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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Musical patterns and verbal structures: aspects of prosody in an African oral poetry
Author:Anyidoho, KofiISNI
Year:1986
Periodical:Black Orpheus: A Journal of African and Afro-American Literature
Volume:6
Issue:1
Pages:27-44
Language:English
Geographic term:Ghana
Subjects:Anlo
oral poetry
Abstract:This paper is concerned with prosody and polyrhythms as key elements of poetic structure, and it proceeds on the assumption that the structural complexities of these elements of African oral poetry may be better determined in relation to the musical dimension of the total art form experienced in performance. The aim of the prosodic time line is to create stability, so as to generate the variable polyrhythms that make for musical and poetic essence. The paper examines the complexities and subtleties of prosody in oral poetry, especially as seen in the polyrhythmic texture of the Ewe song, specifically of the Anlo Ewe of southeastern Ghana. This is done by an analysis of some Ewe oral poems in performance. Bibliogr., notes, ref.
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