This study analyses how cultural contexts influence meanings of idiomatic expressions (IEs) in Lusamia, a language spoken by the Basamia of Busia County, Kenya. Language and culture have an inseparable connection, particularly in how the meanings of IEs of Basamia are influenced by cultural contexts. An idiom is a sentence, phrase, or word whose meaning cannot be accurately conveyed by translating each of its constituent elements. The constituents in the composition of an idiom are greatly influenced by cultural settings, which are a reflection of the group’s values, experiences, beliefs, and social standards. The study is grounded in the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) by Kovecses (2015). The locale of study was Nambuku location of Busia county. The research design was descriptive. The target population were the Lusamia indigenous speakers and Lusamia idiomatic expressions. The sample of study was 10 Lusamia speakers and 23 Lusamia idiomatic expressions. Data collection tools were 2 interview guides, writing material and a tape recorder. The research data was transcribed, translated, coded and analysed in line with the tenets of the theory that guided the study. The study will support language and oral literature learning besides serving as a source of reference in upcoming researchers’ work.
Keywords: Culture, Languge, Metaphor, cultural contexts, idiomatic expressions
