A SOCIOLINGUISTIC STUDY OF IGBO PROVERBS

ABSTRACT The concept of sociolinguistics which essentially is concerned with the relationship between language and society has over the years been an area of much concern in linguistics. However, in this study, the sociolinguistic study of Igbo proverbs, the researcher investigates the extent to which Igbo proverbs are reflective of Igbo society. The Igbo proverbs that constitute the data are sourced from relevant Igbo texts and also from recorded conversations of competent native speakers of Igbo. The researcher employs the descriptive theoretical framework in the analysis of these data and the result shows how far reaching the implication of Igbo proverbs are in the understanding of several aspects of the Igbo society. These aspects include Igbo culture and ideology, value, history and also the linguistics situation of Igbo society. In my study of findings, I found out that there is no aspect of language that is reflective of the society like proverbs. In the sense that proverbs help to reflect one in the society. the users of proverbs are expected to use it the way it is and not to change the words to suit him or for ease and consequently, proverbs portrays the society as it is. It is found also that proverbs is useful for the study of contemporary societies since. In proverbs the words are fixed and borrowing is rare. In the sense xii that in Igbo proverbs all the words in Igbo are not borrowed. The implication is that Igbo proverbs are useful for analyzing the peculiarities of Igbo society.