THE LANGUAGE OF RELIGION AS DISCOURSE: ANALYSIS OF THE SYNTACTIC STRUCTURES IN PROVERBS CHAPTER NINE

Abstract

This paper examines the language of religion by applying a discourse-linguistic perspective to our reading of Proverbs chapter 9. The paper critically discusses the syntactic structures of the text provided, this include: words; groups; clauses sentences. The words are monosyllabic, disyllabic, trisyllabic and one polysyllabic word. Archaic such as "˜crieth', "˜getteth', "˜reproveth', "˜thy', "˜thou' are also found in the text which depict religious language used in old English and they are used to achieve cohesion in the text too. The groups and clauses which make up the sentences in the text extend to give up the compound, complex and compound-complex sentences. The syntactic structures in the text also use pattern repetition in some of the lines and verses. For instance, "wisdom hath builded her house", she hath killed her beasts" "¦ These are seen in lines, 1, 2 and 3. Finally wisdom which is the theme of the text is likened to a woman who bears children. Moreso, wisdom is describe as a woman standing on the city streets, crying out her warnings to the people. The analysis is done using the systemic grammar approach. This grammar states that language is a system, and a set of options in making meaning. This paper further looks into religion, the language of religion discourse and discourse analysis.