| dc.description.abstract | This discussion attempts a pragmatics analysis of Kiswahili literary political discourse. Specific examples will be drawn from poetic texts; Chembe cha Moyo by Alamin Mazrui (1988), Sauti ya Dhiki by Abdilatif Abdala (1973) and Jicho la Ndani by Said Ahmed Mohamed (2002). A pragmatics account of literature assumes that in literary communication we not only have a text, but that the production and interpretation of such a text are social actions. Without this kind of cognitive analysis of literary communication, no serious insight can be gained into the emotive effects of literary interpretation involving the needs, wishes, desires, likings and feelings of the author. A text induces its interpreter to construct an image, or may be a set of alternative images. While the image construction and image revision is going on, the interpreter also tries to figure out what the creator of the text is doing- what the nature of the communication situation is all about. Considering that the reader only confronts the poem in the absence of the poet creates more confusion since the poet is not present to intervene for any misinterpretations of his propositions. For any successful interpretation then, the reader has no option than drawing up a set of inferences whereby the contextual implication can be derived. In other words, the critic has an advantage of inferring the meanings of the message surpassing the worldview of the author.
Our understanding and interpretation of poetry requires understanding and appreciation of historical and social conditions and, ideological factors under which the writers find them in. Hence the pragmatic impact of the poem embraces the totality of the poem; combined with its emotional, intellectual and imaginative appeal. Kiswahili poets cited in this discussion have written on issues touching on their passion and desires, political aspirations, freedom, justice and social change, both meaningful to themselves and their social community.
We detect the emphatic plea for justice and hope embodied in the poetic language, and the poets call for societal reformation. We realise a mutual intelligibility between the poet, the poetic sensibility and the poetic vision as the poets call upon solidarity amongst their audience to overcome stereotype vehement causing states of absurdities in the so called democratic societies.
In conclusion this discussion notes that it is not easy to construct meanings not only from ambiguities realised in the texts but from contexts that are themselves constructs from writers knowledge, beliefs, experiences and assumptions about their world and the world of fiction. | en_US |
