Customer Reviews

African Proverbs and Proverbial Names

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"Until the publication [of this book], it has been extremely difficult to find any primer that collects and defines the meanings of some African names and proverbs in the English translation. [The book tries] to delineate, translate, and put into definitive contexts, these names and proverbs, as a means of reaching the bigger English audience that is still unaware of the rich African traditional linguistic heritage....[The book] looks at the relationship between African names and African proverbs.... The author goes into great length in defining and explaining these proverbs. ...such proverbs and their deeper meaning...make this book worth reading if one wants a better grasp in comprehending African names. The book has been made easier to read by the author's inclusion of two indices. One index deals with the general themes in the book, while the other one specifically looks at the names in the text. Over half a century ago, one leading African linguist...M.B. Nsimbi, had argued that writers would publish more books about African names and proverbs. Unfortunately his prophecy still remains unfulfilled as few works have been written about this still unexplored field. Nevertheless, it is heartening to see African linguists such as Jonathan Musere rising to the occasion. Nonetheless, Musere's work is just a tip of the iceberg in light of the millions of African names and proverbs that await to be analyzed and exposed to the world. In the face of the onslaught of western culture, languages and modern technology, African traditional names and proverbs stand a great risk of being obliterated. That is why we need books such as these to be written before it is too late. [The book is]...highly recommended for scholars and students of African anthropology, linguistics, literature, and history as well as those in the African/black diaspora that are interested in learning more about African culture, including those that might want to adopt some African names." (S.B. Isabirye in "Papyrus" Vol.6, No.2, Winter 2000).

For the reader or scholar with dedicated interest in African names, proverbs and culture, this is a unique and long awaited title. This is the first book to ever comprehensively illustrate the relationship between African proverbs and their related personal names. Although many African personal names have proverbial origins, the compiling of this information in detail is still in its rudimentary stage. African proverbs involve a wealth of disappearing oral wisdom and tradition that begs for much further exploration. This book involves close to a thousand interpreted proverbs and their associated names, of the Ganda people of Uganda who have a wealth of oral literature that begs for further exploration. The book inevitably serves as a naming guide for those interested in African names. There is a genuineness about this book in that the author writes the proverb in the original language, follows with the translation in English, interpretes the proverb in remarkable detail, and then lists the personal names associated with the particular proverb.