Overview

Philosophy, Language, and Literature in an African Context investigates the link between philosophy and language in African literature. Wilfred Lajul and the contributors argue that African literature is more than the desire of literary writers to entertain or provoke thought, but rather a stylistic means through which they convey important information and philosophy. This book also probes into theories, contexts, and moral language in African literature, exploring their implications for language use. The contributors analyze linguistic, philosophical, and cultural worldviews of the African literary writers shown within their poetry, novels, and plays. This book provides new ways of understanding the relationship between philosophy and language in African literature.

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9781666952100

Table of Contents

Reviews

This volume explores the nature of the relationship between African literatures, languages, and philosophies, or, as the editor, Wilfred Lajul, puts it, lsquo;the philosophy of language in African literature.rsquo; Using selected examples of African poetry, novels and dramas by outstanding African writers such as Ngugi wa Thiongrsquo;o, Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Okot p#39;Bitek, Susan Kiguli, Jared Angira, and Mariama Ba, the contributors shed light on the relationship to the respective (linguistic) context of origin, the rootedness in worldviews and metaphysics as well as the problem of language choice, emphasizing the challenges and potentials within the plurality of African languages and the tension in colonial languages that African literature faces today.--Anke Graness, University of Hildesheim For those who would love to discover African thought and worldview through a creative use of language, Wilfred Lajul and the contributors of Philosophy, Language and Literature in an African Context are providing an incredibly refreshing menu of analytical work. They have excelled in presenting to the reader the expression of profound African values in a manner that is aesthetically enriching.--Oswald K. Ndoleriire, Kabale University

For those who would love to discover African thought and worldview through a creative use of language, Wilfred Lajul and the contributors of Philosophy, Language and Literature in an African Context are providing an incredibly refreshing menu of analytical work. They have excelled in presenting to the reader the expression of profound African values in a manner that is aesthetically enriching. --Oswald K. Ndoleriire, Kabale University

This volume explores the nature of the relationship between African literatures, languages, and philosophies, or, as the editor, Wilfred Lajul, puts it, 'the philosophy of language in African literature.' Using selected examples of African poetry, novels and dramas by outstanding African writers such as Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Okot p'Bitek, Susan Kiguli, Jared Angira, and Mariama Ba, the contributors shed light on the relationship to the respective (linguistic) context of origin, the rootedness in worldviews and metaphysics as well as the problem of language choice, emphasizing the challenges and potentials within the plurality of African languages and the tension in colonial languages that African literature faces today. --Anke Graness, University of Hildesheim For those who would love to discover African thought and worldview through a creative use of language, Wilfred Lajul and the contributors of Philosophy, Language and Literature in an African Context are providing an incredibly refreshing menu of analytical work. They have excelled in presenting to the reader the expression of profound African values in a manner that is aesthetically enriching. --Oswald K. Ndoleriire, Kabale University

Author Information

Wilfred Lajul is professor of philosophy at Gulu University, Uganda.

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