Title : (03) Représentation symbolique des images dans les proverbes balant 

Author: Jules Mansaly (University of The Gambia, The Gambia)

Abstract

This study discusses the symbolic representation of images in Balanta proverbs, a linguistic community living in Middle Casamance in southern Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau. It attempts to identify the symbols used in Balanta proverbs in order to elucidate the social realities they evoke. These images are drawn from nature, daily activities, and the spiritual world. They are more than mere rhetorical embellishments; they convey moral truths, allow criticism and advice to be expressed indirectly, preserving community harmony. The study contributes to the documentation and promotion of this knowledge and demonstrates that Balanta proverbs constitute a vital way of thinking, conveying a collective intelligence that sheds light on how meaning and knowledge can be created and transmitted in human societies.

Keywords: Balanta proverbs, symbols, culture, paremiology

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