Irony in selected Lango proverbs.

Abstract

This research lays down to examine irony and its cardinal contribution in selected proverbs among the Lango community. It strives to identify, elaborate, analyze and archive proverbs which eventuate and betide in not only Lango community but also several tribes as far as heterogeneity and multiplicity of tribe in Uganda is concerned. This study focused on observation and documentary analysis to arrive to the conclusions made. The findings of the study were to prove that irony is significant in the meaning development in the Lango proverbs. It is good to note that the Lango proverb is built on many devices like metaphor, hyperbole, imagery, and symbolism, among others, but the study of this thesis concludes that all these styles are contained in elements of ironic expressions because most of the proverbs in Lango seemed to elicit different forms of irony and thus enabling the audience to draw conclusions through critical reasoning the intended opposite expected outcome of what is told that enables them to understand different meanings of different proverbs. The study concludes that the forms of irony elicited in the proverbs play a didactic role in the development of meaning in the proverbs and thus enhancing the people's critical thinking, knowledge of their society, smooth expressive capability and above all peaceful living in the community.