Abstract:
In Akan, our everyday language is rife with metaphorical expressions. Most words or
expressions on food denote a multitude of metaphorical meanings. The term
‘metaphor’ is very pervasive in pragmatics, semantics, lexicology, literature,
philosophy and cognitive studies (Kovescses, 2002). Food metaphors include any
sentences, phrases or words that have consumable inanimate objects in; be it cooked
food, uncooked food, fruit, dessert, meat, cooked fish, dried fish, roasted fish etc.
(Maalej, 2007). The metaphorical extensions from one domain of meaning cover
other notions and objects in the Akan Language. This study examined the food
metaphor expressions in Akan employing the theories of Cognitive Based theory
(Sweetser, 1990) and the Conceptual Metaphor theory (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980).
This study was a qualitative case study and collected data using observation and
unstructured interview. The study revealed that the Akan language uses indirect ways
of communicating and the people employ that by using food items. Speakers use them
without being questioned and listeners also interpret them as expressions used every
day. We discovered that most of these expressions have become conventionalized and
speakers automatically use them. These metaphorical expressions develop from our
perceptions of the food items found around us. The study revealed that each meaning
functions on its pragmatic and contextual usages. It has also been discovered that,
some of these food items in Akan can be metaphorically used to symbolize the whole
life or the entire personality of a person, behavior, characteristics, thought or mind.
Description:
A Thesis in the Department of Applied Linguistics,
Faculty of Foreign Languages Education and Communication,
submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the award of the degree
Master of Philosophy
(Applied Linguistics)
in the University of Education, Winneba
AUGUST, 2020