Akan Death-Prevention Names: A Pragmatic and Structural Analysis

Abstract

This paper discusses the content and types of Akan death-prevention names. It provides a structural linguistic analysis of the morphology of these names and presents a socio-and ethnolingustic account of the deathprevention names as they function within Akan communication. The paper also classifies-the names according to their structures. Death-prevention names are shown to be meaningful and to refer to the lives of both their bearers and the name-givers.

A Morphosyntactic Analysis of Dangme Allusive Names

“…The philosophical principle is what he terms the philosophical thoughts, the belief systems and the general worldview of the Ewe people that reflects their personal lives. Obeng (1998) did a structural linguistic analysis of Akan death prevention names and presented a socio and an ethnolinguistic account of Akan death prevention names and their functions within the Akan communication. He concluded that Akan death prevention names have meanings and they refer to the lives of both the bearers and the name givers.…”

Anthropomastics in Selected Zambian Novels: A Cultural Appraisal

“…According to Obeng [31], among the Akan people of Ghana, names are a representation of the Akan culture, thought, philosophy and religious beliefs. In his study of Akan death-prevention names, Obeng [31] notes that, if a couple has lost many of their children at birth or thereafter, they may give a child a "death-prevention" name".…”

“…In his study of Akan death-prevention names, Obeng [31] notes that, if a couple has lost many of their children at birth or thereafter, they may give a child a "death-prevention" name". Deathprevention-names, Obeng [31] further submits, have the ability to assure survival of the child bearer.…”

“…Researchers' attention to the study of personal names could be attributed to the significance of personal names in different cultures and society. Notable among research on personal names are studies by Obeng [31], Zawawi [43], Neethling [28], Agyekum [4], Al-Zumor [7], Mutunda [25,27], Chauke [10] and Olatunji et al [34]. These studies have shown that, names are not only markers of identity and arbitrary but a source of a variety of information (Agyekum [4]; Suzman [39]).…”

Globalization and Awka Personal Names: An Anthropolinguistic Study

“…United Nations 1999 as cited in Enojo, (2008:47) opines that "people"s lives around the globe are linked more deeply, more intensely, more immediate than ever before to acquiring the good and the bad things of life". The economic, social and political revolution brought about by globalization in the 21 st century is believed to have triggered radical changes in all the spheres of life of the ordinary Awka man particularly; his culture and names ( Onukawa, 2000;Obeng, 1998;Mmadike, 2004). The arrival of globalization struck the Awka man like a hurricane, they had many elements of culture which were displayed in the names they bear.…”