Akan metaphoric expressions based on yam ‘stomach’

This paper discusses the Akan body part yam ‘stomach’ and its metaphorical extensions. It will consider how most of the extensions have been conventionalised to the extent that there are no alternative means of expressing the concept, and look at the strong relationship between the stomach, the heart, the chest, the brain, and the womb in the expressions of emotion whether positive or negative. The paper argues that the word yam can be considered polysemic with various related senses, but that it is also used metonymically in referring to the SELF or one’s personality. The paper at the same time investigates how some of the ‘stomach’ expressions include the UP/DOWN and the HOT/COOL dimensions.