Proverbs
Proverbs and idiomatic (ilu in Igbo) expressions are highly valued by the Igbo people and proficiency in the language means knowing how to intersperse speech with a good dose of proverbs. Chinua Achebe (in Things Fall Apart) describes proverbs as "the palm oil with which words are eaten". Proverbs are widely used in the traditional society to describe, in very few words, what could have otherwise required a thousand words. Proverbs may also become euphemistic means of making certain expressions in the Igbo society, thus the Igbo have come to typically rely on this as avenues of certain expressions.
Read more about this topic: Igbo Language
Famous quotes containing the word proverbs:
“Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their parents.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Proverbs 17:6.
“Like vinegar on a wound is one who sings songs to a heavy heart. Like a moth in clothing or a worm in wood, sorrow gnaws at the human heart.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Proverbs 25:20.
“A gossip goes about telling secrets, but one who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a confidence.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Proverbs 11:13.