Euphemistic Sugarcoats of Bribe in Dholuo: A Cognitive Integration Model

Abstract

The supposition by cognitive linguists that certain language data requires analysis above conventional provisions of grammar is the take-off point in the studies exploring the relationship between cognition and language. This article examines the euphemisms of bribe in Dholuo using cognitive integration theory, a fabric dealing with human experiences and how individuals conceptualize them. The study adopted a descriptive research design in which respondents were asked to mention euphemistic and dysphemistic alternatives of bribe in Dholuo. An interview schedule was used to collect data which was transcribed, categorized, quantified and then processed using CIT to get the metaphorical mappings of the emergent structures. For a better understanding of these euphemisms, the study considered how local contexts work with mental spaces to produce a network of pragmatic inferences in the human brain. The general finding of this study is that bribe is food, bribe is fuel and bribe is utility. The article, therefore, recommends that for a better understanding of euphemisms, one should consider contexts expressed in language since such yield novel meanings. The study concludes that euphemistic expressions are common ways of conceptualizing bribe in Kenya. The study further establishes that a euphemism, when subjected to inadequacies of grammar alone, robs one of the full ability to appreciate new interpretations. On these grounds, the study invokes the lenses of a cognitive linguist.