Metaphoric Conceptualisations of Knowledge among Students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana

Abstract

This study aimed at identifying any underlying conceptual metaphors of knowledge in the written expressions of students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), within the framework of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory proposed by George Lakoff & Mark Johnson. It sought to explore the types of metaphors and to discover if they are motivated by any of the Ghanaian cultures or the class levels of the students. One hundred and five students were purposively sampled from the Department of English to provide their descriptions of knowledge. The analysis revealed thirteen conceptual metaphors of knowledge out of which six were structural and eight were ontological. It also showed how the students’ conceptualisations of knowledge are entrenched in Ghanaian cultures. Lastly, it revealed that many of the students recognize knowledge’s ability to render economic success more than its ability to help in critical thinking. This paper concludes that studies into conceptual metaphors are helpful in revealing ideas that are deep-rooted in conceptualisations derived from experiences.

Keywords

• knowledge
• conceptual metaphor
• conceptualisation