1.1The Akan language and people

The word ‘Akan’ refers to the people as well as their language. Akan can be considered from (a) ethnographic and (b) linguistic, perspectives. The ethnographic Akan includes Ahantas, Aowins, Nzemas, and Sefwis who do not speak Akan as L1 but shares cultural similarities with the Akans (Obeng 1987Obeng, Gyasi Samuel 1987 Conversational Strategies: Towards a Phonological Description of Projection in Akyem. Unpublished Ph. D Thesis, York Univ. UK.).11.All the languages spoken by the ethnographic Akans are genetically related to the Akan language (see Obeng 1987Obeng, Gyasi Samuel 1987 Conversational Strategies: Towards a Phonological Description of Projection in Akyem. Unpublished Ph. D Thesis, York Univ. UK.) The linguistic Akans are those who speak Akan as their L1. Akans are the largest ethnic group in Ghana. In the 2010, national population census, 47.5% of the Ghanaian population was Akan and about 44% of the rest speaks Akan as non-native speakers.

The Akans occupy the greater part of southern Ghana. Akan is spoken as a native language in nine out of the 16 regions in Ghana namely Ahafo, Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Central, Eastern, Oti, Western and Western North Regions. The Akan speaking communities in the Oti Region are sandwiched by the Ewe communities. The Akan dialects are Agona, Akyem, Akuapem, Akwamu, Asante, Assin, Bron, Buem, Denkyira, Fante, Kwawu, Twifo, and Wassaw dialects. Some Bron speakers are found in Cote d’ Ivoire. Akan is studied from primary school up to the university.

1.2Methodology

Some of the data on advice were tapped from participant observations at certain ethnographic communicative events like naming, marriage ceremonies and arbitrations at the chief’s court. I was invited to these ceremonies, observed and took part in the deliberations. As an Akan ethnographer, I always attend these functions with my tape recorder, phone and note pads ready to collect rich data, because I do not want to miss such ethnographic events. Most of the data were audio-taped with my phone; for some of them, I got copies of the video from the camera men hired to capture the events.

Some of the data for this paper is chosen from an Akan literature book entitled Brako by Adi (1973)Adi, Kwabena 1973 Brako. Tema: Ghana Publishing Corporation.. This book was selected on the basis of fair representations of pieces of advice that have didactic functions. It has been used as a set book for the West African Examination Council (WAEC) for many years. It is read in secondary schools, training colleges and even at the Akan departments in the universities. The book was again used on Kenkan Me, a Reading programme on Peace FM. I further consulted books and articles on ethnopragmatics, speech acts, persuasion and advice.

The Akan texts are provided and translated into English. The data was analysed holistically by looking at the lexicon and semantics. We analysed the pragmatic and discourse features, figures of speech, especially, proverbs, metaphors and symbolisms. I analysed the contents of the pieces of advice based on Akan ethnopragmatics, looking at narratives and cultural analogies that are useful for Akan advice. The research questions that guided this study are:

1. What is the role of ethnopragmatics, persuasion, directives and expressives in the study of Akan advice?

2. What constitutes Akan advice and how different are they from English?

3. What are the Akan ethnographic situations that call for advice?

4. Why are proverbs essential parts of Akan advice?

2.1Advice in Akan ethnopragmatics

In the ethnopragmatics of Akan advice, the adviser initiates a message and the advisee reacts based on their common folk knowledge and understanding. In Akan advisory speech act, in Section 4.4, a junior should not react verbally to adults’ advice, but should behave accordingly. The reaction from the advisee could be positive or negative. It is positive, if the speaker persuades the advisee to understand and appreciate the essence of the advice and gladly receive it. Naturally, the adviser’s intention is to win the advisee to his side.

In the Akan ethnopragmatics of advice, interlocutors normally respect the views of each other as social individuals and same cultural group insiders. The adviser does not seek his self-interest at the expense of his advisee, because both are social players in the interaction aiming to get something better for the advisee and the society. Participants in the advisory interaction should be mindful of the natural and common socio-cultural environments in which they operate, and adapt themselves effectively to the ever-changing environment, the human conditions and the Akan socio-cultural norms.

The goal of the Akan adviser is to exert some “potential” influence on the advisee using expressives, directives, persuasion and proverbs without denigrating him/her. The adviser should persuade the advisee by handling face saving and face-threatening mechanisms cautiously. This is done by using indirection and politeness, especially by prefacing the advice with proverbs to indicate their authoritative sources. In Section 4.4, instead of directing the advisee to refrain from misconduct, the father used the proverb (no.5) animguaseε mfata ͻkanni ba, ‘disgrace does not befit an Akan citizen’. Let us briefly look at expressives, directives and persuasion.

2.2Expressives and directives in advice

Expressives and directives are very relevant in the discussion of Akan advice because advice is primarily listed under directives (see Duranti 1997Duranti, Allesandro 1997 Linguistic Anthropology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ). Advice can be an expressive because the adviser expresses his feelings about something he finds about the advisee from the innermost part of his heart.

2.2.1Expressive in advice

Expressives are representatives and interpretations of the psychological inner state of the speaker, either to himself or to the addressee. They indicate that the speaker is expressing an inner feeling towards something which s/he deems to be true, and which s/he is sincerely expressing an opinion. Expressives denote statements of pleasure, pain, likes and dislikes, joy, sorrow, love or hatred (see Mey 2001Mey, Jacob L. 2001 Pragmatics: An Introduction, 2nd Edition. Oxford. Blackwell., 121; Yule 2000Yule, George 2000 Pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford University Press., 53). Expressive verbs include apologise, thank, condole, congratulate, complain, lament, protest, deplore, compliment, praise, welcome and greet (see Duranti 1997Duranti, Allesandro 1997 Linguistic Anthropology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ).

From the list above, we argue that an adviser expresses a feeling by either complaining, lamenting, protesting, or deploring about a state of affair that he finds in the advisee, which must be eradicated or changed for the better. Advice is subjective and it depends on the adviser and how he conceptualises the behaviour of the advisee within the Akan sociocultural context. Akan directives and expressives in advice are based on Akan sociocultural rules and norms of interaction. If an advisee pays heed to advice and transforms his behaviour, it benefits him and the entire society. The verbal expressives are complemented by facial expressions and gestures that help the advisee to better interpret the adviser’s intention, and for the adviser to interpret the advisee’s (non)-verbal reaction (Agyekum 2010Agyekum, Kofi 2010 “The Sociolinguistics of Thanking in Akan.” Nordic Journal of African Studies 19 (2): 77–97., 78).

2.2.2Directives in advice

Some parts of advice communicative events are directives expressing what the speaker wants the addressee to do. Directives include commands, orders, advice, requests, proposals, and suggestions (see Duranti 1997Duranti, Allesandro 1997 Linguistic Anthropology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. , 223; Yule 2000Yule, George 2000 Pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford University Press., 54). Searle (2009Searle, John R. 2009 “Searle’s Felicity Conditions on Speech Acts.” In Concise Encyclopedia of Pragmatics, 2nd Edition, ed. by Jacob L. Mey, 1004–1009. Amsterdam: Elsevier Ltd., 1004) avers that:

Directives are those kinds of speech acts that represent attempts by the speaker to get the addressee to do something. They express the speaker’s desire/wish for the addressee to do something. Paradigmatic cases include advice, commands, orders, questions, and requests. In using a directive, the speaker intends to elicit some future course of action on the part of the addressee, thus making the world match the words via the addressee.

In Akan, there is a high degree of interdependency and communalism; advice may thus not be seen as a strong imposition and face-threat on the advisee (Obeng 1999Obeng, Gyasi Samuel 1999 “Apologies in Akan Discourse.” Journal of Pragmatics 31: 709–734. , 231). That is why in Section 5.1, the father prefaces the proverbs with “advisory verbs”. The adviser can order, request or plead to the advisee towards a posterior event and this pertains to Akan pieces of advice. Some Akan pieces of advice may inconvenience the advisee but the Akan social respect, obedience and politeness systems abhor the advisee to instantly refuse the advice. The degree of face-threat may depend on the ethnographic setting, the participants, how the advice is couched and rendered before the advisee. However, there are situations in the Akan modern society, as seen in Excerpts 1 and 2, where the advisees come out boldly to decline the advice.

2.3Persuasive language in advice

We are discussing persuasion here as a perlocutionary effect and the impact on the advisee that engenders him to respond to the advice. Persuasion is the attempt to cause a person to act in a certain way sometimes against his normal will (Agyekum 2004bAgyekum, Kofi 2004b “Aspects of Persuasion in Akan Communication.” International Journal of Language and Communication RASK 2: 63–96.). The persuader engenders action(s) towards a change in the behaviour or mind of the persuadee. In an advisory persuasion, the adviser wants the advisee to fulfill his/her intentions. Agyekum (2004b)Agyekum, Kofi 2004b “Aspects of Persuasion in Akan Communication.” International Journal of Language and Communication RASK 2: 63–96. noted that the adviser’s persuasive language can move the advisee to act favourably to provide harmony between them for the message to be well received. The persuader’s task is to establish or strengthen a social relationship and maintain co-operation among participants in the Akan advisory event.

2.4The Akan concept and definition of advice

In Akan, advice refers to suggestions, opinions and ideas that a Speaker provides to an Addressee to show concern, admiration, interest and disapproval on certain crucial issues within a specific ethnographic context. Wierzbicka (2012Wierzbicka, Anna 2012 “Advice in English and Russian: A Contrastive and Cross-Cultural Perspective.” In Advice in Discourse, ed. by Limberg Holger and Miriam A. Locher, 309–332. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. , 310) alludes that there are quasi-synonyms for advice in English including counselling, offering counselling, recommending, exhortation, or admonition. She argues that this cannot represent the notion of advice in all languages therefore there is the need to capture the core meaning based on natural semantic metalanguage, that will be applicable to all languages. Advice embodies a particular culture-specific configuration; hence what could be labelled as advice in one culture may not necessarily be so in another.22.We are using the Akan term afotuo to capture many communicative aspects in naming ceremony and arbitrations, which may not fall under advice in English.

Wierzbicka (2012Wierzbicka, Anna 2012 “Advice in English and Russian: A Contrastive and Cross-Cultural Perspective.” In Advice in Discourse, ed. by Limberg Holger and Miriam A. Locher, 309–332. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. , 310) thus proposes that “A universally cross-translatable mini-language in which the proposed conceptual anchor for discourses of “advice” has been formulated is “it will be good if after this you do this”. This is a conceptual yardstick that can semantically cater for advice in cross-linguistic and cross-cultural comparisons. Wierzbicka (2012Wierzbicka, Anna 2012 “Advice in English and Russian: A Contrastive and Cross-Cultural Perspective.” In Advice in Discourse, ed. by Limberg Holger and Miriam A. Locher, 309–332. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. , 321) states that “in English advice implies a perception on the part of the speaker that the addressee is in some sort of uncertainty as to what she or he should do, and the person who offers advice responds to that perceived uncertainty.”

In Akan, advice normally shows the acquaintances, solidarity, rapport, intimacy, and “group belongingness” of the interlocutors. Due to the Akan communal nature, advice is part of our sociocultural values. In most cases, pieces of advice are unidirectional emanating from adults to children, higher-ups to subordinates, the rich to the poor, and not the reverse.33.Situations of advice-giving are inherently loaded with varying degrees of variables such as intimacy, power and urgency, that determine how directly the addressee can formulate the advice in an urgent situation, a piece of direct or unsolicited advice such as You’d better not drive so fast, might be warranted in English. However, where the addresser has much less power or status than the addressee, the piece of advice must be couched in mitigating language (Tsurikova and Evanson 1995Tsurikova, Lyubov, and Evanson, Virginia 1995 “Advice: A Pragmatic Approach to Teaching Functions in English.” Revista de Lenguas Ara Fines Específicos. 2: 14–22., 18). It could be “mutual advice” between husband and wife or co-workers of the same rank. Most Akan pieces of advice are formulaic and predictable. For instance, pieces of advice given after the settlement of cases at the palace are routinised, and one can predict what the chief’s spokesperson will say after the verdict. After the settlement of a dispute there is what I will term “bi-advice” where both the innocent and the guilty parties are advised to live in harmony and forget about what had happened. After marriage contract, the elders’ advice to the bride and the bridegroom are predictable. Excerpt 1 was audio-taped at a marriage ceremony in Accra on 2nd May 2015 that I participated, I used my android phone.

In Akan, some people consider advice as face-threatening since it may admonish the advisee, but it is good to his welfare and the group. Let us see Excerpt 2.

The above excerpt was recorded on tape in June 2017 at the office of the professor when his friend visited. This is an advice to someone who has become addicted to alcohol. The advisee thinks that the adviser is impinging on his freedom of action. Due to the face-threatening nature of advice, sometimes pieces of advice are not adhered to, especially when they bother on change of addictive attitudes in the addressee’s life. Advice should thus be given with some diplomacy, persuasion, politeness and indirection.

Sometimes, advisees find it difficult to accept advice especially when they feel that they are matured enough. They want their privacy, and feel very frustrated and uncomfortable; they believe that they could make their own decisions and need no naggings and intrusions.

Jefferson and Lee (1981Jefferson, Gail, and Lee, John R. E. 1981 “The Rejection of Advice. Managing the Problematic Convergence of a Troubles-Telling and a Service Encounter.” Journal of Pragmatics 5: 399–422. , 405) found that even in contexts of troubles-telling in English, the giving of advice is a precursor of dispute, and is rejected in most of such interactions. Wierzbicka (1991Wierzbicka, Anna 1991 Cross-Cultural Pragmatics: The Semantics of Human Interaction. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. , 30) compared the Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Polish and Spanish languages with the English social interactions. She concluded that the English-speaking tradition, places special emphasis on individual rights and autonomy and thus abhors any interference in other people’s affairs. The tradition respects everyone’s privacy, and approves of compromises, and disapproves of dogmatism. Advice-giving, generally has a negative socio-cultural and interactional value, and can be perceived as intrusive and overbearing. However, in Akan culture, as in Russian and other Slavic cultures, advice, invitations and suggestions are often imposed on the interlocutor. In Akan, pieces of advice are normally direct and imposing, but the socio-cultural norms imbibe advisees to accept them (see Section 4.3).

Normally, the Akan adviser has all the good-will, and wants the welfare of the advisee; he considers the potential benefit to the advisee, hence the advice could be direct and imposing (see Tsurikova and Evanson 1995Tsurikova, Lyubov, and Evanson, Virginia 1995 “Advice: A Pragmatic Approach to Teaching Functions in English.” Revista de Lenguas Ara Fines Específicos. 2: 14–22., 17).

3.1Akan proverbs and maxims on advice

The most acknowledged and cherished element of Akan communicative competence is the use of εbε, ‘proverbs’ in speech, and they are therefore employed in advice. Proverbs are interpretations of traditional wisdom based on the experiences and socio-cultural life of our elders. There are Akan maxims on advice that have been time-tested and found to be true. They are based on the people’s experiences, philosophy, religion and cultural ideology (see Agyekum 2012Agyekum, Kofi 2012 “Akan Proverbs and Aphorisms about Marriage.” Research Review NS 27 (2): 1–24. on the role of proverbs in marriage).

In Akan, there are adages such as εbε ne ͻkasa mu abohemmaa, ‘the proverb is the most precious stone of speech’, εtwa asεm tia, ‘it curtails matters’, εnka asεm ho a, εnwie dε yε, ‘without it, a speech does not acquire its sweetness’. Akans perceive proverbs as an aesthetic device of vitality in speech and an indispensable salt of a language, without which the “language dish” loses its real taste.

A competent Akan speaker intersperses his speech with proverbs and such a speech form is considered an adult style. The intensive use of proverbs is based on the predominant Akan face-to-face communication (Yankah 1991Yankah, Kwesi 1991 “Orality in Akan Society.” Discourse and Society 2(1):47–64. , 1989Yankah, Kwesi 1989 “Proverbs: The Aesthetics of Traditional Communication.” Research in African Literature 20(3):325–346.). To avoid the risk involved in such ritual interaction, a competent adviser, uses proverbs as a persuasive device to convince his advisee to listen and comply. An Akan speaker can use multiple proverbs within the same discourse to highlight the value of the message and depict his politeness level to handle face-threatening acts. Let us consider two of them.

1. Yεtu fo na yεntu hyεberε. ‘We advise, but we cannot uproot destiny’.

   In Akan philosophy, the society has no hand in destiny; it can only advise people on social or physical things but not on destiny which is metaphysical. This maxim is quoted when one does not yield to consistent advice, and the society becomes fed up. Advice is very important but the advisee is not obliged to conform, especially when he considers it as an infringement on his private life.

2. Afotuo nsakra onipa gye sε nsͻhwε. ‘Advice does not change a person but rather suffering’. Some people do not pay heed to pieces of advice, but when in trouble, they are compelled to listen. A drunkard may not listen to advice to abstain from drunkenness but if he is diagnosed with cancer due to drunkenness, he will adhere to advice.

4.1Advice at a naming ceremony

At a naming ceremony, pieces of advice are given to the baby, parents and those gathered at the function. The child is advised to stay longer, the parents are advised to take proper care of the child, and the community is advised to support the parents in diverse ways to nurture the child into a responsible adult. These are based on the Akan communal spirit.

Analysis

This excerpt is an elaborated advice where the officiating elder gives a background of the purpose of the gathering; the participants, including the family members and friends. Even though the child does not speak, the literary device of apostrophe is used and she is first advised; (a) to have a longer stay, and (b) not to just come and exhibit herself and return. This is based on the child mortality in Akan tradition where some children spent some few days and died. Akans, thus, wait for at least 7 days before they outdoor the child and name him. They believe that if the child survives after 7 days, he has surely come to stay.

The second directives are (a) you must not do anything that will allow people to insult you and be extended to your grandmother. (b) try and follow the footsteps of your parents and (c) strive to study very hard. A background is given about the character of the grandmother; the child is charged to replicate those morals, values and dignity to avoid tarnishing the family’s reputation, and advised to study hard.

The final advice is on the value of truthfulness; this is symbolised by putting water and alcohol that look alike in colour but different in taste and functions. The child is instructed to be diligent and truthful throughout life. The advice employs Akan “advisory verbs” like note, do not, must not, strive, try to follow, and let it be. These carry counseling and persuasive tones to mitigate the directives encoded in the advice.

4.2Advice at a marriage ceremony

In Akan, marriage is an important milestone that marks the process of adult life and procreation. During marriage ceremonies, elders from the bride and bridegroom families advise the young couple. They need what it takes to start and sustain a healthy family, which includes acquisition of properties, childbirth and respect for each other’s family.

The above advice, like the Akan stereotypical ones in marriage ceremonies, is full of symbolisms and proverbs. For instance, a new marriage is compared with a new gloomy cocoa farm, while cooperation is symbolised by a broom that cannot be broken because of unity. The two other proverbs are found in the Akan marital proverbs and pieces of advice on experiences and information on marriage (see Agyekum 2012Agyekum, Kofi 2012 “Akan Proverbs and Aphorisms about Marriage.” Research Review NS 27 (2): 1–24.). They forewarn the couple and their families on the experiences and problems in marriage and how to manage their affairs efficiently.

4.3Advice on reconciliation after settlement of disputes

Agyekum (2006cAgyekum, Kofi 2006c “Akan Traditional Arbitration: Its Structure and Language.” Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 27 (5): 359–74. , 366) records the advice after settlement of disputes in Akan and posits that such pieces of advice are meant for nkabom, ‘reconciliation’, one of the procedures in dispute settlement. Disputants may decide to embark on nsiesie, ‘amicable settlements’. The Akans say mpanimfo atu wͻn nan asi asεm no so, ‘the elders have stamped their feet on the case’, or yεreka asεm no abom, (lit.) ‘we are joining the cases together.’ This formula differs from the traditional arbitration; here the disputants are not allowed to narrate their cases and there is no ruling. The elders give admonitions and pieces of advice to both parties to live peacefully but not as adversaries. The stereotypical advice is seen below.

They are warned not to repeat such acts, or face the appropriate sanctions. Negotiations for peace and tranquility are popular in family and marital disputes. When there is a stalemate, the Akan jury seeks advice from the legendary old lady who is a custodian of wisdom, experience, peace, counselling, justice and fair resolution.

4.4Advice for a youth who is travelling (from Brako by Kwabena Adi)

Background

The excerpt below is an advice from a father to his son who had completed his elementary education and was travelling to the capital city, Accra, to find some job. It is a holistic advice that covers hardwork, virtuous life, savings, consultations from knowledgeable people, and trust in the Lord. The father advised his son to avoid corruption, too many friendship, drunkenness, promiscuity and ungratefulness. What we find in this literature book are replicas of real life. The advice was full of proverbs and Akan advisory verbs; the proverbs are numbered sequentially and the advisory verbs are boldened. We will give a paragraph to paragraph English translation and then analyse the proverbs in the text.

a.

“Adwumayɛ na worekɔ yi. Nea ehia ne nokwaredi, odwo, ahohyɛso, ahobrɛase ne ahofama. Minim sɛ wonka mu wɔ eyinom biara mu. Nanso kae sɛ, (1) dua a aboa no nsuro so no na owu da ase. Kae sɛ (2) nokware di tuo. Fa boasetɔ yɛ w’ade nyinaa. Mma wo werɛ mfi sɛ, (3) wotɔ wo bo gua atɛtea a, wuhu ne nsono ne n’akoma. Fa nsi ne anem yɛ w’ade sɛ ɔbrakyerɛni ba. Mma w’ani mmere obi biribi da. Kae sɛ, (4) ɔkɔm de wo a, womfa wo nsa abien nnidi.

“You are entering into the job market. The essential things are honesty, calmness, discipline, humility and commitment. I know that you do not fall short in any of these. But remember that, (1) it is the tree that the animal is not afraid of that it dies under it. Remember that (2) honesty outwits a gun shot. Use patience to embark on all your activities. Do your work with diligence and propriety like the native of Obrakyerɛ. Do not forget that, (3) if you take your time to dissect an ant you can see all the entrails. Do not be envious of anybody’s property. Remember that, (4) if you are hungry you do not eat with both hands.

The father continued as follows:

b.

“Sɔhwɛ ahorow wɔ adwumayɛ mu. Sɛ Onyame yɛ wo adom na wo nsa ka adwuma bi a sikasɛm wͻ mu a, hwɛ na wo nsa anware wɔ sika a ɛbɛba wo nkyɛn no ho. Kae sɛ (5) animguase mfata ɔkanni ba. (6) Mmɔtohɔ yɛ ɔyare. (7) Mereba, mereyɛ ansa, na ɛmaa ɔkwaku dua kaa hɔ. Yɛanhyɛ wo nkɔnkɔn-ma; ɛno nso nti minim sɛ biribi nni hɔ a wubehyia a, ebebu afa w’abasa so. Nanso manya no nhui, enti na m’asɛm reyɛ aware no. (8) Nim saa anka, nnii kan da. (9) Obi nhu nanka, nyaa nanka na ͻnse sɛ, mihui a, anka. ɛno nti hwɛ na obi anto wo sɛmmrada annaadaa wo na woanka sɛ minim saa a, anka. Hwɛ na to wo tɛkrɛma nnareka. Kae sɛ (10) tɛkrɛmakam sen oyiwankam. Bɔ mmɔden sɛ wobɛtwe wo ho afi ɔtɛkrɛmafo ho. Suro nea ɔwɔ tɛkrɛmakyene; ɔka asɛm fenemfenem kyerɛ wo nanso ɛsono nea ɛwɔ ne tirim.

“There are many temptations at worksite. If by the grace of God you get some financial job, ensure that your hands are not very long on the monies that come your way. (5) Note that disgrace does not befit an Akan. (6) Procrastination is a disease. (7) I will be here in a moment, I am waiting for a while, is what made the monkey’s tail remain there forever. Whatever you have to do, do it promptly and earnestly. We did not treat you as a pampered child so I know that there is no encounter that can outwit you. But I am aware, that is why I am talking too much. (8) Had I known is always at last. (9) Nobody sees the puff adder (snake) and leaves it to go scot-free and then complains that if I had known, I would have killed it. So make sure that nobody persuades and swindles you for you to remark “I should have known.” See to keep your tongue tight. (10) Remember that the scar from the tongue is more dangerous than that from a razor. Try to shun swindlers. Be afraid of a “salty tongue person”, he speaks so nicely to you but harbours something different in his head.

The advice now moves to the need for consultation and counselling when in difficulties by seeking the expertise of elders.

c.

“Sɛ biribi kyere wo so den wo a, hwehwɛ ɔbadwemma bi na fa to n’anim. (11) Kae sɛ, me nko me tirim porɔw. Bio hwɛ na woamfa wo ho anhyehyɛ nkurɔfo nsɛm mu. Sɛ wo bra ye a, wubenya ɔpanyin bi aso wo mu abia. (12) Kae sɛ abͻfra hu ne nsa hohoro a, ɔne mpanyin to nsa didi.

“If you are hard pressed, search for an intelligent person and put your case before him. (11) Remember that, it is not fruitful to think solely. Again, be careful not to mingle yourself in people’s affairs. If you put up a good behaviour you will get an elder to support you. (12) Remember that if the child knows how to wash his hands. he eats with the elders.

5.1Proverbs and metaphors in Akan advice

The adviser embarks on proverbs and metaphors that have direct advisory effects on the advisee. This advisory text has 12 proverbs based on Akan traditional experiences, philosophy, cultural knowledge, ideology and wisdom. These are coupled with intimacy, power from the father, and the urgency of the advice, since the son was travelling to the city with heterogeneous people and diverse characters. The first advice is based on cautiousness and not taking things for granted. An analogy is provided by pointing to animals that display foolhardiness and eventually die under trees they disregard as dangerous. The second and third proverbs centre on the strengths in honesty and patience, and how honesty can outwit the gun, the most dangerous weapon. Patience acts like a microscope that gives insight into everything including, dissecting an ant and seeing its entrails. This may seem hyperbolic, but in Akan ethnopragmatics it focuses on cautiousness and being meticulous.

The fourth proverb highlights greediness. Instead of telling the advisee directly to refrain from greediness, the adviser politely couched this in a proverb, “no matter how hungry you are, you cannot eat with both hands.” Culturally, Akans eat using only their right hands. To use both hands when eating in the same bowl with others implies greediness, and denying others of the food; this violates the Akan communal spirit.

The fifth proverb enjoins the son to refrain from acts that will disgrace him and the entire Akans, hence animguaese mfata ɔkanni ba, ‘disgrace does not befit an Akan.’ The Akans cherish politeness and want to do things that will raise their image, and this cultural ideology is part of enculturation. The two subsequent parallel proverbs advise the young man to be conscious of time, and respect deadlines. The proverbs are (6) Mmɔtohɔ yɛ ɔyare. (7) Mereba, mereyɛ ansa, na ɛmaa ɔkwaku dua kaa hɔ. “Procrastination is a disease.” “I will be here in a moment; I am waiting for a while is what made the monkey’s tail remain there forever.” There is an analogy between procrastination and disease; because when you procrastinate the work is left undone; similarly when you are sick you cannot do what is expected of you. Procrastination is inexcusable, but one can make an appeal based on sickness. The parallel proverb is ‘procrastination is what made the monkey’s tail remain there forever. If you procrastinate you may lose things for ever.

The next parallel proverbs indicate the consequences of failing to act appropriately and they are (8) Nim saa anka nnii kan da. (9) Obi nhu nanka, nnyaa nanka na ͻnse sɛ, mihui a, anka. ‘Had I known has never been at the first position.’ ‘Nobody sees the puff adder (snake) and leaves it to go scot-free and then complains that if I had known, I would have killed it.’ If one decides too late, no action can be taken. The ninth proverb is in a pun and assonance using the vowel letter [a] in the words anka, a modal meaning, ‘had it been’, nanka, ‘puffer adder’, and nnyaa ‘does not leave’.

The tenth proverb enjoins the advisee to be mindful of his language and this is captured in the metaphor of the tongue and razor as in: Kae sɛ tɛkrɛma kam sen onyiwan kam. ‘Remember that ‘the scar from the tongue is more dangerous than one from a razor.’ The Akans believe that a wound resulting from a razor-cut will definitely get healed no matter how long it takes. This proverb alludes to the potency of the tongue and the power of the spoken word. A wound from a razor-cut affects the person alone; however, if the tongue slips and uses invectives, it travels wider; the words become indelible and will never be forgotten across generations. Some conflicts among individuals, societies, parties, etc. have stemmed from unguarded and intemperate language (see Agyekum 2018Agyekum, Kofi 2018 Akan Body Parts Expressions: A Cognitive Semantics and Pragmatic Approach. Accra: Adwinsa Publications Ltd.). In effect, the Akans want their children to be communicatively competent in all socio-cultural interactions.

In proverb 11, Kae sɛ, me nko me tirim porɔw. ‘Remember that, it is not fruitful to think solely’. Attention is drawn to consultation using the metaphor of a rotten head. In Akan culture, when you refuse to discuss issues with people and you habour everything, positive or negative, the brain conceptually becomes rotten. Consultation and seeking advice from others is the most optimum thing to do. Proverb 12 advises the youth to put up good behaviour so that they can interact with the elders and acquire their rich experiences. This is captured by the proverb Kae sɛ abͻfra hu ne nsa hohoro a, ɔne mpanyin to nsa didi. Remember that ‘if the child knows how to wash his hands, he eats with the elders.’

We have noted the pervasive use of the verb kae, ‘remember’ in the proverbs; it prefaces five out of the twelve advisory proverbs; it draws the advisee’s attention to existing cultural truism and the authoritative source embedded in the Akan proverbs.55.The verb kae triggers the interpretive marker sε, ‘that’ used to mark thoughts and utterances (see Agyekum (2002Agyekum, Kofi 2002 “The Interpretive Marker Sε in Akan.” In New Directions in Ghanaian Linguistics, ed. by Felix K. Ameka, and Emmanuel K. Osam, 127–145. Accra: Black Mask Publishers.; 128). Akan, proverbs, wise sayings, adages of philosophical thoughts and reported speech are initiated with sε, ‘that’. Examples of such proverbs are (i) Kae sɛ (2) nokware di tuo. Remember that ‘honesty outwits a gun short.’ (ii) Kae sɛ, (4) ɔkɔm de wo a, womfa wo nsa abien nnidi. ‘Remember that, ‘if you are hungry you do not eat with both hands.’ (iii) Kae sɛ (10) tɛkrɛmakam sen oyiwankam. Remember that ‘the scar from the tongue is more dangerous than that from a razor’, (iv) Kae sɛ (11) me nko me tirim porɔw. Remember that, ‘it is not fruitful to think alone. (Thinking on your own, rots your mind). (v) Kae sɛ (12) abͻfra hu ne nsa hohoro a, ɔne mpanyin to nsa didi. Remember that ‘if the child knows how to wash his hands, he eats with the elders.’ Proverbs 6 and 7 and 7 and 8 were parallel proverbs meant for emphasis.