A poetic structure in Hausa proverbs

bibliographic database
Line

Periodical article

Title:	A poetic structure in Hausa proverbs
Author:	Jang, Tae-Sang
Year:	1999
Periodical:	Research in African Literatures
Volume:	30
Issue:	1
Pages:	83-115
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	Nigeria Northern Nigeria
Subjects:	Hausa proverbs
External link:	http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/research_in_african_literatures/v030/30.1tae_sang.pdf
Abstract:	This article examines the ways in which Hausa proverbs are poetically formed. Hausa proverbs are normally characterized by a bipartite structure; they can be divided into two sections of equal and nearly equal length, each having the same, or nearly the same, number of syllables. The author restricts the scope of analysis to proverbs with a balanced bipartite structure, i.e. proverbs where the difference in syllable number between two sections does not exceed one or two syllables. For a given proverb to be regarded as having a bipartite structure, the dividing points in the two levels of division must coincide or nearly coincide with each other. The generally held view that proverbs are more verse-like than prose-like is also true of Hausa proverbs. Bibliogr., notes, ref.