A Study on Reactions to Death and Grief in a Ghanaian Context

Academic Paper in the subject African Studies - Linguistics, , language: English, abstract: Death, an inevitable aspect of human existence, presents a profound challenge as individuals and communities grapple with the loss of loved ones. This study delves into the linguistic expressions of grief in Ghana, exploring both verbal and non-verbal communication, particularly at funerals. This research aims to contribute insights into how Ghanaians articulate their emotions during mourning. The study, with 30 participants, analyzes linguistic responses to death, shedding light on immediate reactions and evolving expressions associated with grief. The background discusses death as a universal phenomenon, emphasizing the inevitability of this experience and the predominant role of health-related factors in mortality. Aligning with Halliday's systemic functional linguistic theory, the study employs register analysis to dissect linguistic expressions during the stages of grief. This research fills a gap in the existing literature by providing an in-depth examination of grief in Ghana, emphasizing the linguistic nuances in how individuals communicate their emotions during mourning.