KNOWLEDGE RELATED METAPHOR AND PROVERBS IN IGBO AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE

ABSTRACT

For all cultures, the power of metaphor and proverb lies in their ability to pass on wisdom, information, values, and principles from one generation to the next. Every language often reveals not only the speakers' innermost feelings and ideas but also the topics of discussion and their worldview. When used properly, metaphors and proverbs can capture the heart of any argument without bias or pretension. This project seeks to examine, via an examination of Nigerian culture, metaphors and proverbs that pertain to knowledge in both the Igbo and English languages. The purpose of this study is to compare and contrast the proverbs and metaphors used in Igbo and English that pertain to knowledge. The conceptual metaphor theory (CMT), first proposed by Lakoff and Johnson in 1980, forms the basis of the investigation. Qualitative approaches, incorporating primary and secondary sources of data, are employed in the research attempt. The main strategy involves talking to native speakers, while the secondary strategy makes use of publications and online resources like proverbial dictionaries (e.g., Penguin, File on Fact, and Routledge) to fill in the gaps. Examining the similarities and differences between Igbo and English proverbs and metaphors pertaining to knowledge is the primary goal of this research project.