Akan Teleteaching Course

Unit 10.2: Euphemisms for death

The Akan believe that if one mentions the death of a person in literal terms, õawuá "s/he is dead", one is likely to give shock to the addressee, especially if the addressee is a kinsman. This may cause the addressee some psychological pain. It may even lead to his sudden death. The news of the death of a person must, therefore, be broken to the people concerned in a very mature way. One of the best ways is to use euphemisms. The Akan have a lot of euphemisms to express the death of a person. (Agyekum, 1996: 154 ff.)

1. Death of an ordinary person

Akan euphemisms
English translation
Adeáñ atõá m'anä. Something has touched my eye.
Ïakaá baabä. S/he is stranded somewhere.
Ïafäri muá. S/he has moved out.
Ïakaá nkyeáne aguá. S/he has spilled salt.
Adeáñ noá asñáeá. The thing is spoilt.
Ïayñá Nyameá dea. S/he has become God's property.
Ïatõá faám. S/he has fallen on the ground.
Ïadaá ne kñátñ akyä. S/he has slept at the back of his/her mat.
Ïadaá ne beánkum soá. S/he has slept on his/her left side.
Ïadaáne ne hüé. S/he has turned himself/herself around.

2. Death of a chief

In the Akan tradition, the death of a chief or king is expressed differently from that of any ordinary member of the society. The taboo expression is õheáne awuá "the chief/king is dead". (Agyekum, 1996: 151 ff.)

Akan euphemisms
English translation
Ïheáne kõá akuraáa. The chief has gone to the village.
Afi kñseáñ aábõá. The mighty house has deserted.
Nanaá atúé ne mpaánämfoáõ. Nana has followed the elders.
Nanaá afoáro soáro. Nana has climbed the vault of the skies.
Awoáfoõ násõ wõn mmaá muá. Parents should protect their children. (In the olden days the chief's executioners killed people so that the chief wouldn't have to go on his journey alone. See Manu Herbstein's historical novel Ama for a graphic description (p. 180ff.).)

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