Symbolism in Runyankore proverbs

Abstract

This research was mainly carried out to investigate and the way symbolism is employed to construct meaning. From the research carried out, the researcher found out that it is vivid that symbolic language is animportant figure in Runyankore proverbs and it plays a significant role in constructing meaning depending on the Runyankore culture context. Various methods which include interviews, library research, literature review and ethnographic methods have been utilized in collecting data. There search aims at analyzing the use of symbolism in Runyankole proverbs. Proverbs have also been analyzed and the different aspects of symbolism categorized differently suc has natural, number, animal and color symbols have been analyzed and their possible interpretations are given. However, it is important to note that the proverb shave been analyzed using the Banyankore culture as the contextand the symbol icinterpretation followssuit. Finally,this research recommends that curriculum designers of secondary, primary and university put more emphasis on the integration of oral literature teaching syllabus to help preserve proverbs that are part of oral literature genres. Since it is noted that some symbols used are so complex in away that the audience fails torelate them to the situations hence a weakness.