Liver as a Center of Cognition and Feeling in Anywaa

Abstract

Anywaa is a Western Nilotic language which is spoken in Gambella, Ethiopia and Greater Pibor Administrative Area (South Sudan). The present study describes and analyzes liver as a center of cognition and feeling among the Anywaa society in south-western Ethiopia. The study was based on Conceptual Metaphor Theory and Embodiment Model (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980;Lakoff and Johnson, 2003;Kövecses, 2020; Gibbs, 2005). To collect the data, elicitation, introspection, texts and unstructured interview were used.  This study clearly indicates that among the Anywaa, liver is commonly held as the center of cognition and feeling. For example, wɪ̀ɪ̀l tʃwìɲ ' to change liver’ metaphorically means to change an idea. Hence, THOUGHT IS LIVER.  Furthermore, the study indicates that in Anywaa, many abstract concepts such as desire, love, courage, interest, and/or wish are understood based on LIVER. For example, páá tʃwíɲà 'not my liver' implies that the speaker is not interested in something and this implies that LIVER METONYMICALLY STANDS FOR DESIRE/INTEREST. Thus, liver regulates body functioning and interacts with other body parts like tongue, head, heart, eye, leg and skin for the daily life of a person. For example, the fact that we see with our eyes is metaphorically extended to seeing with liver to imply understanding, memory and imagination. This takes us to the conclusion that the Anywaa's mind is mostly embodied with liver being the center of feeling and cognition.