Akan Proverbs and Aphorisms about Marriage

Abstract

The paper discusses the Akan concept of marriage, and analyses aphorisms and proverbs that relate to Akan marriage. The aphorisms are discussed under four categories namely (a) marriage in general, (b) pre-marriage, (c) during marriage, and (d) post marriage. These maxims are analysed to depict how the Akans themselves conceptualise marriage and all its values and intricacies. The paper subjects the aphorisms into linguistic analysis by looking at evidentials and factive expressions, focus markers and conditional and subjunctive clauses. The paper identifies the Akan traditional types of marriage and the specific terms for each of them.