Abstract:
The English language is a living and dynamic language and because of this, it is flexible and open to changes that occur everywhere it is used. This is exactly the case with English in Nigeria. The socio-cultural setting and the values of the Nigerian people have influenced the use of English language in the country. Many researchers have noted that proverbs form a formidable part of both the spoken and written discourse in the English speaking world, especially Nigeria where English is used as a very important second language. This explains why this study focuses on the Sociolinguistics of the Proverbs in Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame, Kurunmi and Ovonramwen Nogbaisi. In the Yoruba Speech Community of Nigeria to which Ola Rotimi belongs, proverbs are considered as multifunctional and flexible instruments of language. They are employed for social relationships, for performing routine activities and for reflecting awareness of the environment. Viewed from a sociolinguistic perspective, Yoruba proverbs exemplified by those used by Ola Rotimi in The Gods Are Not to Blame and Kurunmi especially, reveal the values of good conduct, respect for elders, the place of royalty, cordiality and cooperation for peaceful co-existence among the Yoruba. Using Dell Hyme’s Ethnography of Communication as a theoretical framework and the S-P-E-A-K-I-N-G model as the data analysis tool, the investigation showed that proverbial usage cuts across cultures and races; Africans use proverbs more than other people in the world; there is male dominance in the use of proverbs in Africa; elders and leaders are more disposed to proverbial expressions than young and common individuals in Africa and proverbs are conditioned by circumstances. The researchers recommend that the study of African proverbs be introduced into the school curriculum to help growing children appreciate their culture and those of other people and avail themselves of the moral lessons that proverbs offer since such proverbs guide the behaviour of young people.
