Phonolexical Foregrounding in Oduduwa and Saugo as Samples of Traditional Religious Drama in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper reports an investigation of how the phonic substance of lexical choices combine into a network of distinctive features which typify traditional religious dramatic texts in Nigeria. The style of a language text constitutes the hinge on which textual interpretation is suspended. However, the concept of style is amorphous: it requires appropriateness of context for it to be stabilized. meaningful and effective. The effectiveness of a gi ven language text therefore rests on the oars of form and situation. Generally. textual cohesion is a product of lexical organization. In this vein. the phonological structure of the words that make up a text as a whole contributes to effective transmission of the intended message. Hence. the researcher paper examines some common phonolexical features in traditional religious drama. Such features which identified herein include symphonic, ideophones, epizeuxis and fig repetition like all iteration and assonance. The implications of these effectiveness of textuality at different points are given. Overall. the socio-cultural construct in which choices are made is identified as a factor responsible for the phonological configuration in traditional religious dramatic texts in Nigeria.