Timeless Wisdom: An Exploration on the Role of Metadiscourse in Motivational Proverbs

Abstract

This study qualitatively explored the use of metadiscourse in motivational proverbs using a descriptive research approach. This examined how proverbs engage the audience with metadiscourse elements as well as the function of motivational proverbs that served as assets in various fields like language education, guiding interpretation, literature, among others. This study focused only on the three themes of proverbs namely, life, love, and education. Further, using the advanced text analysis tool Text Inspector, 15 motivational proverbs were analyzed, 5 for each theme to identify and interpret various metadiscourse elements. The results indicated that the most common metadiscourse marker in the analysis of proverbs was relational markers, with the usage of words like “you” and “your” showing direct engagement with the audience. These terms establish emotional connection between the reader and the proverb, strengthening its relatability and persuasiveness. These markers help the reader feel the strong intention behind the proverbs, making them more impactful and addressed directly to the readers. Furthermore, the use of these relational markers deliberates a clear intention, emphasizing the speaker’s desire to deliver significant life lessons. Future researchers are encouraged to explore more themes of proverbs and expand the scope of analysis to a broader range of proverbs, which may lead to discovery of new patterns in the use of metadiscourse.