PHONETIC SYMBOLISM IN NIYI OSUNDARE'S EYE OF THE EARTH

Abstract

The language of Nigerian poetry in general, and Osundare’s poetry in particular is a well studied area of inquiry; however, the subject of rhythm and accompanying aspects such as onomatopoeic effects, alliteration and assonance, appear to have received more attention than the acoustic frequencies of the segmental sounds. Moreover, rigorous investigations of the acoustic property of intonation in Osundare’s poetry are relatively rare. Therefore, using Ohala’s frequency code theory to carry out a phonostylistic analysis, this paper examines how the fundamental frequencies (F₀) of vowel sounds and intonation in Osundare’s “Harvestcall” and “Our Earth will not Die” in the collection, Eye of the Earth are employed in both poems. Analysis revealed that Osundare harmonises the acoustic features of English and Yoruba vowel sounds to convey multiple layers of meaning in the two texts examined. Furthermore, he uses the low tones, more often associated with declarative sentences, to serve imperative functions in “Our Earth Will Not Die” in order to portray the supernatural use of the spoken word in Yoruba worldview; that is, ‘_{às̩ e̩} ’ (spiritual command/authority). The examination of phonetic symbolism in Osundare’s poems using Ohala’s frequency code theory has helped to identify new dimensions of Osundare’s artistry as a bilingual, and fresh interpretations of his poems in ways that are useful for scholars in the fields of literature and linguistics. In addition, this study has modified Ohala’s frequency code theory to include imperative statements rather than interrogative and declarative utterances only.