The conceptualisation of climate change in Mabia languages

This paper explores the conceptualisation of climate change in four Mabia languages: Dagbani, Gurene, Kusaal, and Likpakpaanl. Grounded in the theoretical framework of eco-linguistics (Stibbe, 2015,2017), this study examines how these languages encode environmental change, human-nature relations, and ecological responsibility. Drawing on both elicited narratives and naturally occurring discourse, we investigate how climate phenomena such as drought, irregular rainfall, soil degradation, and deforestation are lexically represented and metaphorically framed. The analysis reveals that Mabia speakers construct nature as a relational and moral agent, attributing environmental imbalance to human behaviour. These discursive patterns encompass frames of causality, ethical evaluation, and identity positioning, collectively reflecting indigenous ecological worldviews (Owen, 2004). The study argues that such linguistic resources encode vital knowledge and values relevant to environmental sustainability. By highlighting these locally grounded conceptualisations, the paper contributes to broader efforts to integrate indigenous epistemologies into climate discourse and policy (Steffensen & Baggs, 2024). Using eco-linguistics not merely as a descriptive lens but as a critical tool, this study underscores the importance of indigenous linguistic worldviews in shaping ecological awareness and resilience. It advocates for the incorporation of local semiotic resources into climate discourses and policy, particularly in linguistically diverse and environmentally vulnerable regions. By illuminating the voices and metaphors of Mabia speakers, the paper contributes to the growing body of work advocating