Conceptualization of ‘Death is a Journey’ and ‘Death as Rest’ in EkeGusii Euphemism

Abstract

This paper concerns itself with two conceptual metaphors DEATH IS A JOURNEY and DEATH AS REST in reference to the dead, death and dying in EkeGusii Euphemism. The metaphors take the two concepts of journey and rest as source domains while death is used as a target domain. EkeGusii euphemistic substitutes are analyzed into the metaphors DEATH IS A JOURNEY and DEATH AS REST using the Cognitive Theory of Metaphor as initiated by Lakoff and Johnson (1980). The findings reveal that most of the EkeGusii euphemistic substitutes in the conceptual metaphors DEATH IS A JOURNEY and DEATH AS REST have religious undertones. Further, these metaphors focus more on life than on death. Finally, the conceptual metaphors DEATH IS A JOURNEY and DEATH AS REST illustrate a clear negation of death.