An Analysis of Phonostylistic Devices in Some Selected Itiang (Proverbs)Bette

Abstract

Bette is a predominant ethnic group in Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Obudu is located at the foot of the Cameroun mountain, a part of which constitutes Obudu Ranch Resort. Linguistic activities in this community are still basically oral because the orthography of the Bette language is still being harmonised, hence the people are still predominantly unlettered. Such linguistic activities are carried out as part of traditional rhetoric. The proverb is a rhetorical art form commonly used in this traditional society as a means of communication. This paper which focuses on a phonostylistic analysis of Bette proverbs believes that the study of linguistic activities in traditional societies is relevant to the situation when it focuses on the aesthetic and functional role of language and regard language texts like proverbs as verbal manifestation of the wisdom, socio-cultural and sociolinguistic sensibilities of the folk. A proverbial performance exhibits certain phonostylistic qualities which illustrate the ingenuity of the oral artist. The paper examines these qualities in selected Bette proverbs which give certain artistic and cognitive effects, and which endeared the proverbs in the memory of the folk.  The paper contributes to the study of Linguistic Stylistics of folk languages in traditional societies.

Keywords: Proverbs, Phonostylistic devices, traditional societies, Nigeria