An Annotation of Selected Hausa Parallel Proverbs

Asabe Kabir Usman 
(Department of Modern European Languages & Linguistics, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Nigeria)

Abstract: Proverbs which are described as short pit paltry or useful sayings which have been accepted into current speech and writing expressing either moral truth, embodying precepts or useful moral or didactic lessons. Proverbs have also served as medium for the expression of commonly accepted views. The Hausa term for proverb is “Karin Magana” and they are one of the oldest and most important genres of folklore, which form part and parcel of Hausa culture. These wise sayings form a very important aspect of the ways of life of the people who use them. They are capable of a variety of meanings depending on the way the speakers and listeners understand them. The effect of proverbs on the populace depends on the aptness with which they are employed in a given situation and on the themes, styles, and forms of words with which they are dressed. The same proverb can also be used under different situations. Thus two or more proverbs that are similar in context can be used for the same situation at any given time or place. It is therefore the intention of this paper to annotate a set of parallel Hausa proverbs with the hope of analyzing their meaning in context and the situation in which they are applicable or can be used.

Key words: proverbs, parallels, Hausa, translation