Abstract:
This study discusses Riddling (Salinlɔha) among the Dagbamba in the Northern
Region of Ghana. The study shows that the Dagbamba riddle has the antecedent and a
response and an opening formula as the basic structure. It is also shown that there may
be a semantic fit or mismatch with the relationship between the antecedent and the
response. There are three types of Dagbamba riddles; these include the simple riddle,
the tone riddle and the song riddle. The song riddle is peculiar because, apart from it
been sang as a song, it is also accompanied with gestures and dance during its
enactment. It is also revealed that the Dagbamba riddle has various stylistic properties
which include alliteration, metaphor, parallelism, imagery, ideophones, symbolism,
personification, repetition, pilling or linking, assonance and also violates social
norms.
Description:
A Thesis presented to the Department of GUR-GONJA of the FACULTY OF
GHANAIAN LANGUAGES EDUCATION, Submitted to the School Of Research
and Graduate Studies, in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the
degree of MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY in Ghanaian Language Studies
AUGUST, 2017.
