The Structure and Communicative Import of Selected Proverbs in Nzema Language and Culture

Adopting an Ethno-pragmatics framework, the current study aims to describe sentential structures and communicative imports of selected proverbs in Nzema, a Kwa language Ghana, West Africa. Using data obtained from primary secondary sources, this identifies structural properties by further highlighting which contribute pragmatic interpretations these proverbs. The findings revealed that such as conditional constructions, causative focus simple, compound, complex-embedded sentences are prevalent syntactic manifestation Nzema proverbs; make affirmative negative propositions. Hence, it was observed features have significant contribution determining import proverbs, based on social norms, values, beliefs, experiences, cultural worldview. This research also underscores existing postulations ‘multi-layered’ terms their interpretations, they rely heavily metaphoric representations contextual use any situation. Additionally, noted oral construction is grammatically insightful; thus, provides window description language.