The conceptual framing of time in Mfantse (Published)
The notion of time is common and duly recognized by all people and all languages in the world. However, our perception and conceptualization of time, as evidenced in recent disputing arguments, is not the same across all human languages and cultures. This is probably because time is neither a tangible nor a visible phenomenon. The main objective of this study is to examine the qualities or properties of source domains highlighted by the linguistic expressions used to talk about time in Mfantse, a dialect of the Akan language. (Akan is a Kwa language spoken by a large group of people called Akans and generally mutually intelligible among its widely varied dialects.) I investigate the conceptualizations underlying the concept of time in the Mfantse dialect of Akan by drawing linguistic expressions from texts (the Mfantse Bible), songs, a radio programme broadcast in Mfantse. The study confirms the recognition and acknowledgement of the notion of time in Mfantse and reveals some interesting kinds of metaphors underlying the conceptualization of time within the language, some of which include TIME IS FOOD and TIME IS AN ENEMY.
Citation: Bliss Acheampong (2022) The conceptual framing of time in Mfantse, International Journal of English Language and Linguistics Research, Vol.10, No 2, pp.38-59
Keywords: Akan, CMT, Conceptualization, Metaphor, Time
Indirection as a Communicative Skill Among the People of Abora Etsifi in the Abura Asebu Kwamankese (A.A.K.) District of Central Region, Ghana. (Published)
Indirection, a speech form which avoids speaking directly to issues or going straight to the point but rather moves around the main purpose of the interactions to display meanings has been an effective communicative technique that has lived among the people of Abora Etsifi in the A.A.K distrsict in their day to day interactions. This paper discusses the meaning of indirection and its importance in communication within the Abora Etsifi speech community. Using two scenarios and popular behaivours that pertain to the community, the author avails the meaning, types and usages of indiredtion. The author argues that indirection is an operative communiacative technique that should be perpetuated.
Keywords: Abora Etsifi, Akan, Indirection, communicative skills, techniqu