The Use of Pun as a Poetic Device in Duma INqanawe Yangempela’s Poem Titled: ‘Hloma’
Gcinile Beauty Thwala 
& Igneciah Pocia Thete
Issue: Vol.6 No.9 Article 23 pp.2058 – 2070
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256923 | Published online 28th August, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Puns are often recognized as a poetic technique that provides humor. Poetry puns can, however, fulfill a variety of functions, such as provoking thoughts, emphasizing particular themes, and drawing attention to specific phenomena. This paper’s central argument is that Duma employed puns not only as a source of humor but also as a powerful poetic device that provokes thoughts, reinforces themes, and introduces ambiguity. This paper thus explored the use of puns in Duma’s poem titled ‘Hloma.’ Duma’s talent for conveying meanings through various indirect methods, what we refer to as puns in this poem, should not be overlooked. This study conducted a semantic exploration of all the puns present in the poem. A qualitative approach was adopted, as this study emphasized a descriptive analysis of an audio poem, while other textual sources served as secondary references. The findings indicate that Duma’s skill and artistry in utilizing language within his contemporary recorded poems on social networks are truly remarkable. This suggests that his artful use of puns enhances the interpretative depth of contemporary poetry, particularly in the digital era. This study concluded by stating that puns not only create emotional gravity, but they also create a surprising emotional impact. This study will contribute to the scholarship by illustrating how puns transcend humor and serve as a comprehensive poetic device that deepens interpretation.
Keywords: Pun, Poetic Device, Poem, Hloma
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Gcinile Beauty Thwala is a Lecturer in the Department of African Languages, in the School of Languages, Literature, and Media, at the University of Witwatersrand. She earned a Bachelor of Education degree specialising in the Senior and FET Phase, a BA Honours degree in African Languages, a master’s degree in African Languages (with distinction), and a PhD in African Languages from the University of Johannesburg. She is actively involved in academic work as a reviewer, supervisor, researcher, and member of the Editorial Team for SAFOS. Her research focuses on areas such as Oral Literature, Poetry, Teaching and Learning, and Indigenous Knowledge Systems.
Thete Igneciah Pocia is a Lecturer at the University of South Africa, Department of African Languages, and a PhD candidate at the University of Johannesburg. She is an academic and aspiring writer. She was born in South Africa and has been living there ever since. Thete is interested in the languages and literature of South African languages, particularly Sesotho sa Leboa and isiZulu. She is involved in postgraduate supervision, academic article reviewing, and research.
Thwala, Gcinile Beauty, and Igneciah Pocia Thete. “The Use of Pun as a Poetic Device in Duma INqanawe Yangempela’s Poem Titled: ‘Hloma’ ,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 9 (2025): 2058 – 2070, https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256923.
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
