Ngugi’s extract is an example of how language can be important to a community, specifically his own. This also reflects on the novel Things Fall Apart due to Chinua Achebe’s seamless inclusion of igbo words and proverbs. A big part of the culture is communication, having read Ngugi’s extract it makes it clearer just how important it was. It was a way to share stories or play games, it was an entire community effort that had united everyone. The language used in TFA wasn't just for inclusivity, it was to further enhance the communal efforts of everyone in the villages. For igbo readers, it's a solid nod of recognition. To foreign readers, it is a statement of education and mindfulness.
Igbo readers would already know the traditions and the language, how the writing is woven with proverbs and idioms. But for foreign readers, it's something new and interesting. As a foreigner and language & literature student, I get to read and analyze the precise language used. After reading Ngugi's extract, I now understand the deeper importance of language to the Igbo community. Even though Things Fall Apart already outright told the readers that the Igbo enjoy proverbs, it wasn't described in the way that it is a melodic, unifying language that has many capabilities beyond communication. It is more than that, it is entertainment and a way of expression. It forms bonds and creates memories, which is one of the most important thing about Ngugi's text. Language, for the Igbo culture, means much more than just simple words.
No comments:
Post a Comment