The Value of Tshivenḓa Proverbs in the Upbringing of a Child in the 21st Century
Tshinetise David Raphalalani 
Issue: Vol.6 No. 4 April 2025 Article 2 pp.151-160
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2025642 | Published online 11th April, 2025.
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Proverbs have historically played an imperative role in the upbringing of Vhavenḓa children. Many African communities have used proverbs since time immemorial, and Vhavenḓa is no exception. Proverbs are defined as sayings that express a generally accepted truth or belief of the folk. It is one of the expressive genres in African literature that used to and continues to be transmitted from generation to generation through word of mouth. This article sought to collect and analyse some selected Tshivenḓa proverbs for their significance in the upbringing of children in the 21st century. Asserting to the focus of this article is a Tshivenḓa proverbial expression, Funguvhu ḽo ri thilaiwi! ḽa fhira muḓi ḽo kovhela (The raven said none should advise her! and it flew past the village after sunset). This proverbial expression is applied by Vhavenḓa in their conversations with their children whenever their advice is scorned. The nature of the article dictated that a qualitative approach be employed. 16 theme-relevant Tshivenḓa proverbs were extracted from Tshikota using the content analysis method. This article’s arguments were guided by conceptual metaphor theory, which was developed by Lakoff and Johnson in 1980. Advocates of the conceptual metaphor theory argue that metaphors influence our thinking and actions. Thus, the conceptual system is metaphorical. Textual data was analysed using the textual analysis method, where data was categorised in terms of commonalities in themes relevant to children and youth. The study revealed that Tshivenḓa proverbs, though old in terms of authorship, are still relevant in the upbringing of children in the 21st century. The study recommends that society should not shun away from applying proverbs in their communicative situations with children, as they play a pivotal role in their upbringing. The study contributes to linguistic research on African oral traditions and cultural preservation by highlighting the function of Tshivenḓa proverbs in preserving cultural values and guaranteeing their applicability in modern society.
Keywords: Children, Upbringing, Proverbs, Significance, Metaphor, 21st century.
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Dr. Tshinetise David Raphalalani is a senior lecturer in the Department of African Languages at the University of Venda, specializing in Tshivenda (home language). With 26 years of experience as a secondary school teacher in the Department of Basic Education, he has developed a deep understanding of the educational landscape. At the university, Dr Raphalalani has taught, supervised, and mentored numerous postgraduate students, inspiring them to excel in their academic pursuits. His research interests include sociolinguistics, morphology, traditional and modern literature.
Raphalalani, Tshinetise David. “The Value of Tshivenḓa Proverbs in the Upbringing of a Child in the 21st Century.” Journal of Education and Learning Technology 6, no.4 (2025):151-160. https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2025642
© 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/).
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