An analysis of Xitsonga proverbs regarding wild animals
Authors: Chauke Tinyiko Esther 
Published: July 2024

The aim of the study reported in this paper is to examine Xitsonga proverbs, which are coined from wild animals, to demonstrate how they depict different lessons of life, behaviour and philosophy of life in aspects such as working together, promoting good behaviour, reprimanding bad behaviour and adjudication of cases. This study employed the qualitative approach, focusing on people’s perceptions and insights. This method displays how people think and view things and how they are depicted from animal proverbs. The selected proverbs were critically analysed using the Conceptual Theory of Metaphor, in which it is argued that the generalisations governing poetic, metaphorical expressions are not in language but in thoughts. The theory used cross-domain mapping, with the central issues being the source and target domain. According to this theory, one mental domain is conceptualised in terms of the other. That is, the target domain can be understood better in terms of the source domain. Animal proverbs are included in both primary and secondary school curricula, which is why proverbs are treated as useful and linked to different aspects of life and behaviour of certain cultures. In conclusion and findings of this study it has been found that the proverbs coined from animals, their meanings are related even though proverbs are not exactly the same, even though they do not fall into one theme like working together, lessons of life, even the way they depict the philosophy of life they are closely related. The analysed proverbs in this study are selected with the view and motive of teaching learners, educators, and everyone in the Vatsonga culture. Under the selected working together theme, it has been found that proverbs greatly influence learners and educators to work together in schools, even when they are home with everyone around them. NKOMISO Xikongomelonkulu xa dyondzo leyi i ku xopaxopa swivuriso swa Xitsonga lewi tshuriweke kusuka eka swiharhi swa le nhoveni ku kombisa hilaha swi paluxaka tidyondzo, mahanyelo ni mavonelo ya vutomi eka swiyenge swa: Ntirhisano, ku hlohlotela mahanyelo lamanene, ku tshinya mahanyelo lamobiha ni milandzu ni maahlulele ya yona. Ndzavisiso lowu wu tirhisile maendlelo ma nkoka, maendlelo ma muxaka lowu ma kongomisa eka mavonelo ya munhu xikan’we ni nsusumeto lowu endleke leswaku a vona swilo hi ndlela leyi a swi vonaka hayona. Maendlelo lama ma andlala mavonelo na mianakanyo ya vanhu hilaha swi paluxiwaka hakona hi swivuriso swa swiharhi. Swivuriso leswi swi xopaxopiwa hi tihlo ra vuxoperi hi ku tirhisa maendlelo ya thiyori ya mianakanyo ya vugego (Conceptual Metaphor Theory). Eka thiyori leyi ku vuriwa leswaku mhakankulu leyi lawulaka matirhelo ya swivulwana swa vugegovutlhokovetseri a hi ririmi, kambe i mianakanyo. Thiyori leyi yi tirhisa mpananiso (cross domain mappings), laha mhaka ya nkoka ku nga xitikoxihlovo (source domain) na xitikoxikongomisiwa (target domain). Hi ku ya hi thiyori leyi, nchumu wo karhi wu twisiseka kahle hi ku wu pimanisa na wun’wana. Hileswaku, xitikoxikongomisiwa xi twisiseka ku antswa hi ku xiya xitikoxihlovo. Swivuriso swa swiharhi swi katsiwile eka kharikhulamu ya dyondzo ya le purayimari na le sekondari. Leswi hi swona swi endlaka leswaku swivuriso swi va swi tirhisiwa leswi khomeke swinene tidyondzo ta vutomi hambi ku ri mahanyelo ya rixaka ro karhi. Eka nkatsakanyo na mikumisiso ku kumekile leswaku swivuriso leswi tshuriweke ku suka eka swiharhi, tinhlamuselo ta swivuriso swo hlaya, hambiloko ti nga fani, swi tlhela swi nga weli ehansi ka mikongomelo yo fana mitirho, tidyondzo na mikucetelo ya swona swa yelana swi tlhela swi va na vuxaka swinene. Swivuriso leswi hlawuriweke swi dyondzisa vadyondzi ni vadyondzisi mahanyelo na mavonelo ya vutomi eswikolweni na le makaya, swi tlhela swi dyondzisa mani na mani exikarhi ka rixaka ra Vatsonga. Xikombiso: Ehansi ka nkongomelo wa ntirhisano ku kumekile leswaku swivuriso swi kucetela vadyondzi ni vadyondzisi eswikolweni na le makaya ku tirhisana leswaku va ta humelela.