An exploration of the significance of the use of proverbs: a case study of selected proverbs of moral instruction of the Samia

Abstract

This research investigates the moral instruction of proverbs among the Samia. It was carried out from areas within Busia district and some of the neighboring districts like Namayingo, Dabani and Lumino district. As a dynamic assessment instrument, proverbs goes beyond testing an ability. It has some aspects that makes it interactive that is to say information enriched. Metaphors differs but the meaning is the same. However the approach portrays that the proverbs have got various themes for example themes on morals values, love among others, subject matter for example proverbs talking about hard work, enmity among others, stylistic devices being found in the provers for example repetition, onomatopoeia, irony, metaphors among others, proverbs having genres of literature for example drama, fiction among others. All these things helped to determine the moral lessons, values in various selected proverbs. However through the carrying out of the research I viewed a gap about people’s knowledge on oral literature though during the interviews with the old people, group discussions I tried bridging it up by sensitizing the masses on how oral forms more so the proverbs are important to our day to day lives after I had combined the views of different people that I got during the data collection coming up with few positive reasons as to why proverbs should be considered for example proverbs bridges the gap between people of different age brackets the young and the old.