Proverbs and Counter-Proverbs: Meaning, Contexts, and Uses
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55595/qwr2de93Keywords:
counter-proverbs, ethno linguistics, orality, San proverbsAbstract
One of the hallmarks of eloquence in African ethnic groups is the use of proverbs. It is
commonly said that the appropriate use of proverbs reflects a high level of proficiency in the local
language. In the same vein, a dialogue composed entirely of proverbs would be considered as the
superlative degree of that language. In other words, this refers to a communicative situation where
both proverbs and counter-proverbs are used. A counter-proverb is a proverb used in response to,
or more precisely, to contradict another proverb. It can be found in any speech situation involving a
dialogue. Compared to a detailed sentence, the counter-proverb moves in the same direction as the
proverb. In a dialogue situation, the counter-proverb plays the same role as the proverb. For us, the
study of proverbs and counter-proverbs goes beyond an academic exercise. It is the expression of a
segment of the rich intangible heritage that we have received, preserved, and are responsible for
transmitting. Thus, the analysis in this article will be based on a corpus of eighteen (18) proverbs and
counter-proverbs collected in their natural context of use
Downloads
References
Worf B. L., 1969, Linguistique et anthropologie, Paris, Denoël.
Eno Belinga S.-M., 1978, La littérature orale africaine, Paris, Edition Saint Paul.
Calame-Griaule G., 1965, Ethnologie et langage : la parole chez les Dogon, Paris, Gallimard.
Baumgardt U., Derive J., 2008, Littératures orales africaines : perspectives théoriques et
méthodologiques, Paris, Karthala.
Derive J., 2012, L’art du verbe dans l’oralité africaine, Paris, l’Harmattan.
Tououi Bi Irié E.,2014, Expression et socialisation dans les contes gouro de Côte d’Ivoire, Tome3, Paris
L’Harmattan.
Sanou A., 2022, Paroles collectées, recueil d’articles, Ouagadougou, Presse universitaire
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Article licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication. Articles carrying this licence may be copied and shared for noncommercial purposes, provided that the authors and journal are credited, copyright notices are retained and a link to the licence is supplied.
No distribution of adaptations: a translation, rewriting or other adapted version may not be distributed under this licence without separate permission from the rights holder. Statutory exceptions remain applicable.
Earlier versions: permissions already validly granted, including under CC BY-NC 4.0, remain in force. PDFs accompanied by the bilingual notice dated 3 October 2026 specify the licence of the distributed version and preserve the original pages as historical material.
