Yemba Laments: Analyzing a Burial Event with an Eye to Bible Translation

This thesis examines the content and role of Yemba lament songs (Cameroon). A
4 day burial event was recorded, and Schrag’s (2013) seven lens descriptive approach is
used, to provide a detailed description of the event. Conceptual Metaphor Theory is used
to examine the database of 109 song extracts, leading to the identification of a primary
metaphor, LIFE IS A JOURNEY. Though metaphor is the most frequent poetic device
(32%), other poetic devices occur and are discussed: metonymy, rhetorical questions,
irony, etc. Finally, turning to issues of Bible translation, aspects of Zogbo and Wendland
(2020) are discussed. A biblical lament, (2 Sam 1:19-27), is analyzed and used to
compare Hebrew and Yemba inventories of poetic devices and themes. The results reveal
a great deal of overlap. It is suggested that such comparisons of lament texts would benefit MotherTongue Translators as they prepare for translating.