Ontologies, Orientations, and Ideologies: A Pragmatic Study of Conceptual Metaphors in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Selected Novels

Abstract

This study investigates the Conceptual metaphors and its sub categories; Ontological and Orientational metaphors in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novels Americanah and Purple Hibiscus. The study employed a qualitative approach to understand the perceptions and experiences concerning conceptual metaphors. Further, it examined the ideological standpoints in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah and Purple Hibiscus through the dialogues of Ifemelu the protagonist in Americanah and Kambili, in Purple Hibiscus. The theoretical framework utilized in this study is Conceptual Metaphor Theory presented by Lakoff and Johnson (1980) in their book We Live By. The data was collected by applying the purposive sampling technique as it fulfilled the criterion for textual analysis of the selected texts for the process of analysis. The data analysis consisted of three steps that are; identification, interpretation and explanation. In addition, the metaphors were identified through Pragglejaz Metaphor Identification Procedure (2007). The major findings were various orientational and ontological metaphors along with their subcategories that are; human action, reification and image-schema metaphors that show existence of ideological constructs in the novels under study. Moreover, the details accentuate the way in which Adichie employs language as a means of providing deeper insights into all the social and psychological participation of each of the protagonists. In this way, this study improves the understanding of the linguistic subtleties and ideological undercurrents in Adichie's writings. It also contributes to both linguistic and literary research by providing a comprehensive analysis of the conceptual metaphors in the novels, opening new vistas of knowledge of the complex interplay between language, ideology, and narrative discourse.