Metaphors and Euphemisms of Death in Akan and Hebrew

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze, contrastively, Akan and Hebrew euphemistic expressions for death using the theoretical framework of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory espoused by Lakoff and Johnson (1980). This cognitive approach enables to demonstrate the mitigating power of metaphors used as a dynamic source for euphemistic reference with the ability to conceal offensive and taboo aspects of the target domain. We have put various Akan and Hebrew euphemisms into five categories of death metaphors with the aim to contrastively establish similarities and differences in the conceptualization of death in the two languages. Our intention is to demonstrate how metaphors are employed as euphemistic device for speaking indirectly, unprovocatively and respectfully about death. This study specifically reveals how the Akan and Hebrew cultures, defined by their respective languages, share the same attitude to death.

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“…Fernández (2006, 125) attributes this to the religious belief and hope that those who died will enjoy a better life in Heaven. Another study, which examines euphemism within the theoretical framework of Conceptual Metaphor Theory proposed by Lakoff and Johnson's (1980), is Owiredu's (2020) where the author contrastively analyzes Akan and Hebrew euphemistic expressions for death. Owiredu (2020, 404) points to the mitigating power of metaphorical euphemism as a source to conceal offensive and taboo aspects of death.…”