and their meanings.
God is my refuge and my fortress he who dwells in the shelter of the most high will abide in the shadow of the almighty. The syntax of yoruba proverbs global journals incorporation. Yoruba proverbs are used purposefully, making them easy to use for teaching and application. Yoruba is a language spoken natively by about thirty million people in n igeria and in the neighbo u ring countries of the republic of benin and togo 1. In his novel, as in many of his other literary works, fagunwa blended fantastic fables with folk philosophy and. Lest i not derail from the topic being discussed i will be showing you the owe yoruba you should know what this means already and its various meaning in no time. The understand of yoruba proverbs language of the play medium. The yoruba expression, e g n gb, meaning literally, e g n the incarnated spirit of the ancestors has appropriated it, is a way of saying, it is lost to people. In the yoruba speech community of nigeria, proverbs are multifunctional and flexible instruments of language use for several aspects of the yoruba society in which they operate.
For example, proverbs from farming towns will use a lot of farming language, and fishing villages will talk about the sea. So i present to you this interesting topic on yoruba proverbs owe yoruba, indeed the nigerian culture is very much vast and wide with each tribes having its own laws and traditions. The proverb builds on the fact that chickens have no knees, and, therefore, cannot state cases kneeling. The understand of yoruba proverbs language of the play. Yoruba proverbs yoruba proverbs oyekan owomoyelauniversity of nebraska press, lincoln and london the publication. Owe ile yoruba some lovely yoruba proverbs and their meanings. Much smaller, scattered groups live in benin and northern togo.
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