AFL2602
African Language Studies
Assignment 2 — Semester 1 — Due April 2026
Module Code: AFL2602
Assignment: Assignment 2
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Due Date: April 2026
Institution: University of South Africa (UNISA)
Topics Covered: Riddles, Land, Oral Tradition, Family, Multilingualism
Citation Style: APA 7th Edition
“Riddles are not only used for entertainment, but they help in
making children aware and observant of their environment, de-
veloping problem-solving skills and sharpening their intellect.”
,UNISA | AFL2602 Assignment 2 | Semester 1 | 2026
Contents
Question 1: Riddles and Intellectual Development 3
Question 2: Economic Value of Land and Inheritance 6
Question 3: Oral Tradition and Technology 8
Question 4: Land Use in the Community 11
Question 5: The Head of the African Family 13
Question 6: Land as Symbol of Wealth and Power 15
Question 7: Riddles, Digital Age, and Critical Thinking 17
Question 8: Multiple Official Languages — Benefits and Challenges 19
Reference List 22
Page 2 of 22
, UNISA | AFL2602 Assignment 2 | Semester 1 | 2026
QUESTION 1 — Riddles: Developing Awareness, Problem-Solving, and Intel-
lect
1.1 Introduction
Riddles occupy a unique position in African oral tradition. They are simultaneously a game,
a teaching tool, and a cultural archive. The claim that riddles are not merely for entertain-
ment but serve to develop environmental awareness, problem-solving skills, and sharp intellect
is well-founded when examined against the actual practice and content of riddling in African
communities (Finnegan, 2012). Using Zulu riddles as primary examples, this discussion demon-
strates how riddle-telling cultivates these intellectual qualities in young people.
1.2 Environmental Awareness Through Riddles
African riddles are deeply embedded in the natural and social environment of the community
that created them. To solve a riddle, a child must draw on direct observation of their world.
Consider the following Zulu riddle:
Ngiyadabula izintaba, ngiyawela imifula, kodwa angishintshi indawo.
(I cross mountains and rivers, yet I never move from my place.)
Answer: Umuntu olalelayo — A person who is listening / The eye.
To arrive at this answer, the child must understand that vision reaches across vast distances
without the body moving. This requires careful, prior observation of how sight works, a cogni-
tive process that encourages children to be curious and attentive to their surroundings (Scheub,
1975). Another example:
Nginomzimba omhlophe, ngifudumeza izwe.
(I have a white body, and I warm the world.)
Answer: Ilanga — The sun.
Children who grow up observing the colour and warmth of the sun in daily life are rewarded
by riddles that encode these observations. The riddle thus creates a feedback loop: the more
attentively a child observes the environment, the better equipped they are to solve riddles,
which in turn motivates further observation (Yankah, 1995).
Page 3 of 22
African Language Studies
Assignment 2 — Semester 1 — Due April 2026
Module Code: AFL2602
Assignment: Assignment 2
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Due Date: April 2026
Institution: University of South Africa (UNISA)
Topics Covered: Riddles, Land, Oral Tradition, Family, Multilingualism
Citation Style: APA 7th Edition
“Riddles are not only used for entertainment, but they help in
making children aware and observant of their environment, de-
veloping problem-solving skills and sharpening their intellect.”
,UNISA | AFL2602 Assignment 2 | Semester 1 | 2026
Contents
Question 1: Riddles and Intellectual Development 3
Question 2: Economic Value of Land and Inheritance 6
Question 3: Oral Tradition and Technology 8
Question 4: Land Use in the Community 11
Question 5: The Head of the African Family 13
Question 6: Land as Symbol of Wealth and Power 15
Question 7: Riddles, Digital Age, and Critical Thinking 17
Question 8: Multiple Official Languages — Benefits and Challenges 19
Reference List 22
Page 2 of 22
, UNISA | AFL2602 Assignment 2 | Semester 1 | 2026
QUESTION 1 — Riddles: Developing Awareness, Problem-Solving, and Intel-
lect
1.1 Introduction
Riddles occupy a unique position in African oral tradition. They are simultaneously a game,
a teaching tool, and a cultural archive. The claim that riddles are not merely for entertain-
ment but serve to develop environmental awareness, problem-solving skills, and sharp intellect
is well-founded when examined against the actual practice and content of riddling in African
communities (Finnegan, 2012). Using Zulu riddles as primary examples, this discussion demon-
strates how riddle-telling cultivates these intellectual qualities in young people.
1.2 Environmental Awareness Through Riddles
African riddles are deeply embedded in the natural and social environment of the community
that created them. To solve a riddle, a child must draw on direct observation of their world.
Consider the following Zulu riddle:
Ngiyadabula izintaba, ngiyawela imifula, kodwa angishintshi indawo.
(I cross mountains and rivers, yet I never move from my place.)
Answer: Umuntu olalelayo — A person who is listening / The eye.
To arrive at this answer, the child must understand that vision reaches across vast distances
without the body moving. This requires careful, prior observation of how sight works, a cogni-
tive process that encourages children to be curious and attentive to their surroundings (Scheub,
1975). Another example:
Nginomzimba omhlophe, ngifudumeza izwe.
(I have a white body, and I warm the world.)
Answer: Ilanga — The sun.
Children who grow up observing the colour and warmth of the sun in daily life are rewarded
by riddles that encode these observations. The riddle thus creates a feedback loop: the more
attentively a child observes the environment, the better equipped they are to solve riddles,
which in turn motivates further observation (Yankah, 1995).
Page 3 of 22
