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Article published In:
Pragmatics and Society
Vol. 14:1 (2023) ► pp.1–22

Idioms, proverbs and body part expressions on Yiedie “wellbeing” in Akan

| University of Ghana

This paper investigates the interaction between language, culture, body and emotions. It is an aspect of cognitive semantics that discusses the Akan somatic nature of their body and therefore have existing lexical items, idioms and proverbs to comment on “wellbeing”. It is based on Conceptual Metaphor Theory by Lakoff and Johnson (1980) and Ethnopragmatics by Goddard (2006). A great parts of Akan expressions for “wellbeing” are tapped from body parts through their physical, cognitive, and emotional representations. The nature of the derived semantic patterns and how the Akans consider these somatic expressions, idioms and proverbs as important aspects of their language and culture are discussed. This paper argues that “wellbeing” as an emotion is transitional like a pendulum; one can be enjoying aspects of “wellbeing” for a moment and be in “distress” and “depression” a moment later. [1] 1

Keywords: conceptual metaphor, ethnopragmatics, emotions, wellbeing, proverbs, Akan
Article outline
  • 1Introduction: Interface between body and Language
    • 1.1The Akan language and people
    • 1.2Methodology and data sources
      • 1.2.1Methodology: Application
    • 1.3Theoretical framework
      • 1.3.1Conceptual metaphor
      • 1.3.2Ethnopragmatics
  • 2.The concept of yiedie, “wellbeing”
    • 2.1Akan idioms and expressions on yiedie, “Wellbeing”
      • 2.1.1 Yiedie, “Wellbeing” that relate to money and material wealth
      • 2.1.2 Awoɔ ‘Childbirth’, initiation and marriage as pillars of yiedie “Wellbeing”
      • 2.1.3Good health and yiedie, “Wellbeing”
  • 3Expressions of yiedie, “Wellbeing” captured by Body Parts
    • 3.1 Yiedie, “Wellbeing” related to ho, ‘Body’
    • 3.2 Yiedie, “Wellbeing” related to aso, ‘Ear’
    • 3.3 Bo, ‘Chest’ and Akoma, ‘Heart’ expressions for yiedie, “wellbeing”
    • 3.4 Abotɔyam/akomatɔyam, ‘patience, satisfaction, Relief’
    • 3.5Head, luck and yiedie, “wellbeing”
  • 4.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 14 March 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ps.19015.agy
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