Some Basic Digestive Stages and Metaphorical Extension of Hausa Ingestion Verbs

Abstract

As in many languages, Hausa has a lexical verb of ingestion Ci, meaning, eat. Not only in Hausa, this consumption verb has been identified as a source of metaphorical mappings into a variety of semantic domains with basic correlates rooted in a real-world experience (Williams, 1991). The paper provides an explanation of some basic digestive acts, viz. ingestion, digestion and absorption, and the various metaphorical mappings which each of the components gives rise to in Hausa. Finding shows that the varieties of experiences of life such as enjoyment sufferance, success, etc. can be conceptualized as something to be consumed.