Body parts are often represented as open or closed. Openness practically always maps onto positive emotions, usually affection and compassion; and being closed or inaccessible corresponds to negative emotions. In addition to the belly, openness metaphors are common with the heart, as in Djinang (Yolngu, Arnhem Land) ḍurkḍurk inydji ḷapmiygi ‘open one’s heart’ for ‘be magnanimous, compassionate’. Openness occurs with other abdominal parts as well, like in Arrernte (Central Australia) where aleme altywere ‘open liver’ means ‘be friendly, like someone’. As for parts of the head or face, we found inaccessibility metaphors in ear expressions, where a blocked ear evokes hearing deficiency, and the emotions that derive from it (see the Ear page). For instance, in Pintupi (Western Desert), langa pati ‘ear closed’ means ‘angry’. Note that words for ‘closed’ also tend to mean ‘hard’, and as a result this metaphor is akin to metaphors of resistance.

 When a body part is open it can be reached, touched, grabbed, etc. Some expressions map this onto positive emotions, in line with the positive symbolism of openness. In Dalabon (Arnhem Land) for instance, kangu-mang ‘touch someone’s belly’ means ‘touch emotionally’, i.e. trigger compassion. Yet, some languages feature less peaceful images, such as grabbing or catching, and these usually have negative connotations, as in Djinang budjirr gatjigi ‘belly catch, hold’, meaning ‘feel emotion, usually anger’. In the same vein, some expressions produce plainly violent metaphors, where the body part – most of the time, the belly – can be chased, hit, bitten, eaten, etc., with negative emotional connotations of course. We see this in Yolngu Matha (Arnhem Land) for instance, where ŋoy-d̪ur'yun ‘belly push, bump, knock’ means ‘be stirred up to anger’.

References

 Bowern, Claire and David Zorc. Yolngu Matha dictionary. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, AILEC 0778, n. d.

Hansen, Kenneth C. and Lesley Hansen. Pintupi dictionary. Darwin: Summer Institute of Linguistics, 1974.

Henderson, John and Veronica Dobson. Eastern and Central Arrernte to English dictionary. Alice Springs: IAD Press, 1994.

Ponsonnet, Maïa. The language of emotions: The case of Dalabon (Australia). Amsterdam/ Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Co., 2014.  

Waters, Bruce E. An interim Djinang dictionary. Darwin: Summer Institute of Linguistics, 1983.