A Cognitive Linguistics Analysis of Hausa Transitive Verbs

This research work is a cognitive linguistic approach to the analysis of some Hausa transitive verbs. The Hausa transitive verbs are found to be having two or more concepts when used in different contexts. The research, therefore, investigates this issue using Conceptual Theory of Metaphor and Metonymy by Lakoff and Johnson (1980), which views metaphor as a conceptual as well as a conventional phenomenon. In other words, concept A is understood in terms of concept B where both ¿A and B¿ are from different domains. The research concludes that some Hausa transitive verbs have two or more concepts and that these concepts relate to each other in human cognition through either metaphor or metonymy. For example, the concept of the verbs ¿qàawàtà¿ TO ENRICH is metaphorically extended from its source concept TO DECORATE through metaphorical relation ARGUMENT IS BUILDING; and that wherever a Hausa transitive verb has two concepts, the one that is more concrete and physical is the source and the other is the extended. The research findings also show that some transitive verbs help in construing metaphorical concepts of their landmarks.