akutia

Indirect Criticism: Akutia

Level 6

Bɔ akutia means to criticize someone without naming them: Ebinom deɛ, wɔdidi wɔ ha na wɔka yɛn ho nsɛm (Some people eat here and still gossip about us).

How It Works

1. What akutia is
Akutia is criticism aimed at someone without naming them. The verb is bɔ akutia: Ɔbɔɔ akutia (She made a veiled remark). The speaker talks about "someone" or "some people", tells a proverb or sings a song, often loudly enough for the target to hear.

2. The tools

3. Everyone knows who is meant
The saying Akutia nim ne wura (A veiled remark knows its owner) means that the person it is aimed at always recognizes it. Listeners are expected to work out who is meant.

4. Why people use it
Akan politeness avoids shaming someone to their face. Akutia lets a speaker complain or warn while keeping the peace in public, and doing it well is admired as skilful speech. Popular songs use it too.

5. Answering akutia
Because no one was named, the target can only answer indirectly as well, with another general remark or a proverb. Reacting openly shows that the remark hit home.

6. Akutia or open criticism
Once you name the person or speak to them as wo (you), it is no longer akutia but open criticism. See Saying Hard Things Gently.

Examples (5)

  1. Akutia nim ne wura.

    The one a veiled remark is aimed at knows it.

    Word by Word: veiled-remark knows its owner

  2. Ebinom deɛ, wɔdidi wɔ ha na wɔka yɛn ho nsɛm.

    Some people eat here and still gossip about us.

    Word by Word: some-people as-for, they-eat at here and they-say our body matters

    Ebinom deɛ names no one, but the target will know.

  3. Nnipa bi nyɛ adwuma, nanso wɔpɛ akatua.

    Some people do no work, yet they want to be paid.

    A general remark aimed at one lazy listener.

  4. Ɔde ne dwom no bɔɔ akutia.

    She used her song to make a veiled dig.

    Word by Word: she-took her song the struck veiled-remark

  5. Sɛ wobɔ akutia a, wommɔ obi din.

    When you make a veiled remark, you do not mention anyone's name.

    Word by Word: if you-strike veiled-remark, you-not-strike someone name

    Bɔ din means mention a name.

Common Mistakes

  • Naming the person, which turns akutia into open criticism.

    Kofi, wodidi wɔ ha na woka yɛn ho nsɛm.
    Ebinom deɛ, wɔdidi wɔ ha na wɔka yɛn ho nsɛm.

    Once you name Kofi and speak to him as wo (you), it is a direct accusation, not akutia. Akutia keeps the target unnamed.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

akutiaLevel 6Indirect Criticism: Akutia

Learn This First

Indirect criticism builds on proverbs and vague words such as obi.

Words in This Pattern

akutia