Language, and Social Commentary in African Proverb Discourse

Abstract

This study examines the discursive use of Igbo proverbs and their transformed counterparts, anti-proverbs, as linguistic resources for humour and social commentary within the Igbo socio-cultural context. The work utilises a qualitative analysis of four selected Igbo proverbs and their anti-proverbial extensions, to explores how deliberate subversions of traditional wisdom generate humour while simultaneously critiquing social norms and everyday realities. Anchored in Raskin’s Script-based Semantic Theory of Humour (SSTH), the study demonstrates that humour in anti-proverbs emerges from script oppositions between culturally established expectations and their pragmatic disruption in contemporary usage. These incongruities function not merely as sources of amusement but as discursive strategies for social reflection on issues such as status, morality, interpersonal relations, and social change. The findings reveal that Igbo proverbs perform dual communicative roles by functioning as both repositories of cultural knowledge and innovative sites of humour-driven social critique. By bringing to the fore the interaction between language, humour, and discourse, this study contributes to ongoing discussions on indigenous African verbal art and highlights the adaptability of proverb discourse in negotiating continuity and change in modern Igbo society.