About

I started teaching at the Department of Linguistics in December 1996 as a Lecturer and got promoted to the rank of Senior Lecture in August 2002, Associate Professor in May 2005 and Full Professor in June 2010. I served as the HOD from 1st August 2010- 31st July 2013. I was then sent to the School of Performing Arts as Ag. Director from 1st August 2013-July 31st, 2014, and then appointed as the Ag. Dean from 1st August 2014-July 31st, 2021. I was in charge of the Akan Dictionary Project hosted by the Department of Linguistics.

Education

BA, University of Ghana (1989)

M. Phil, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) (1996) 

Ph.D., University of Ghana (2003).

Research Interest

Ethnography of Communication, Anthropological Linguistics, Language and Culture, Discourse Analysis, Metaphor, Body Part, Written and Oral Literature, Lexicology, Lexicography, Terminology, Language and Politics, Language and Media and Mother Tongue Education

Publications

Journal articles and Book chapters

1. Agyekum K. (2024). Akan Concepts and Proverbs on Abusua, ‘Family’. Legon Journal of Humanities.35(1): 132-163.

2. Agyekum, K. (2024. Ethnopragmatics of Akan plant metaphor. In Christopher R. Green & Samson Lotven (eds.), The Ghanaian linguistics nexus: Papers inspired by Samuel Gyasi Obeng, 77–100. Berlin: Language Science Press.

3. Arhine, A., Agyekum, K., Amakye Boateng, B &Amuah, J.A. (2024) Domestic Animal Metaphor in Akan Representing Human Behaviour in Nana Ampadu’s Song Obiara ne ne Suban Ghana Studies, 26 (1): 145-170; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/gs.26.1.145

4. Agyekum, K. (2024). Purism and decay in Akan Language: The role of radio and TV broadcasters. (Accepted for publication in Ghana Journal of Linguistics)

5. Agyekum, K. (2024) Analysis of Four Presidential Campaign Promises in Contemporary Ghanaian Politics. (Accepted for publication in an edited book The Pragmatics of African “Varieties of English”)

6. Agyekum, K (2024) Akan water metaphors, idioms and proverbs (Forthcoming in Cognitive Linguistic Studies)

7. Agyekum, K. (2024) ‘Dead Metaphors’ (Accepted for publication in The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Cognitive Linguistics)

8. Agyekum, K. (2023). ‘Sociocultural aspects of animal metaphor in Akan.’ Journal of West African Languages (JWAL) Volume 50 to celebrate JWAL @ 50 years, pages 104-120

9. Agyekum, K. (2023).“Idioms, proverbs and body part expressions on Yiedie “wellbeing” in Akan”. Pragmatics and Society 14(1): 1–23.

10. Antwi-Boasiako, K. B. & Agyekum, K (2022a) Globalization, Colonization, and Linguicide: How Ghana is Losing its Local Languages through Radio and Television Broadcast. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science 12 (8):142-151 doi:10.30845/ijhss.v12n8p17

11. Yakub Mohammed & Agyekum, K. (2022b). ‘Metaphorical euphemisms in death-discourse among the Nzema. Studies in African Languages and Cultures 56: 127-153

12. Agyekum, K. & Mensah Catherine, A (2022a) Duab ‘ Grievance imprecation’ in Ghanaian party politics. In Marcus K. Jakobsen (ed.) Sociolinguistics, past, present and future perspectives Pp 33-58. New York Nova Science Publishers

13. Obeng, S. G. and Agyekum, K. (2022c) Introduction. In S.G. Obeng and K. Agyekum (Eds.) Topics in West African Discourse-Pragmatics, Pp. 1-8.

14. Agyekum, K. (2022d) Ethnopragmatics and communicative competence in Akan: Traditional and contemporary issues. In S.G. Obeng and K. Agyekum (Eds.), Topics in West African Discourse- Pragmatics, Pp. 206-224.

15. William Dautey and Agyekum, Kofi (2022e) The Pragmatics of Periodic Updates on COVID-19 Pandemic Broadcast by President Nana Akuffo-Addo of Ghana. In S.G. Obeng and K. Agyekum (Eds.) Topics in West African Discourse-Pragmatics, Pp. 96-118.

16. Agyekum, K. & Arhine, A. (2022f) The Akan Concept of Ungratefulness Espoused in Ampofo Agyei’s Lyrics In Fernando Palacios Mateos (ed) Understanding America: the essential contribution of Afro-American music to the sociocultural meaning of the continent 327-344, Quito: Centro de Publicaciones PUCE

17. Agyekum, K. (2021a) Humour and Joking Insults among Akan Building Artisans. International Journal of Language and Communication RASK 54:1-23

18. Agyekum K. (2021b). ‘Proverbs in Akan highlife lyrics: A case study of Alex Konadu’s Lyrics. Journal of Pragmatics, 174:1-13.

19. Agyekum Kofi (2021c). ‘The role of pragmatics in social cohesion and nation building in Africa.’ Ghana Journal of Linguistics: Selected papers from the 1st African Pragmatics Conference, 10 (1): 1-26

20. Ofori, V., Diaba, G. & Agyekum, K (2021d). Humour in Akan dame, ‘draught’ games. Ghana Journal of Linguistics Selected papers from the 1st African Pragmatics Conference, 10(1):123-149

21. Agyekum Kofi (2020a). ‘Akan cultural concepts and expressions for “stress”, “distress”, “sorrow”, and depression”.’ Nordic Journal of African Studies 29(3): 1-21

22. Agyekum, K., Amuah. J. A & Arhine, A. (2020b). Proverbs and stylistic devices in A