OXYMORONS: THE TRANSFER OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE INTO THE IGBO LANGUAGE

Abstract

Language functions not only as a tool for communication, but also as a carrier of culture, a framework for thought and a medium of artistic expression. Among the devices that give language its rhetorical depth is the oxymoron; a figure of speech that brings contradictory or opposing terms together to produce a paradoxical effect. Oxymorons, as rhetorical devices that combine seemingly contradictory terms (e.g., deafening silence, bittersweet), offer unique insight into linguistic creativity and cultural expression.  While oxymoron is common and well understood in English, the Igbo language though rich in metaphor, proverbs and figurative speech does not always accommodate the direct rendering of semantic contradiction in the same structural form. This disparity creates difficulties in maintaining the rhetorical tension, stylistic nuance and communicative intent of oxymoronic expressions in translation. This study therefore examines the prospects of translating oxymorons from English into Igbo, focusing on how they are rendered meaningfully in the Igbo language. The objectives of the study include identifying oxymorons in selected English literary and conversational texts, translating them into Igbo language, analysing the translations with a focus on the techniques and choices made by translators and evaluating the extent to which the translated expressions correspond to the English equivalent. The research is grounded in Vinay and Darbelnet (1958/1995) Comparative stylistic Model of Translation, Nida’s (1964) Theory, Reiss &Vermeer (1984) Skopos’ Theory and Sperber & Wilson (1995) Relevance Theory. Skopos’ Theory (Reiss/Vermeer, 1984) and Relevance Theory (Sperber & Wilson, 1995) stand out as the most practical and adaptable frameworks for the translation exercise while Vinay and Darbelnet (1958) comparative model of translation supports structured / tabular presentation of translation data.  A qualitative descriptive approach is employed. A corpus of 117 English oxymorons was identified from literary texts, collections and everyday discourse, from which 50 were selected for analysis as the study sample.  Each is translated into its functional Igbo equivalent. The translations are evaluated using semantic equivalence, cultural contextualization and stylistic resonance. Data are further validated through consultations with the Igbo language experts and textual comparison with indigenous rhetorical forms. Findings reveal that English oxymorons often align with Igbo expressions that reflect similar philosophical dualities, particularly in proverbs and idiomatic speech. Many oxymorons are effectively translated using creative equivalents, semantic rephrasing and cultural analogies. The results underscore the depth of rhetorical and semantic possibilities in the Igbo language and its ability to accommodate complex linguistic forms. The study recommends the use of a functionalist translation model, informed by both cultural competence and contextual awareness. It further advocates for the compilation of Igbo rhetorical glossaries and expanded training for translators in stylistic translation techniques. In conclusion, this research affirms the expressive capacity of the Igbo language in literary and rhetorical translation. It enriches scholarship in translation studies, cross-cultural linguistics, and African language development, offering new directions for the study of figures of speech in indigenous African languages.