A Sociolinguistic Analysis of English and Hausa Proverbs in Selected Texts
ABSTRACT
This study is a Contrastive Analysis of English and Hausa proverbs in selected text. The study considered three (3) research questions which were based on the similarities and differences between the English and Hausa proverbs. The sample population covers collections of hundred (100) proverbs. The data collected were subjected to comparison at different levels. Quick‟s structural mode land Wilson‟s model are used. Banathy’s contrastive model is then used to describe proverbs according to form, patterns, distribution and variations. Overall findings on the similarities and differences of English and Hausa proverbs were stated. i.e. the forms, patterns, distributions and varieties of English and Hausa proverbs are similar with some little differentiations. Proverbs however, that are culture-bond are those that posed difficulties for learning and translation from Hausa language to English.Implications for pedagogy and curriculum developers were presented.This study recommended that the English and Hausa proverbs should be given adequate consideration so as to improve students‟ performance on the use of English proverbs.
ABBREVIATIONS
Abbreviation | Meaning |
L1 | First Language |
L2 | Second Language |
MT | Mother Tongue |
CA | Contrastive Analysis |
CLA | Contrastive Linguistic Analysis |
ICA | Immediate Constituent Analysis |
TGG | Transformational Generative Grammar |
TESL | Teaching English as a Second Language |
Subj | Subject |
Pred | Predicate |
NP | Nominal Phrase |
VP | Verbal Phrase |
Adj Phr | Adjectival Phrase |
Adv Phr | Adverbial Phrase |
SVA | Subject, Verb, Adjunct |
SVO | Subject, Verb, Object |
SVC | Subject, Verb, Complement |
SVOC | Subject, Verb, Object, Complement |
SVOCA | Subject, Verb, Object, Complement and Adjunct |
DEFINITION OF OPERATIONAL TERMS
Form: This refers to the arrangement of or part, of words that follow correct ordering of English sentence pattern.
Pattern: Regular arrangement of sentence structures that strictly follows rules of sentence formation in English. I.e. (SVOCA), as well as the changing patterns of these sentence structures in Hausa language.
Distribution: The way and manner in which a proverb of a particular situation or register is used among a particular group of people.
Variety: This refers to the component of sentence element and their functional position that a linguistic unit can occupy in a sentence.