Numbers that Chumburung people count on
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Gillian F. Hansford
Abstract
Numbers are not very metaphorical according to Dobrovol’skij and Piirainen (2005). Nevertheless they can have both figurative and symbolic significance. Inspired by them, and remembering Comrie’s comment (2005) that linguists often do not record the full numerical system in a language, I investigate the Chumburung language of Ghana. The integers from one to ten are taken in order. two fits Lakoff’s more is better metaphor. three and four provide symbolism for the difference between male and female. There are two kinds of week in Chumburung, one with six and one with seven days, which govern some ritual activities. Numbers larger than ten are then studied, in particular because of a changing monetary system, to see whether any might be endangered.
Abstract
Numbers are not very metaphorical according to Dobrovol’skij and Piirainen (2005). Nevertheless they can have both figurative and symbolic significance. Inspired by them, and remembering Comrie’s comment (2005) that linguists often do not record the full numerical system in a language, I investigate the Chumburung language of Ghana. The integers from one to ten are taken in order. two fits Lakoff’s more is better metaphor. three and four provide symbolism for the difference between male and female. There are two kinds of week in Chumburung, one with six and one with seven days, which govern some ritual activities. Numbers larger than ten are then studied, in particular because of a changing monetary system, to see whether any might be endangered.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Prologue 1
- Endangered metaphors 15
- “Our language is very literal” 21
- “My heart falls out” 77
- Walking like a porcupine, talking like a raven 103
- Are Nahuatl riddles endangered conceptualizations? 123
- Bodily-based conceptual metaphors in Ashéninka Perené myths and folk stories 145
- The use of a conceptual metaphor in the Siroi language of Papua New Guinea 161
- Kewa figures of speech 185
- Metaphors in Dimasa and Rabha – A comparative study 205
- Numbers that Chumburung people count on 221
- The importance of unveiling conceptual metaphors in a minority language 253
- Antlers as a metaphor of pride 275
- Metaphors of the Finnish Roma in Finnish and Romani 293
- “Bhio’ tu dìreach ga ithe, bha e cho math = You would just eat it, it was so good” 315
- Metaphors of an endangered Low Saxon basis dialect – exemplified by idioms of STUPIDITY and DEATH 339
- Index of conceptual metaphors/metonymies 359
- Name index 361
- Subject index 365
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Prologue 1
- Endangered metaphors 15
- “Our language is very literal” 21
- “My heart falls out” 77
- Walking like a porcupine, talking like a raven 103
- Are Nahuatl riddles endangered conceptualizations? 123
- Bodily-based conceptual metaphors in Ashéninka Perené myths and folk stories 145
- The use of a conceptual metaphor in the Siroi language of Papua New Guinea 161
- Kewa figures of speech 185
- Metaphors in Dimasa and Rabha – A comparative study 205
- Numbers that Chumburung people count on 221
- The importance of unveiling conceptual metaphors in a minority language 253
- Antlers as a metaphor of pride 275
- Metaphors of the Finnish Roma in Finnish and Romani 293
- “Bhio’ tu dìreach ga ithe, bha e cho math = You would just eat it, it was so good” 315
- Metaphors of an endangered Low Saxon basis dialect – exemplified by idioms of STUPIDITY and DEATH 339
- Index of conceptual metaphors/metonymies 359
- Name index 361
- Subject index 365
