The Linguistics of Connotation of Profanity in Ewe Place Names

Abstract

Aim: Toponyms are universal to the globe but relevant and specific to cultures across the world.  Humans use toponyms in various contexts in society. Toponyms are avoided in a particular speech context, due to its social, linguistic and cultural consequences for the name bearer and users. Toponyms sometimes attract ambiguity in the meaning assigned them. This ambiguity degenerates into connotative meanings. One such connotative practice among the Ewes is profanity. The Ewes frown on the use of profane words and has punitive codes and consequences for its guilt. However same community beautifully internalizes profane connotation into place names. This paper investigates the morphology of profanity in Ewe toponyms using linguistic anthropology and lexical morphology. Methods: Data for the qualitative study was collected using a WhatsApp platform for Tutors of Ewe. Results: The study found that the connotation centered on the human genitalia (penis, scrotum, vagina) have been the sources of compounding in the crafting of profanity in the place names. The names are used mainly by the youth in teasing and in group joking practices in oral language generally in casual or playful communication. The names usually have roots and stems that take on derivational and inflectional morphemes in the process of forming the profane connotation. Conclusion: Though the Ewes frown upon profanity in official language, the usage in place names is decorous and linguistically acceptable. The appropriate use of these names in jovial in-group and entertaining utterances demonstrates the linguistic competence of the interlocutors of the speech act.  Recommendation: The study recommends a further research on the syntactic implications of the profane names in the Ewe language.