A Cognitive Linguistic Interpretation of Sexual Dysphemism in South Nyanza by Dholuo Speakers

Abstract

Mboya (2001) posits that dysphemistic words are part and parcel of culture, they are worth studying so that the current and future generations will have access to them and may not lose them as no nation can prosper by adopting foreign cultures and ignoring its customs and practices. It is important that a society uses its good customs as the foundation upon which foreign customs and practices can be laid. In addition, the choice of Dholuo is not only based on the fact that this is an indigenous language which has not been extensively studied in the area of sex-related dysphemistic words, phrases and their euphemistic equivalents in the domains of birth, death, social and economic activities but also on the fact that there is a need for a study that the respondents can culturally associate with. This study therefore sought to establish the usage and interpretation of sexual dysphemism in South Nyanza The study took a cognitive linguistic approach exploring some of the dysphemistic words used in Dholuo. The author used a descriptive design in which the researcher identified the sex-related dysphemisms. Both purposive and simple random techniques were applied to obtain a sample of eighteen native Dholuo speakers for the study (nine were males and the other nine females). The author used an interview schedule and a tape recorder to collect data. The paper concludes that in the Luo culture just like in most cultures of the world, dysphemistic language is usually avoided because it is regarded as obscene and its use in many instances leads to embarrassment though, in a few occasions it may be positive especially when it occurs in circumstances like sexual enticement or in jokes. It is therefore worthy to avoid such dysphemisms in order to mould a morally upright generation