The conceptualization of ido ‘eye’ in Hausa
-
Ahmadu Shehu
Abstract
The human body has been found to be an extremely productive source domain for the expression of various linguistic concepts in diverse languages and cultures of the world. Although previous research on many languages shows that the eyes are one of those body parts terms that are frequently used as a source domain for the conceptualization of other abstract domains, the Hausa ido is yet to be studied from the cognitive perspective. Based on the cognitive linguistics framework, this paper analyzes the conceptualization of the Hausa ido ‘eye’ and its extension into various target domains, as well as the metaphors and metonymies used in these conceptualizations. The data for this study was collected from a mini-corpus (Will, 2005) and Hausa dictionaries, from which over 150 expressions involving the term ido ‘eye’ were elicited and analyzed. Based on the usage, the term ido was found to be extensively used in various domains including sight, knowledge, attention, decision-making, emotions, character traits, and so on.
Abstract
The human body has been found to be an extremely productive source domain for the expression of various linguistic concepts in diverse languages and cultures of the world. Although previous research on many languages shows that the eyes are one of those body parts terms that are frequently used as a source domain for the conceptualization of other abstract domains, the Hausa ido is yet to be studied from the cognitive perspective. Based on the cognitive linguistics framework, this paper analyzes the conceptualization of the Hausa ido ‘eye’ and its extension into various target domains, as well as the metaphors and metonymies used in these conceptualizations. The data for this study was collected from a mini-corpus (Will, 2005) and Hausa dictionaries, from which over 150 expressions involving the term ido ‘eye’ were elicited and analyzed. Based on the usage, the term ido was found to be extensively used in various domains including sight, knowledge, attention, decision-making, emotions, character traits, and so on.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Introduction 1
-
Part 1. General and Contrastive Studies
- Linguistic embodiment in linguistic experience 11
- Polysemic chains, body parts and embodiment 31
- Body-part terms as a linguistic topic and the relevance of body-parts as tools 53
- Towards a semantic lexicon of body part terms 77
- Body part terms in musical discourse 99
-
Part 2. Grammaticalization Studies
- ‘Body’ and the relationship between verb and participants 117
- On the grammatical uses of the ‘head’ in Wolof 133
- Multifaceted body parts in Murui 169
-
Part 3. Lexical Case Studies
- The metonymic folk model of language in Turkish 195
- Keeping an eye on body parts 215
- The conceptualization of ido ‘eye’ in Hausa 247
- Conceptualisations of entrails in English and Polish 269
- Cultural conceptualisations of nawsk ‘belly/stomach’ in Kurdish 291
- Index 309
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Introduction 1
-
Part 1. General and Contrastive Studies
- Linguistic embodiment in linguistic experience 11
- Polysemic chains, body parts and embodiment 31
- Body-part terms as a linguistic topic and the relevance of body-parts as tools 53
- Towards a semantic lexicon of body part terms 77
- Body part terms in musical discourse 99
-
Part 2. Grammaticalization Studies
- ‘Body’ and the relationship between verb and participants 117
- On the grammatical uses of the ‘head’ in Wolof 133
- Multifaceted body parts in Murui 169
-
Part 3. Lexical Case Studies
- The metonymic folk model of language in Turkish 195
- Keeping an eye on body parts 215
- The conceptualization of ido ‘eye’ in Hausa 247
- Conceptualisations of entrails in English and Polish 269
- Cultural conceptualisations of nawsk ‘belly/stomach’ in Kurdish 291
- Index 309
