A CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF ENGLISH AND HAUSA PROVERBS

Abstract

This study titled, “A Contrastive Analysis of English and Hausa Proverbs” examines the areas of difficulties, similarities and differences that exist between Hausa and English proverbs. Proverbs are vital elements of communication in every language and they are dynamic and complex in nature; having the capacity to enrich the lives of their users. There are more socio-cultural realities to the meaning of proverbs than the mere linguistic examination of their form and these include the psychological, sociological, cosmological, as well as other pragmatic features. The data for the study were generated from secondary sources and specifically a total of one hundred proverbs from the work of Muhammad Bello and Frank Williams. Fifty (50) were selected from each of the two blocs of languages, Hausa and English. The theoretical framework adopted for the study is Quirk’s Structural Grammar but the data were analysed using Banathy’s and Wilson’s Model of Analysis. From the findings, some of the forms, patterns, distributions and varieties of English and Hausa proverbs are similar. However, there are shades of differences though all proverbs reflect the cultures from which they originate but the degrees of differences are factors why they are difficult for learning and translation from Hausa to English. This study recommends that English and Hausa proverbs should be given adequate consideration so as to improve learners’ performance in the use of English proverbs.