Dimensions of Meaning: A Survey of Figure of Speech in Kanuri Poetry

Citation: Mohammed Alhaji MODU & Abdulwahab MOHAMMAD (2018). Dimensions of Meaning: A Survey of Figure of Speech in Kanuri Poetry. Yobe Journal of Language, Literature and Culture (YOJOLLAC), Vol. 6. Department of African Languages and Linguistics, Yobe State University, Damaturu, Nigeria. ISSN 2449-0660

DIMENSIONS OF MEANING: A SURƁEY OF FIGURE OF SPEECH IN KANURI POETRY

Mohammed Alhaji MODU

and

Abdulwahab MOHAMMAD

Abstract

This paper selected both oral and written poetry in Kanuri to survey and analyze the figures of speech. The work adopts Ndimele (2007) model of approach. The study identified four dimensions of meaning found in the figure of speech. These four dimensions of meaning are comparison, contraction, sound and analogy. Furthermore, the work looks into each of the dimensions of meaning. The paper identified two kinds of comparisons viz descriptive and connective qualities. The former descriptive qualities of comparison are divided into three namely personification, simile and metonymy. The latter connective qualities of comparison also of two types: metaphor and personal metaphor. In addition to these, the paper looks at contraction. The paper reveals six kinds of dimensions of meaning via contraction in Kanuri poetry. It further identified three dimensions of meaning by means of sound are: alliteration, assonance and onomatopoeia. Finally, the paper discusses three types of device of analogy in figure of speech in Kanuri poetry. These are hyperbole, litotes and apostrophe.

1.0 Introduction

Poetry stands as mirror reflecting the individual (poets) perception of life experience. Poet is a person who is usually more sensitive to the sights, sounds and sensation of the world around him. The poets in Kanuri are divided into two: freelance and court poets. The former are artists who provide their services for anybody who pays for it at any time, any place, like Mairama Kalu, Ali Asǝmayin, Kwala, Shettima Kurna etc. while the latter are the class of poets who only perform at the court of Mai or Shehu ‘king.’ With the titles assigned to them are that of Zanna and Shettima[1]. The offices stands as a reward and they performed only to the king, aristocrats and their lineage. For example Zannna Zakkama, Zanna Babuma, Shettima kunguru or Shettima Boli. This kind of political office is also given to the female court poet. The title is Maira Buwube[2] example Maira Arelo, etc.

Oral songs called ‘Kaiyawa’were in existence for long in the society before the advent of ‘Nazǝmu’means written poetry in Ajami and Roman script. In the Kanuri context the distinction between the two is clear; “Kaiyawasodǝ yetan yetin” songs or oral poetry are sung with or without instruments, whereas “Nazǝmudǝ lǝbtan lǝbtin ye kǝran kǝratin ye.” “Written poetry is written as well as recited”[3]. The language of oral and written poetry is called figurative language. It departs from the straight forward literal language (Muhammad 2015, p. 18).

1.1 Figurative Language

The ability to manipulate language is perhaps the strongest tool of the literary artist. Figurative language, otherwise, figures of speech and its main functions as Levin (1964, p. 84) puts it, “to unify the texts in which they appear”. Denial (1996, p. 520) said it is “a kind of shorthand” because it can take a lot of words to express an idea in literal term. The poet speaks in descriptive, metaphors culturally conditioned or inclined to social communication and concrete linguistic manifestation through a rich semantic system that is the wordings are compressed (smaller) and condensed (thicker). That is why poets frequently use the figures of speech, in order to capture the readers or listeners’ interest and imagination. Meyer (1996, p. 672) affirms that figurative language is “a means of achieving colour, vividness and intensity”. According to Jackson (2006, p. 201) “a figure of speech occurs when the word, phrase or sentence is employed in a sense other than usual or literal sense it has naturally”. The purpose behind the use of a figurative expression is to intensify the idea being conveyed (Abrams and Geoffrey 2009). The figure adds emphasis, feeling, and colour to the thought presented

So, whatever in a poem appeal to any of the senses (including sensations of heat and pressure as well as of sigh, smell, test, touch, and sound) is imagery. In short images are the sensory content of a work, whether literal or figurative (Barnet et al 1971, p. 428). Example in Kanuri a poet can say Bundimeans ‘lion’ and Na nji fitǝna-a kǝndawu fitǝna-a gade “a place where water is pour differs with the one of oil”. Referring to any person cloud give something.

Whenever a poet speaks, is for the sake of freshness or highlighting, depart from the usual denotative meaning to connotative meaning. In spite of the fact that, figures of speech are indirectly designed to clarify, not obscure our understandings of what they describe (Meyer 1996). So the conceptual structure of the above examples shows ‘great strength’, ‘courage’, ‘responsible citizenship’ i.e. bearing the figure of a lion.

This paper intent to survey figures of speech in poems of four poets in Kanuri society. The poetry are divided into oral and written of the following poets: Hajja Ganaram and Yagana Alhajiram under oral. The written poetry selected for this paper are Patterson (1926) and Yormah (1972). These poems are the only data used in the paper i.e. primary data to analyze the dimensions of meaning via Kanuri poetry.

2.0 Model of approach

The paper adopts Dimensions of Meaning henceforth (DM) in semantic by Ndimele (2007) as a model to survey the meanings attached to figures of speech in Kanuri poetry. This is because, meaning is a multifarious in shade. So, the DM will pathways in convent manner to determining the horizons of meaning (Ndimele ibid). According to him, Dimensions of Meaning is built under three components: conceptual, associative and thematic meanings. Figurative meaning refers to meaning of meaning. Only two components are applicable out of the three mentioned above to poetry. There are associative and thematic meanings. The motive behind is, the former is operating in an unstable, open-ended and variable nature. While the latter is on how the speaker chooses to organize his information. The reason we did not include the component of conceptual is centered on contractive feature i.e. it functions toward denotative.

Associative meaning deals with meaning which word conveys over and above its ordinary, basic or commonly shares sense. It is influenced by gender, the experience of the speaker or hearer the etymological epochal of the words originated and used, be it in social, religious, culture, ecology, emotion, idea context. Barnwell (1980) and Leech (1969) establish five sub-classes of associative meaning which are connotative, collective, affective, reflective and social meanings. Thematic meaning refers to the expression set on components of message, it is depending on how the speaker “organizes his message in terms of ordering, focus and emphasis” (Leech 1969, p. 100). The emphasis or prominence can be realized by the use of focalization, topicalisation, passivisation or through the use of certain prosodic features such as stress and intonation. The above two dimensions of meaning and there wider network coverage are to help in surveying and determining the meanings of figurative language in Kanuri poetry.

3.0 Devices of Figurative Language

Figurative language structurally and functionally is split into four devices are: comparison, contraction, sound and analogy.

3.1 Devices of Comparison

Comparison is an instrument used in performing a roles of instrumentality for examining resemblances. They compare one thing to something else, something very different. At this point we push toward an analogy of comparison between two pairs of object, idea, shape, in which we use our imagination; we can picture them through aids of our sensations. Devices of comparison are divided into descriptive qualities and connective qualities of comparisons.

3.1.1          Descriptive Qualities Comparison

It is related in nature to things of opposite, contrary, paired and non-matching; based on the description of essential and distinguishing attribute of something, someone and idea are fix. The figures of speech that come under this heading of comparison are presented below:

3.1.1.1 Personification

Personification is a figure of speech which based on imagination, in which human qualities, objects, ideas and attributes of life and understanding are extended to inanimate things. It represents an abstract idea as if it is a living person that has personality, intelligence and emotions. Below examples (1) signifythe personification:

(1)               Fannami kali ka’aro,

To Fannami kali[4] with a stick,

Wande mainǝm runumi,

Don’t belittle your king,

Diya.

I say.

Ngudi kulwu bururuaro,

To an irresponsible man with a brown gown,

Fanzan dal buru baro

But haɓen’t got brown he-goat in their houses,

Ngudi bǝne tawasoro,

Would set out in the night

Awo tauwa cidǝnyi

But does nothing worth setting out early,

Shitǝra yanzǝben bawo

Who is absent at the burial of his mother,

Awanzǝben bawo ro

Nor that of his father,

Wande ashirnǝm gullumi,

Don’t tell your secret,

Diya.

 

I say.

Modu (2002)

Ngudi meaningirresponsible man’s personified with these full descriptions as Fannami kali ka’a means ‘Fannami kali with a stick’ and Ngudi kulwu bururuameans ‘an irresponsible man with a brown gown’.

3.1.1.2 Simile

Simile is a figurative term referring to an object, scene or action introduced by way of an overt comparison for explanatory, illustrative or merely ornamental reason. Simile is the most popular figurative language which is used in comparison of two things of identical or similar qualities the element that signified resemblances are ‘like’ and ‘as’ in English language, which is gai in Kanuri language. Poet employs simile so as to show a morpho-semantics stylistic device that signifies verb staying and endurance (i.e. in matrimonial home) as noted in the song as in examples (2) below:

(2)               Kai kǝskado fǝrtǝ lizǝgairo.

Sit as a saprophyte that had spread out its root,

Lenǝmiya fannǝmin namne

When you go to your home (i.e. matrimonial).

Kaudǝma fǝlain ferro denǝmingairo,

As if you will cook a full tray of rocks,

Lenǝmiya mǝrairo namne.

When you go to your house (i.e. matrimonial) sit Comfortably.

Modu (2002)

Kanuri is an agglutinative language, whereby all the morphemes are glued. One word carries many derivational and inflectional morphemes in the above example words like lizǝgairo‘as a saprophyte that had spread out’ and denǝmingairo‘as if you will cook’. At this point we want to pinpoint the morpheme that denotes simile in Kanuri which is gai as appeared in the stanza.

3.1.1.3 Metonymy

Metonymy is a figure of speech, which uses the people’s cultures, norms, tradition and social status and profession to describe a person. In other words, it talks of people by talking about things which are associated with them, using their symbols of authority or social class and the tools of their profession.

Poet employs the tools of profession and cultural attitudes of Kanuri society to describe an old woman in the song. According to the tradition and norms of the society, the tradition of frying groundnuts for sale was or/ is identified with old women. Sometimes their ways of life and closeness to the bride enable them to give advice that mostly resulted in conflicts. That is why in the poem she (the poet) used metonymy to exhibit an old woman through her occupation as epitomized in the song in examples (3) below:

(3)               Kai kaka kǝmǝrsoro kanede,

Desist from the old woman,

Kazamga,

If you could,

Shiyel nden-nden mandaamaro kanede,

The slim shinned seller of salted groundnut,

Kazamga,

If you could,

Bǝne mandaa kayejinro kanede,

Who roast salted groundnut in the nightdesist,

Kazamga

If you could,

Dina wajiyama bǝli tarjinro kanede,

But spreads rumours in the day desist,

Kazamga.

If you could.

Modu (2002)

In the Kanuri society, roasting and selling groundnut is solely the trade of old women. The old woman was described with her profession via a physical feature of her body as the above line, signifies the nature of her leg (the old women).Who used to place fire in front of her as a result of that the leg will be ‘slim’ and “shin who roasts groundnut” also refers to the old women.

3.1.2 Connective Qualities of Comparison

Some figures of speech have a role of comparing something that constituted by separated characteristic or quality, through act of connecting the relationship to fasted together, to join, to relate together, to ling up. Figures of speech that come up under the connective comparisons are:

3.1.2.1 Metaphor

Metaphor is a figure of speech which is based on similarity or resemblance. It is a compressed simile; instead of describing something to be like another, it is in nature, mental or character. One of the poet in Kanuri society employs it to create image. But, it is directly referred to as in poem consider the following examples (4):

(4)               Kanyi kaza foton ngawobero kane,

Desist from being a lustful Nanny of the backyard

Yanyi kazamga diya

My mother, if you could I say.

Kaiya cilcili kawarbero kane,

D

esist from being talkatiɓe like the weaɓer bird,

Yanyi kazamga diya.

My mother, if you could I say

Modu (2002)

The poet presents the metaphor in humanizing (anthropomorphic) in the poem, she employs the Kanyi kaza ‘lustful Nanny’ and Kawar ‘weaver bird’s’ attitudes to bride groom i.e. attributes characteristic of humanity what is not human.

3.1.2.2 Personal Metaphor

Personal metaphor is an imaginative figure of speech that refers to personification of object rather than idea or concept. In this case, lifeless objects are treated as if they are living beings. A poet in Kanuri community is counseling a bride on the bad egg in the society. She applies the personal metaphor to describe an old woman with part of her body as sketched in the poem as exemplified in (5) below:

(5)               Shiyel nden-nden mandaamaro kanede,

The slim shinned seller of salted groundnut,

Kazamga,

If you could,

Modu (2002)

She addressed the old woman in personal metaphoric form as Shiyel nden-ndenmandaama‘slim shinned seller of salted groundnut’ that is using the imagery.

3.2               Deɓices of Contraction

They are figures which change the typical meaning of linguistic expressions. Such figures express contract between what one says and what one means or intends. Examples:

3.2.1 Irony

One of the figurative language that use of word or words express a completely different meaning from its literal sense. In terms of tones and delivery, irony is humorous and jockey. It is often divided into three: The recognition of the difference between reality and appearance is called situational irony. A contrast between what is intended or expected and what actually occurs known as verbal irony. And a contrast between what is said and what is actually meant referred to as dramatic irony. This is illustration in (6) below:

(6)                Godǝ ngǝri sawowono

A pig be friending to an antelope

Nǝmngǝla majinsǝ shiye

He is looking to be goodness

Attǝ bǝli kattuwu

That is lie falsehood

Nǝmngǝla ndaran fandǝmin

Where will you get goodness

Godu kantaro ngǝmjiwa?

Will a pig be thin for mosquito?

Luworar njiro kǝlamjinwa?

Will onion be tastelessbecausewater?

Adǝ bǝli kattuwu

This is falsehood

Adǝmadǝ caman bǝli kattawu

That is even before is lie falsehood

Kam wanzǝna nzerayinbe

A person who unloved you, will not like you

Yagana Alhaji Bakkobe

Yagana daughter of Alhaji Bakko

Nzǝragǝna wanjinbawo

Who loved you, will not dislike you

Yagana Alhaji Bakkobe.

Yagana daughter of Alhaji Bakko

Alhajiram (undated)

The above examples contain an essential feature of the indirect presentation of a contradiction between an action or expression and the context in which it occurs. The instances of friendship between Godǝ‘a pig’ and ngǝri‘antelope’ with motive to develop the quality of beautify, goodness, morality, and virtue. The manifestation ended in bǝli ‘lie’ and kattuwu‘falsehood’ this was occur as a result of the preliminary intent in the mind of a person as in the lines of the poem wanzǝna nzerayinbe‘who unloved you, will not like you’ or Nzǝragǝna wanjinbawo‘who loved you, will not dislike you’. So this kind of irony is situational i.e. contrast what is in reality and appurtenance.

3.2.2 Sarcasm

This is a figure of speech that openly expresses disgust. A poet in Kanuri uses it in her songs to advice the bride in free open language. That is, an open irony in being sarcastic, biting words is expressed bluntly to mean what they actually express. Thus, the essence is the intention of giving pain by using ironical or other words. The poet employs this figure of speech by giving example of reward of both good and bad actions in the world and the hereafter. The following expressions are sarcastic in the lines of the song. This can be seen as follows:

(7)               Yo yabe

(8)               Yes of my mother,

Wande mainǝm runumi,

Don’t belittle your king,

Diya.

I say.

Adǝ mainǝm ruwomga,

If you belittle your king,

Dunya yen nongunǝm bawo,

In the world you haɓe no respect,

Lairo yen nuwanǝm bawo,

And in the hereafter you haɓe no bounty,

Diya.

I say.

Modu (2002)

In Islamic culture and Kanuri tradition both husband and wife have a right on one another to be obey or disobey. Both will be rewarded. To be belittler for a woman to her husband is a kind of disobedient, so a result of this, there is a reward for it both in this world and hereafter. The poet expressed the two types of the recompense sarcastically as in the above lines of the poem. These are Dunya yen nongunǝm bawo,‘in the world you have no respect’ and Lairo yen nuwanǝm bawo ‘in the hereafter you have no bounty’.

3.2.3 Oxymoron

A figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect. In other word, it is the placing of contradictory words side by side in order to emphasize meaning as in example (8) below:

(9)               Njim fǝlan tǝmjiya,

(10)           When he constructs with butter,

Tolinzǝ kǝntǝbǝl nyin sergerin.

He ties the roof with ember.

Yormah (1972)

The aboɓe two lines are self-contradictory; how will one putting together butter fǝlato build a room or hut Njim and tied the roofwith emberkǝntǝbǝl. This statement is discrepant, unsuitable, ridiculous and ludicrous and absurd which refers to oɗymoron

3.2.4 Paradoɗ

This is a statement which seems to be senseless or contradictory but which contain an element of truth as eɗemplified below:

(11)           Wu she Kaliya Kasuwun ba,

(12)           Well done a slaɓe that is not in market

Kayiwudǝ kadaro nun kawu nunro

Cowards die many times before their death.

The word Kaliya means slave and kasuwurefers market in Kanuri language. The morpheme ba is one of the negation elements in Kanuri meaning ‘not’ ‘none’ ‘no’ (Hutchison 1981). So, it is a well-known activity in the economic history that a slave Kaliya was taken to the market ‘kasuwu’. If we look at the above example Kaliya Kasuwun ba, ‘a slave that is not in the market’ is a paradoxical statement. As well the word kayiwu meaning ‘coward’, nun‘die’ and kada means ‘many times’. In the second example above seemingly cannot be true but nonetheless possible true i.e. in paradox.

3.2.5 Euphemism

This is a substitute of an agreeable inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant. A poet in Kanuri society counseling’s a bride on the issue of prosperous in her matrimony, stated that a wife would not be prosperous in her matrimony unless she agrees with her duty to her husband and it should be a challenge to her to double her love, trust and sympathy to him in his presence and absence. The duty was stated in euphemistic form see in the following lines of poem as can be seen in (10) below:

a.                  Dawu kulwunzǝbe tam kǝngǝsǝnzǝ yeje,Then hold the neck of his gown and kill his lice[5],

Kǝngǝsǝnzǝma cejimga,

And would you kill the lice on him

Awo suro liwunzǝbe,

 Of the things in his pocket,

Tajiwuma koljinba,

 Without eɓen sparing his rosary

Tajiwuma koljinba hanzǝyen

Beads he would giɓe you all,

Diya.

 I say.

Modu (2002)

Kanuri society is a community where the rate of nongu shame is very high that is why some nouns and verbs were not mention unless in covert or substituted with pleasant one. In the above example dawu kulwunzǝbe tam kǝngǝsǝnzǝ yeje,‘hold the neck of his gown’ and kǝngǝsǝnzǝ yeje ‘kill his lice’, is a command given to a bride by the poet, as one of her matrimonial duties. The commandment isto take care, love, act according to her husband order and to satisfy his biological needs. This imperative subjective assignment is ascribe to the bride in a euphemistic manner i.e. kill his lice (the arousal of feeling sexual desire). Even the oral singers in Kanuri know the law of the society in terms nongu they propelling vulgar or rough-cutvague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt.

3.2.6 Dysphemism

It is a substitution of a harsh, disparaging, or unpleasant expression for a more neutral one. In other word is the use of a harsh, more offensive word instead of one considered less hash, dysphemism is often contrasted with euphemism. Dysphemism are generally used to shock or offered as shown in (11):

(13)           Ale yabe,

(14)           Ale of my mother

Wai yaanyi gulle,

Call him my dear brother,

Nandi kwanǝm cidan kadeoga,

If your husband comes from work,

Wushe yanyi gulle,

Say welcomes my dear brother;

Zoli tada yanyibe,

Call him dear son of my mother,

Maigidanyi gulle,

Master of the house.

Bǝndi bǝne njimndelan ngur-ngurtǝmadǝ gulle,

Tell him the lion that murmurs in our room in the night,

Gǝle kurwuli kausǝ dawube yaanyi gulle,

Tell him the daylight lion, my dear brother.

Modu (2002)

In Kanuri community for a woman to call name of her husband for instance Ali, Musa etc is a prohibited, banned, proscription, and taboo. In some situations and contents even for her to say kwanyi meaning ‘my husband’ is an impermissible, according to socio-cultural values in the society. Going by the law of the society, it is acceptable for a wife to call her husband with respect, esteem, veneration and honour; as in the above stanzas as examples by using nice words such as yaa ‘brother’or maigida[6] ‘master of the house or my lord’ etc.

3.3 Deɓices of Sound

Varieties of sounds are interpretable in different forms based on socio-cultural background of a given society. Interpretations of the sounds could be behaviour, idea, rational and logical meanings. For example these nature sounds each is has a referential sense “buzz,” “hiss” and “clang” “percussion”, “chirp”, “bang” etc. in English language. Figures of speech that deals with sounds are as follow:

3.3.1        Alliteration

Alliteration is the figurative language arising from the sound of words and is common in oral poetry. It is a repetition of the same consonant sound or more precisely sound at the beginning of two or more words in a verse of poetry. For beautification of the songs gives all the qualities of poetry to his artistic presentation as below:

(15)           Kuli ku nyide kurwun dunyabe,

(16)           Hail all powerful! To-day you are the world's

problem solɓer:

Zanama ku nyidǝ zanna dunyabe,

 Who hold destiny in your hands,

Suwuwimaku nyidǝ shuwur dunyabe,

To-day you have made the world

 a paradise:

Kowu Dislambe ku nyidǝ wasola

Islam's disposer, to-day you are

dunyabe,

pillar supporting the world

…………………………………………….

Tekami,ngaranmi, ngaran kongawabe,

 You are the world’s sweetness:

………………………………………………..

Kade kadema ka dandalbe,

With whom lies the power for good or evil, to-day

 Patterson (1926)

In the above stanza, the poet attempts to expand words by adding special features such as the sounds ‘k’. ‘z’, ‘d’, and ‘ng’ in initial position. These sounds do not change the meaning of the words, but they serve to beautify and make the words pleasant to the listens ear.

3.3.2        Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech by which a percussion or sound of an animal or object that is made refers to the interpretation of the sounds. That is, onomatopoeia; the word suggests their meanings since imitating the actual sound associated with the things concerned forms the words. The singer employs the animal sound or nature of the voice to the human behaviours. This is very bad; the bride should not be like that animal, as in the song illustrated in (13a and b).

(13a) Kaiya cilcili kawarbero kane,Desist from being talkatiɓe like the weaɓerbird,

Yanyi kazamga diya.

My mother, if you could, I say.

Modu (2002)

In another onomatopoeic aspiration of the poet’s poem, she employs the sound ‘king’ of the jungle in the animal kingdom’ in Kanuri culture i.e. the lion’s voice top specify the leadership of a husband in his house. Poet is telling or advising the bride to say, as represented in the lines below.

(13b)Bǝndi bǝne njimndelan ngur-ngurtǝmadǝ gulle,

Tell him the lion that murmurs in our room

in the night,

Gǝle kurwuli kausǝ dawube yaanyi gulle,

Tell him the daylight lion, my dear brother,

Modu (2002)

On both the examples illustrated by the poet use the word cilcili ‘talkative’ and ngurngurtǝ‘murmuring’ the onomatopoeic feature as negative to portray by the bride, and the other one shows the functionality of duty of being a leader i.e. biologically and bearing the strengthen of the family.

3.3.3        Assonance

Assonance is a figure of speech which deals with the physical feature of sound in poetry. It is one of the common features of speech in literature, particularly oral song or poetry. It is a repetition of the same vowel sound in two or more words as could be seen in the following examples(14)from the poetry:

(14) Kai farji wartamaro kanede

Desist from being the one who flies away for

inheritance

Kazamga

If you could,

Diya.

 I say.

Kaumi karǝgǝn kauwa,

My dear one Hauwa Mada of Kaumi,

Mada kakke.

The one with stone in the heart.

Modu (2002)

In the above lines, vocalizer employs the repetitive vowel sounds /a/ and /au/. This sound reinforces the meaning of the words and give them emphasis. However, the meaning of words that are important and the sounds have only a minor role in underlying their meanings.

3.4               Device of Analogy

They are figures that employ the use of imagination in creating ideas from things beyond the realm of the immediate literary context.

3.4.1 Hyperbole

A figure of speech which uses a deliberate eɗaggerated terms for either poetic effect or elicit emotion in the addressee as shown in (15):

(15)

Cine fanyiro lenesǝ

He said stand up and go to my house

Cinge fanzǝro lewoko

I get up and went to his house

Kare kanta liwulabe cinzǝgǝ

He wipe kare kanta[7]of silɓer

Namnesǝ wuga gǝnazǝ

He said I should sit, he kept me

Bir filo gursube kolzǝ

He place pillow of gursu

Karabe shingube ferzǝ

He separated Karabe[8] of shingu[9]

Diyal liwulabe koksǝ

He separated a bed of silɓer

Namnesǝ napkǝkǝnyama

He said I should sit, when sited

Yaladǝga wunesǝ

He said I should glance at the north

Yalaga wunesǝ wugasko

He said I should glance at the north, when I glanced

Anǝmma wune wugasko

He said I should glance at the south, when I glanced

Fǝtega wune wugasko

He said I should glance at the west, when I glanced

Modu Sǝlǝmbe

Modu son of black

Yaladǝ wungǝna ladǝn

When I glanced at the north

Liwula bulyedǝn

In thewhite silɓer

Daramnzǝlan ngalzǝ gonesǝ

Of his measure, he command me measured to take it

Fǝtega wungǝ dangǝna

When I glanced at the south

Liwula bǝlya shidǝma

It is silɓer too

Ngalle gonesǝ

Command me to measured and take it

Wuskaye shishiye ngalle

Measure wuska[10] of gold

Wuskaye shinguye ngalle

Measure wuskaof shingu

Wuskaye gursuyengalle

Measure wuskaof gursu[11]

Nyi abi gursuro dikkin

Then what will I do togursu

Ny abi shishiro diakkin

Then what will I do to gold

Mairammi yayya

Son of Mairam! My brother

nyiga Shishiga koji

Your better than gold

Yayya Shettima Yawuma

My brother Shettima owner of townYawu[12]

Nyimaga abisoga koji

Your better than eɓerything.

Yagana Alhajiram (undated)

If you look at the dictions of the above examples, in the stanzas there are a lot of magnified embellish, amplify, embroider, unduly or unrealistic, inflate statements. The hyperboles are kare kanta of silver, ‘pillow of Maria Theresa dollar’, Karabe of shingu, ‘bed of silver’, wuska‘of gold’, gursu, sungu etc.

3.4.2          Litotes

It is intensifictory understanding in which an affirmative is expressed by negative it’s opposite. This can be seen as follows:

(16)

Lawantiro lenǝmiga,

When you go to Lawanti[13]

Awo hawarra mbeji,

There are marvelous things,

Kalimo nduskaye mbeji,

There is a camel with nickels

Kuwi ngawon sǝrdǝa mbeji

There isa checking with saddle

Koro kangadiga mbeji

There is a Donkey with hones

Cidacida maria mbeji

There is an ant with rope to hobble animal

Yagana Alhajiram (undated)

In the above examples the expressions represent less strongly or strikingly especially that in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of its contrary to the realistic forms in the history of human being. A camel with nickels, a checking with saddle, a donkey with hones and ant with rope to hobble animals, these statements are in litotes form.

3.4.3 Apostrophe

This is figure of speech in which somebody who is not physically present is directly addressed as if the person is present, or lifeless entity or an abstract phenomenon is addressed as if it had life or to a personified object or idea. As epitomized in example (17) below:

(17) Kǝli mana difinoa,

Green with sweet talk like date palm

Shehu wazaiga wandatin

Shehu pulls apart when dislike

Yagana Alhajiram (undated)

A digression in the form of an address to someone not existing and personified idea, as kǝli green is refers to a person and his full description as appeared in the first line mana difinoa ‘with sweet talk like date palm’ meaning ‘nice talk’. The personification of idea is also part of his nature or character as epitomized in the stanza wazaiga wandatin ‘pulls apart when dislike’.

4.0 Conclusion

It has become clear from the foregoing that figurative language is a language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal language. Although, it is found in prose and nonfiction writing but it is very common in poetry as revealed by the paper.

The paper has identified the use of key figures in the Kanuri poem. Such figures are metaphor, simile, metonymy, irony and hyperbole. Others identified include assonance, alliteration, euphemism and onomatopoeia. As would have been noted, figures of speech are every important method of communication in the society. They specify between different shades of meaning and give more accurate descriptions.

Furthermore, the effective use of the figure as alluded in the paper brings to life what would have mere words, phrases and sentences becoming more important and colourful.

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[1]Zanna and Shettimatitle given to personalities and oral singer in the court of Shehu of Borno

[2]Maira Buwubetitle given to female oral singer in the court of Shehu of Borno

[3] The recitation is in a manner close to normal speech or in lyrical form and its performances is mostly solo

[4]Fanna means son of Fatima is a proper noun. The morpheme /mi/ applied to any proper name to derive a nominal meaning “the son of” i.e. Fannami refers to son of Fanna (Shetima and Bulakariama 2012, p. 42). But here the poet just used it without reference to any person. Kali means irresponsible, undependable, careless etc.

[5] This signifies to satisfy his biological demands.

[6]Is a Hausa borrowed word into Kanuri and commonly use among the elite

[7]Archaic word may be refer to carat

[8] hide

[9] Jeton is a French word a coin

[10]wuska means eight measures

[11]Gursu Maria Theresa dollar

[12]Yawu is a name of place

[13]Lawan is ward head, the morpheme /ti/describing the residence or home of the head noun (i.e. Lawan) to which it is applied (Shettima and Bulakarima 2012). Lawanti refers to house of Lawan.