Cite this article as: Usman, S. D., & Abdullahi, M. S. (2026). A linguistic analysis of Anglicization of some Hausa proverbial expressions in selected Aliyu Kamal’s literary works. Sokoto Journal of Linguistics and Communication Studies (SOJOLICS), 2(2), 420-429. https://doi.org/10.36349/sojolics.2026.v02i02.039
By
Dr. Saifullahi Dahiru Usman
Department of Linguistics and
Foreign Languages,
Bayero University, Kano.
+2348061312701
&
Dr. Muhammed Sagir Abdullahi
National Institute for Hospitality
and Tourism,
Bagauda Lake, Kano State.
+2348035384289
Abstract
This paper titled “An Analysis of
Anglicization of Some Hausa Proverbial Expressions in Aliyu Kamal’s Works”, is
primarily designed to linguistically investigate and analyze how Prof. Aliyu
Kamal frequently uses Hausa proverbs in his literary works such as in, Hausa
Boy, Hausa Girl, Hausa Land, A Possible World, Silence and a Smile and Fire in
My Backyard, among others. By analyzing some of those selected works, it has
been discovered that many Hausa proverbial expressions are used by the writer
in varied grammatical forms. The paper uses a qualitative textual analysis
method by analyzing selected novels authored by Aliyu Kamal with particular
attention to the use of Hausa proverbs in dialogue and narration which simply
define the distinguishing features or personalities of characters in the
novels. The paper uses random sampling technique in sourcing the primary data
from the original literary texts by Kamal. After qualitative analysis of the
data, the findings show that some of the proverbs are deliberately used to warn
characters about consequences of either their good or bad actions; while some
are used just to demonstrate authority, morality, religiosity, seniority or for
preservation of culture, knowledge and wisdom. Also, the paper used Qualitative
Textual Analysis Method in analyzing the data.
Keywords:Hausa proverbial expressions; Anglicization; Aliyu Kamal;
Qualitative textual analysis; Hausa literature; Cultural preservation.
1.0 Introduction
The primary concern of this paper
is to examine and analyse some of the Hausa proverbs anglicized by Aliyu Kamal
in some of his literary works specifically Hausa Boy and Hausa Girl. Therefore,
the paper focuses on the linguistic analysis of the use of some Hausa
proverbial expressions in these works. One interesting thing with regard to
this is that, Kamal’s style in utilizing Hausa proverbs is very rare and unique
because instead of using an English proverb directly, he tries to find an
English proverb that is equivalent to that of Hausa, or simply takes Hausa
proverb and just domesticates or translates it to fit in, in order to convey
the message, he wants to send. The proverbs used by Kamal in his novels display
several linguistic characteristics that has to do with semantics such as,
metaphorical language, symbolic meaning, or those that has to do with
sociolinguistics such as, cultural imagery, gender identity, or those that has
to do with morphology such as, word formation like compounding, or those that
has to do with syntax such as, sentence structures like simple, compound and
complex ones etc. Like that of any other language, Hausa proverbial expressions
reflect crucial social values which include: respect for elders, sympathy for
young and old ones, honesty, hard work, trustworthiness, kindness, unity and
cooperation among others.
1.1 A Brief Background of
Professor Aliyu Kamal
Aliyu kamal is undoubtedly one of
the most prolific Northern Nigerian writers of today. He is a gentleman and
also a Professor of Applied Linguistics who has attended Bayero University and
Edinburgh University, UK respectively. He has been teaching English language
and linguistics for over four consecutive decades at the prestigious Bayero
University Kano.He has singlehandedly authored and published more than twenty
(20) novels with different themes. His frequent use of some Quranic verses and
prophetic traditions on one hand, and the use of Hausa figurative, idiomatic
and proverbial expressions on the other hand in his various works, clearly
signify and typify both his pervading cultural and religious sensibility. Saje,
Mahmud & Bala (2022, p. 01) express that Aliyu Kamal is one of the recent
but prominent writers from the populous Northern Nigerian region who deployed
English as a communicative tool. He comes from Kano and most of his writings
centre on women, and the socio-political, economic as well as cultural issues
of his people. In a lead paper, titled “Stories in Search of Writers” presented
at the 4th Conference on Literature in Northern Nigeria in
2006, David I. Ker, told the gathering that:
“Make no mistake about it, there
are voices from the North that have got deserved attention, and where the novel
in English is mentioned, we will surely discuss with pride the works of Zaynab
Alkali, Abubakar Gimba, Olu Obafemi, and Aliyu Kamal.”
1.2 A Brief Background of Hausa
Language
Hausa refers to a language spoken
by the Hausa people of West Africa, especially in Nigeria and Niger, and also
used in other parts of West Africa as a language of communication between
different people Hey et al, (2015, p. 720). But Newman, (2000, p. 1-3) made a
vast and more satisfactory explanation about Hausa language where he says: “The
Hausa language is spoken by upwards of thirty-five million speakers. It is the
first language of ethnic Hausas and settled Fulanis in what one might call
Hausaland proper, which covers the traditional emirates of Kano, Katsina,
Zaria, Daura, Sokoto etc., in what is now Nigeria, and the Hausa-speaking areas
of southern Niger, which consist of Gobir, Maradi, Damagaran, Tahoua,
Dogondoutchi, etc. Hausa is also spoken as a first language by resident Hausa
communities in Niamey (Niger), in Ibadan and Lagos (southern Nigeria), in Jos
and Abuja (central Nigeria), in Ghana (especially in the north, but also in the
capital Accra), and in the Blue Nile area of the Sudan, Hausa has probably been
expanding for the past two hundred years, but its spread during the past half
century has been particularly dramatic, particularly in northern Nigeria. Thus,
one finds that in urban areas like Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, and Potiskum, Hausa
is rapidly establishing itself as a mother tongue for many inhabitants, or, if
it is not replacing the indigenous language(s), it is at least being used on a
day-to-day basis as a lingua franca. But with regard to the language family,
Hausa is a member of the Chadic language family, which itself is a constituent
member of the Afro-asiatic phylum that also includes Semitic, Cushitic, Omotic,
Berber, and ancient Egyptian. Within Chadic, Hausa’s closest relatives are west
Chadic languages belonging to the Bole-Tangale, Angas and Ron groups. Within
west Chadic, Hausa essentially constitutes a group by itself. The only other
member of the group, Gwandara, is a creolized offshoot of Hausa rather than a
sister language”.
2.0 Review of Related Literature
Several researches have been
conducted on proverbs generally by many language and linguistic scholars in
many languages such as, Meider (1993), Meider (2004). Similarly in the study of
Hausa for instance, there are also many scholars that studied Hausa proverbs
and their various functions from different angles such as, economic, cultural,
linguistic, social and religious perspectives. These scholars include: Skinner
(1977), Furniss (1996), Bichi (1995), Abdulkarim & Abdullahi (2015), Lawal
(2018), Sani & Ismail (2024) among many others.
A proverb is an old, familiar
saying that has been handed down over many years. Thus, when we hear a proverb,
it is as if we were hearing the advice of our ancestors. Proverbs often express
ideas about how to act in daily life. …Many proverbs are as memorable for the
way they sound as for the things they say. (Hirsch, 1989, p. 01)
However, a proverb is popularly
known as ‘Karin Magana’ in Hausa language. Hausa is very rich in terms
of proverbial expressions and that is why there are proverbs to fit almost any
situation. For example:
a. During an epidemic or a pandemic outbreak, there are some
Hausa proverbs that we can use for people’s awareness and societal orientation.
E.g. ‘Rigakafiya fi magani’, ‘lafiyajari’ which means,
‘prevention is better than cure’, ‘health is wealth.
b. During a battle, conflict or war, there are some Hausa
proverbs that we can use to caution people about its danger. E.g. ‘Zaman
lafiyaya fi zamaxansarki’, ‘Yaqisai da makami’ which means ‘living
in peace is better than being a prince’, ‘there is no war without a weapon’.
c. During a pacification or perseverance, there are some Hausa
proverbs that we can use to appease someone who is angry. E.g. ‘Haqurimaganin
zaman duniya’, ‘Mahaqurcimawadaci’ which means ‘patience is a
panacea to world living’, ‘the patient is the affluent.
d. During rain or farming, there are some Hausa proverbs that
we can use to encourage or motivate people to partake in farming activities.
E.g. ‘Noma arziqinqasa’, ‘Noma tushenarziqi’ which means ‘farming
is the wealth of the country’; ‘farming is the source of wealth’.
e. During occurrence of death, there are some Hausa proverbs
that we can use to admonish or remind ourselves and our fellow people about the
inevitability of death. E.g. ‘Mutuwawa’azice’, ‘Mutuwarigarkowa’
which means ‘death is a preaching’, ‘death is everyone’s gown’. Etc.
2.1 Theoretical Framework
The paper adopts the Contextual
Theory of Meaning by Firth (1957) which simply suggests that the interpretation
of language largely depends on the situation in which it is used. This theory
was chosen by the researchers because it is hoped that it will guide help in
analyzing and explaining how Hausa proverbial expressions function in Aliyu
Kamal’s novels and as it is popularly known, because proverbs in literary texts
usually derive their meanings from both the narrative context and the cultural
background of the characters.
2.2 Hausa Proverbs and Their
Functions in Aliyu Kamal’s Novels
Proverbs are popularly known in
Hausa as “Karin Magana”. They are usually precise but meaningful
expressions that are figurative and non-literal in nature as Seed (1997)
describes that proverbs are in most cases used figuratively because their
meanings are interpreted differently from their literal meanings. Moreover,
proverbs are wise sayings which contain traditional knowledge, cultural wisdom
and social truth. With regard to Kamal’s literary works, Saje, Mahmud & Bala
(2022, p. 116) maintain that proverb is another device used by the author, in
Hausa Girl, to make his messages and add flavour to the quality of his writing.
As Achebe has emphasized, proverbs are “The palm oil with which words are
eaten” (Achebe 1958, p. 10). And most of the proverbs are Hausa but in their
English renditions. However, several functions can be outlined from those Hausa
proverbs used by Aliyu Kamal in the novels. These among many other things
include:
i.Morality: Some proverbs
are purposely used to teach moral lessons and guide characters toward
responsible attitude or behaviour and avoid any form of misconduct in the
society.
ii.Religiosity: Some
proverbs are mainly used to teach characters the importance of upholding the
teachings of one’s religion by abiding the divine rules and regulations and
avoiding the prohibitions.
iii.Honesty: Some proverbs
are used simply to teach the positivity of honesty and trustworthiness among
people and the negativity of lying among members of the community.
iv.Preservation of Culture:
Another crucial function of Hausa provers in Aliyu Kamal’s novels is
preservation of Hausa cultural heritage. Because through production of literary
works, traditional knowledge is well documentedand transmitted to future
generations.
v.Character Development:
Someproverbs do help in defining the distinguished personalities of characters
in the novels. For example, elderly characters often use proverbs to
demonstrate foresight, wisdom and authority.
3.0 Research Aim and Objectives
The main aim of this paper is to
investigate and analyse the basic features of the anglicization ofselected
Hausa proverbial expressions in Aliyu Kamal’s literary works from linguistic
perspective. The following objectives are designed in order to answer the
research questions:
i.To identify the Hausa proverbial
expressions that have been anglicized in the selected literary works of Aliyu
Kamal.
ii.To analyze the linguistic
strategies employed by the author in anglicizing the selected Hausa proverbial
expressions.
iii.To examine both the semantic
and pragmatic meanings of the anglicized proverbial expressionsin relation to
their original Hausa forms.
3.1 Research Questions
The following questions are
carefully designed by the researchers in order to guide this study:
i.What Hausa proverbial expressions
are anglicized in the selected literary works of Aliyu Kamal?
ii.What linguistic strategies are
employed by the author in the anglicization of the selected Hausa proverbial
expressions?
iii.How do semantic and pragmatic
meanings of the anglicized proverbial expressions compare with those of the
original Hausa proverbs?
4.0 Methodology
In this paper, Qualitative Textual
Analysis Method was used in analyzing the primary data. Qualitative Textual
Analysis is a method used to analyze, interpret and categorize data from texts
such as interviews, field notes or narratives. It also involves analyzing text
for meanings, themes and patterns through inductive or deductive coding. The
primary data were sourced from two selected novels written by Aliyu Kamal
namely, Hausa Boy and Hausa Girl with a particular attention to the use of
Hausa proverbs in the characters dialogue and narration. Moreover, other
secondary sources of data like previous researches were also consulted.
4.1 Glossary of the Operational Key Terms
i.Anglicization:
etymologically is said to be derived from the Latin root ‘Angli’,
meaning ‘the English’. It simply refers to the process of changing something to
become more English in form, style, or character, or modifying a foreign word
or name to make it easier to spell, pronounce, or understood in English.
ii.Proverb: refers to a
well-known phrase or sentence that gives advice or says something that is
generally true. Hey et al (2015:1238).
iii.Proverbial: refers to a
word used to show you are referring to a particular proverb or well-known
phrase. (ibid:1238).
iv.Expression: simply refers
to things that people say, write or do in order to show their feelings,
opinions and ideas. (ibid:542).
5.0 Data Presentation,
Discussion and Analysis
This section presents, discusses
and analyses the primary data sourced from the selected novels.
Excerpt 1. English: The questioner never gets lost. Hausa
Boy: P.5
Hausa: Matambayibayavata.
The above proverb was contextually
used by the writer as an important tool for encouraging and motivating people
to be good questioners particularly by asking whatever they don’t know or what
is unclear to them. The proverb also assures and teaches us that those that ask
or question never go astray or be misled in their life. Therefore, the
significance of this proverb can never be over-emphasized especially on young
learners and advanced learners of higher learning in pursuance of knowledge.
Excerpt 2. English: Burnt before they even came to the boil.
Hausa Boy: P. 8
Hausa: Tun basutafasaba za suqone.
Within the narrative context, the
above proverb was also used by the writer to admonish or warn the young
characters on one important societal value i.e. to avoid haste and carelessness
in their life and that they should follow things step by step as well as to
imbibe the attitude or culture of doing things gradually and carefully if they
want to succeed in this life.
Excerpt 3. English: You wash the pot because of tomorrow’s
cooking. Hausa Boy: P. 35
Hausa: Don tuwongobeakewanketukunya.
The above Hausa proverb appears in
context where characters are taught to utilize whatever they have today for the
purpose of their tomorrow’s use. This means that many usable things are
reusable therefore; we should not destroy or vandalize such things after we
have finished using them for the first time, because we might be in dire need
of them tomorrow or another day. So, we should keep them safe in order to
benefit them one day.
Excerpt 4. English: Days never lie, because they always run
apace, but the mother of one’s girlfriend may end up losing face for breaking
her promises. Hausa Boy: P. 67
Hausa: Rana ba ta qaryasaidaiuwarxiya ta ji kunya.
The above Hausa proverb is normally
used by Hausas to express the importance of telling truth and avoiding telling
lies in one’s life as well as the relevance of fulfilling or keeping one’s
promises, as they are among the defining features of any responsible person
with high level of personality, integrity and unquestionable standard of
characters.
Excerpt 5. English: Don’t go to the
mosque earlier than the Imam. Hausa Boy: P. 67
Hausa: Ka dainariga Malam masallaci.
Contextually, the above proverb is
used in Hausa to someone to avoid meddlesomeness, inquisitiveness or
over-eagerness in life. This means that when someone is under somebody’s
control or he/she receives commandment or order from someone superior than him/her,
he/she should always try to abstain from doing or performing any action until
he/she is told to do so.
Excerpt 6. English: One bears a child but is after all not
responsible for its disposition.
Hausa Girl: P. 6
Hausa: Ka haifiyaro ne amma ba ka haifihalinsaba.
This proverb was uttered by an
elderly character in the novel who is a mother to Bala when she was trying to
blame the bad attitudes of some young children in the name of civilization or
modernization. The meaning of this proverb is that parents can give birth to
their children but they cannot control or determine their attitudes or
behaviours. So, in this regard, the proverb emphasizes that whenever a child or
a group of children misbehave, we do not blame their parents but we blame them
themselves.
Excerpt 7. English: Borrowed clothes do not cover your thighs. Hausa
Girl: P. 28
Hausa: Kayan aro bayarufekatara
The above Hausa proverb is used
simply to emphasize the notion of self-reliance and utilization of one’s own
belongings or properties. It also teaches us that it is always better for us to
utilize what we have than to rely on something that we have borrowed from
someone else. Therefore, metaphorically this is what he means with borrowed
clothes do not cover your thighs.
Excerpt 8. English: Whoever takes the tip of the leper must give him
a shave. Hausa Girl: P. 67
Hausa: Kowa ya ci ladankuturu dole ne yayi masa aski.
Within the narrative context, the
above Hausa proverb is usually used to describe a situation in which one has to
necessarily repay the debt which he has taken from someone without any
alternative. It also teaches us to not be greedy in life and beware of taking
other people’s things. In other words, the proverb means he, who benefits or
enjoys something from somebody, must give something in return.
Excerpt 9. English: A tree is bent while it is still a
sapling. Hausa Girl: P. 80
Hausa: Itace tun yanaxanyeaketanqwarashi.
Contextually, the proverb above is
uttered when someone who has already grownup misbehaves or commits crimes and
other malicious or mischievous acts to express that it is impossible to change
their bad attitudes at that stage and it also means that young children are
easily disciplined and moralized by their parents or by their immediate society
when they are very young. This Hausa proverb resembles with English one “it is
too late to cry when the head is cutoff.
Excerpt 10. English: The younger person can’t see what the older
person sees even if he climbs a mountain. Hausa Girl: P. 90
Hausa: Abin da babbayahangoyarobazaiiyahangowaba ko da
ya hau kan
tsauni.
The above proverb simply means the
foresight and projection of elder people are more dependable and reliable than
that of younger ones. It also signifies that elders easily comprehend things
and other societal issues that are not so apparent or clear to everyone in the
community or laymen particularly the young ones.
Excerpt 11. English: I have decided to kill two birds with
one stone. Hausa Boy: P. 92
Hausa: Na zartarcewazanjefitsuntsayebiyu da dutsexaya.
The above Hausa proverb is
primarily used in many Hausa contexts to express the significance of using good
opportunity by someone to get two important things at once or by successfully
achieving two different tasks simultaneously and unfailingly. It is a saying of
wisdom that is usually given to people in order to accomplish diverse things at
the same time.
6.0 Discussion of the Findings
Based upon the above discussion, it
has been discovered by the researchers that Kamal’s literary works are full of
Hausa proverbs but anglicized or domesticated by him in order to embellish his
literary works. For instance, while some of them are complete sentences, others
are just simple clauses or even phrases. Another distinguishing feature of
Aliyu Kamal’s use of Hausa proverbs in his work is the way he simply
domesticates or translates those proverbs into English which signifies his
effort in portraying and advertising his own culture and tradition to the
global community. This paper also tries to show some of the major/significant
contributions of Kamal’s literary works in preserving the Hausa proverbs,
because it is commonly known that the influence of proverbs and the vital role
they play in both Hausa and English studies cannot be overemphasized. Some of
these contributions include: (a) do help in preserving Hausa language by the
frequent use of Hausa proverbs and other language techniques like adages,
idioms etc. (b) do assist in protecting Hausa socio-cultural heritage and
transferring it from elder generation to younger generation by using some
proverbs that are concerned with maintaining the Hausa traditional mode of
dressing by using traditional attires, clothes etc. more especially during
ceremonial events/occasions (biki/bukukuwa such as bikinaure i.e. wedding
ceremony, bikinsuna i.e. naming ceremony, bikinsallah i.e. sallah ceremony
among other) as shown in his works. (c) do aid in inculcating the societal core
values in the minds of the young children that are growing, and who are
considered as the leaders of tomorrow. The paper further reveals
that Hausa proverbial expressions in Aliyu Kamal’s novels like Hausa Boy and
Hausa Girl serve multiple purposes as follows:
i.They help in creating authentic
dialogue among the characters.
ii.They enhance both traditional
and modern ways of storytelling.
iii.They help in preserving Hausa
cultural expressions/oral traditions.
iv.They help in moralizing and
sermonizing the people especially the young ones.
v.They provide indirect ways of
expressing constructive criticisms and good advice.
7.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, the foregoing
discussion is an attempt to demonstrate the linguistic features of some Hausa
proverbial expressions as they are used in some novels of Aliyu Kamal. The
paper studied these two novels, Hausa Boy and Hausa Girl where samples of
anglicized Hausa proverbs were extracted and analyzed from linguistic
perspective. The paper displays how such proverbs were carefully selected and
used by the writer in order to serve different linguistic and sociolinguistic
and even non-linguistic purposes such as literary ones. The presence of such
proverbs clearly shows the authors deep concern and respect for his native
language i.e. Hausa by selecting most of the proverbs from his own native
language and then domesticating them. Additionally, the frequent use of those
proverbs is clear evidence of logical connection between oral tradition and
written literature particularly in modern literary productions/works.
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