DOCSLIB.ORG

University of Education, Winneba Acoustic

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
University of Education, Winneba Acoustic University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA ACOUSTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF FRICATIVES IN ASANTE, BONO AND DENKYIRA DIALECTS OF AKAN AKUAMAH ABDULAI 2015 i University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA ACOUSTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF FRICATIVES IN ASANTE, BONO AND DENKYIRA DIALECTS OF AKAN AKUAMAH ABDULAI (8120080006) A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS, FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY (APPLIED LINGUISTICS) DEGREE. DECEMBER, 2015 ii University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh DECLARATION STUDENT‟S DECLARATION I, AKUMAH ABDULAI declare that this thesis, with the exception of quotations and references contained in published works which have all been identified and duly acknowledged, is entirely my own original work, and it has not been submitted, either in part or whole, for another degree elsewhere. SIGNATURE: ………………………… DATE: ………………………… SUPERVISOR‟S DECLARATION I hereby declare that the preparation of this work was supervised in accordance with the guidelines for supervision of thesis laid down by the University of Education, Winneba. NAME OF SUPERVISOR: ……………………………………………………………….. SIGNATURE: ………………………………………. DATE: ………………………………………………. ii University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh ACKNOWLEDGEMENT “A diligent and grateful heart prompts me to sing thy praise. Thy love and mercies from the start have blessed me all my days” (The SDA Hymnal 639). On this note I ascribe all my gratitude and appreciations to the Lord Almighty for making this dream a reality. No amount of adjectives can perfectly describe how grateful I am to the Creator for how far He has brought me. The maxim that no one ever writes a script all by himself is true. I am highly indebted to my supervisor Dr. Rebbeca Atchoi Akpanglo-Nartey who patiently took her time scrutinized this work and made many critical, evaluation, suggestions and comments to bring this work to reality. Madam, I thank you for the interest you took in this work by constantly making sure the work was on-going. The role of the late Prof. Jonas Akpanglo-Nartey cannot be forgotten. His initial comments and suggestions went a long way to shape this work and my attitude towards experimental phonetics. I also thank all the lectures and the workers in the Applied Linguistics Department who contributed in diverse ways to this work especially, Dr. Kwaku Ofori Head of Department and Sister Helen. I am also grateful to Brother Isaac for his technical support. I am grateful to my friends Pastor Ansong Kwadwo, David, Deborah Anane- Karikari, Ama Benewaa Yelebie, Alexander Baah and Dorothy not forgetting my colleagues Roberta, Celestine, Collins, Peter, Daniel, Hope, Leticia and Louis for their encouragement. Above all, I am indebted to my parents Mr/Mrs Akuamah and all my siblings for their support. I say God bless you all. iii University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh DEDICATION I dedicate this Thesis to my parents: Mr. George Nyantakyi Akuamah (father) and Mrs. Margaret Adu Akuamah (mother). iv University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh TABLE OF CONTENT DECLARETION ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iii DEDICATION iv TABLE OF CONTENT v LIST OF TABLES x LIST OF FIGURES xiii ABSTRACT xvi CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.0 Introduction 1 1.1 Background to the Study 1 1.2 The Akan Language 4 1.3 Statement of the Problem 5 1.4 Purpose of the Study 6 1.5 Research Questions 6 1.6 Limitation 6 1.7 Delimitation 6 1.8 Significance of the Study 7 1.9 Organization of the Study 8 1.10 Conclusion 8 CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0 Introduction 9 2.1 Theoretical Framework 9 v University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh 2.2 Effects of the Filter in the Production of Sound 12 2.3 Acoustic Cues to Fricative Place of Articulation 13 2.3.1 Spectral Peak Location 13 2.3.2 Duration 17 2.3.3 F2 Vowel Transition Cue 22 2.3.4. Summary 25 2.4 Gender and Speech Production 26 2.5 Conclusion 28 CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY 3.0 Introduction 29 3.1 Participants 29 3.2 Research Design 30 3.3 Data Design 30 3.4 Data Collection 31 3.5 Acoustic Analysis 33 3.5.1 Spectral Peak Location 34 3.5.2. Duration 36 3.5.3 F2 Transition 38 3.6 Statistical Analysis 39 3.7 Conclusion 39 CHAPTER FOUR RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 4.0 Introduction 40 4.1 Asante Twi 40 vi University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh 4.1.1 Asante Spectral Peak Location Mean Values 40 4.1.2 Gender Characteristics of Asante Fricatives Using Spectral Peak Location 42 4.1.3 Asante Fricatives at Different Place of Articulation using Spectral Peak Location 44 4.1.4 Fricative Duration Mean Values of Asante Dialect 45 4.1.5 Gender Characteristics of Asante using Fricative Duration 46 4.1.6 Duration of Asante Fricatives at Different Places of Articulation 48 4.1.7 Second Formant (F2) Vowel Transition Mean Values of Asante 49 4.1.8 Gender Characteristics of Asante Fricatives Using F2 Vowel Transition 51 4.1.9 F2 Transition of Asante Fricatives at various Places of Articulation 53 4.2 BONO DIALECT 54 4.2.1 Bono Spectral Peak Location Mean Values 55 4.2.2 Gender Characteristics of Bono Fricatives Using Spectral Peak Location 56 4.2.3 Spectral Peak Location of Bono Fricatives at various Places of Articulation 58 4.2.4 Fricative Duration Mean for Bono Dialect Speakers 59 4.2.5 Gender Characteristics of Bono Fricative using Duration 60 4.2.6 Duration of Bono Fricatives at Different Places of Articulation 62 4.2.7 Second Formant (F2) Vowel Transition Mean Values of Bono 63 4.2.8 Gender Characteristics of Bono Fricatives Using F2 Vowel Transition 65 vii University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh 4.2.9 F2 Transition of Bono Fricatives at Different Places of Articulation. 67 4.3 Denkyira Dialect 68 4.3.1 Spectral Peak Location Mean for Denkyira Speakers 68 4.3.2 Gender Characteristics of Denkyira Fricatives using Spectral Peak 69 4.3.3 Spectral Peak Location of Denkyira Fricatives at Different Place of Articulation 72 4.3.4 Fricative Duration Mean Values of Denkyira 73 4.3.5 Gender Characteristics of Denkyira using Fricative Duration 74 4.3.6 Duration of Denkyira Fricatives at Different Places of Articulation 77 4.3.7 Second Formant (F2) Transition Mean for Denkyira Dialect Speakers 78 4.3.8 Gender Characteristics of Denkyira Fricatives Using F2 Vowel Transition 79 4.3.9 Second Formant (F2) Transition of Denkyira at Different Places of Articulation 82 4.4 Twi Speakers 82 4.4.1 Mean Values of Spectral Peak Location for Twi 83 4.4.2 Gender Characteristics of Twi Fricatives for Spectral Peak Location 84 4.4.3 Spectral Peak Location of Twi Fricatives at Different Places of Articulation 85 4.4.4 Spectral Peak Location of Asante, Bono and Denkyira Fricatives 86 4.4.5 Mean Duration of Twi Fricatives 87 viii University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh 4.4.6 Gender Characteristics of Twi Fricatives Using Duration 88 4.4.7 Duration of Fricatives of Twi at Different Places of Articulation 90 4.4.8 Duration of Asante, Bono and Denkyira Fricatives 91 4.4.9 Mean of Second Formant (F2) Transition for Twi 92 4.4.10 Gender Characteristics of Twi Fricatives using F2 Transition 93 4.4.11 Gender Characteristics of Twi Fricatives 94 4.4.12 F2 Transition of Twi Fricatives at Different Place of Articulation 95 4.4.13 F2 Transition of Asante, Bono and Denkyira Fricatives 96 4.5 Summary and Conclusion 97 CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSION 5.0 Introduction 99 5.1 Summary of Results 99 5.1.1 Summary of Spectral Peak Location Results 99 5.1.2 Summary of Duration Results 101 5.1.3 Summary of Second Formant (F2) Transition Results 102 5.2 Discoveries/Findings 103 5.3 Implications for Future Study 103 5.4 Recommendations 104 5.5 Conclusion 105 REFERENCES 106 Appendix A 110 Appendix B 111 Appendix C 112 Appendix D 121 Appendix E 130 ix University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh LIST OF TABLES Table 4.1.1 Mean Values of Spectral Peak Location for Asante Speakers at Different Word Positions 41 Table 4.1.2 Mean Values of Spectral Peak Location of Male and Female Speakers of Asante at Different Word Positions 42 Table 4.1.3 Differences and Similarities between Male and Female Speakers of Asante 44 Table 4.1.4 Paired Sample T-Test on Spectral Peak Location for Asante Speakers 45 Table 4.1.5 Mean Values of Duration of Male and Female Speakers of Asante at Different Word Positions 45 Table 4.1.6 Mean Values of Fricative Duration for Male and Female Speakers of Asante at different Word Positions 47 Table 4.1.7 Differences and Similarities between Males and Females of Asante 48 Table 4.1.8 Paired Sample T-Test on Duration for Asante Speakers 49 Table 4.1.9 Mean Values of F2 Vowel Transition of Male and Female Speakers of Asante at Different Word Positions 50 Table 4.1.10 Mean Values of Second Formant Transitions for Male and Female Speakers of Asante in Monosyllabic and Disyllabic Words 51 Table 4.1.11 Differences and Similarities in Transition between Male and Female Speakers of Asante using One-Way ANOVA 53 Table 4.1.12 Paired Sample T-Test on F2 Transition for Asante Speakers 54 Table 4.2.1 Mean Values of Spectral Peak Location for Bono Speakers at Different Word Positions 55 Table 4.2.2 Mean Values of Fricative Spectral Peak Location for Male and Female Speakers of Bono at Different Word Positions 57 Table 4.2.3 Differences and Similarities between Male and Female Speakers of Bono 58 Table 4.2.4 Paired Sample
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A Study of Ghanaian Kindergarten Teachers' Use of Bilingual and Translanguaging Practices Joyce Esi Bronteng University of South Florida, [email protected]
    University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School June 2018 A Study of Ghanaian Kindergarten Teachers' Use of Bilingual and Translanguaging Practices Joyce Esi Bronteng University of South Florida, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, and the Pre- Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education Commons Scholar Commons Citation Bronteng, Joyce Esi, "A Study of Ghanaian Kindergarten Teachers' Use of Bilingual and Translanguaging Practices" (2018). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/7668 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Study of Ghanaian Kindergarten Teachers’ Use of Bilingual and Translanguaging Practices by Joyce Esi Bronteng A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Early Childhood Education Department of Teaching and Learning College of Education University of South Florida Major Professor: Ilene Berson, Ph.D. Michael Berson, Ph.D. Sophia Han, Ph.D. Lisa Lopez, Ph.D. Date of Approval: April 25, 2018 Keywords: Bilingual Education, Classroom Displays, Iconic Signs, Mother Tongue-Based Bilingual Medium of Instruction, Paralanguage, Symbolic Sign, Translanguaging Copyright © 2018, Joyce Esi Bronteng DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to the following: My late grandparents Papa Ekow Gyan and Maame Bɔlɔ Twema (a.k.a.
    [Show full text]
  • Languages of Kohistan. Sociolinguistic Survey of Northern
    SOCIOLINGUISTIC SURVEY OF NORTHERN PAKISTAN VOLUME 1 LANGUAGES OF KOHISTAN Sociolinguistic Survey of Northern Pakistan Volume 1 Languages of Kohistan Volume 2 Languages of Northern Areas Volume 3 Hindko and Gujari Volume 4 Pashto, Waneci, Ormuri Volume 5 Languages of Chitral Series Editor Clare F. O’Leary, Ph.D. Sociolinguistic Survey of Northern Pakistan Volume 1 Languages of Kohistan Calvin R. Rensch Sandra J. Decker Daniel G. Hallberg National Institute of Summer Institute Pakistani Studies of Quaid-i-Azam University Linguistics Copyright © 1992 NIPS and SIL Published by National Institute of Pakistan Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan and Summer Institute of Linguistics, West Eurasia Office Horsleys Green, High Wycombe, BUCKS HP14 3XL United Kingdom First published 1992 Reprinted 2002 ISBN 969-8023-11-9 Price, this volume: Rs.300/- Price, 5-volume set: Rs.1500/- To obtain copies of these volumes within Pakistan, contact: National Institute of Pakistan Studies Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan Phone: 92-51-2230791 Fax: 92-51-2230960 To obtain copies of these volumes outside of Pakistan, contact: International Academic Bookstore 7500 West Camp Wisdom Road Dallas, TX 75236, USA Phone: 1-972-708-7404 Fax: 1-972-708-7433 Internet: http://www.sil.org Email: [email protected] REFORMATTING FOR REPRINT BY R. CANDLIN. CONTENTS Preface............................................................................................................viii Maps.................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • AFRICAN Research Journal in African Languages LANGUAGES
    AFRICAN Research Journal in African Languages https://royalliteglobal.com LANGUAGES The Position of Bono Dialect in Presumable Future in Atebubu Municipality in Ghana Adu David Tuffour Department of Languages, Atebubu College of Education This article is published by Royallite Email: [email protected] Global, P. O. Box 26454-Nairobi 00504 Kenya in the: Abstract Research Journal in This paper is a study into the position of Bono African Languages language in Atebubu community. The purpose was to find out the domains in which Bono dialect is used and Volume 1, Issue 1, 2020 also based on it to identify the phase in which the © 2020 The Author(s) language can be placed, as far as the marked This open access article is bilingualism model is concerned. Data collected for distributed under a Creative this study was analyzed using both quantitative and Commons Attribution (CC-BY) qualitative methods. The results proved that mostly 4.0 license. the youth, aged between eighteen and forty five and Article Information children between the ages of eleven and seventeen do Submitted: 20th September 2019 not speak the language in various domains. This is Accepted: 5th October 2019 Published: 24th January 2020 because, they see more prestige in speaking Asante Conflict of Interest: No potential Twi than Bono which is their local dialect. The conflict of interest was reported theoretical framework used for the analysis were by the author causality theory. Finally, based on the findings, it was Funding: None identified that Bono dialect can be placed in phase Additional information is three of the five phases that show the extinction available at the end of the article processes and based on this, it was declared that the Bono dialect is gradually being abandoned in favour of Asante Twi.
    [Show full text]
  • Managing the Environmental Crisis in Ghana: the Role of African Traditional Religion and Culture—A Case Study of Berekum Traditional Area
    Managing the Environmental Crisis in Ghana: The role of African Traditional Religion and Culture—A case study of Berekum Traditional Area Samuel Awuah-Nyamekye Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Leeds School of Philosophy, Religion and the History of Science October, 2013 - ii - The candidate confirms that the work submitted is his own and that appropriate credit has been given where reference has been made to the work of others. This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. © 2013 The University of Leeds and Samuel Awuah-Nyamekye The right of Samuel Awuah-Nyamekye to be identified as Author of this work has been asserted by him with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Acts 1988. - iii - Acknowledgements I wish to express my profound gratitude to the almighty God for the strength He gave me throughout the study. I also acknowledge the special support I received from my wife, Joyce Effah and all my children. I owe a debt of gratitude to my supervisors, Drs. Emma Tomalin and Kevin Ward from the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Leeds for their painstaking supervising of the thesis. Dr. Ward, in particular, needs a special mention for spending his energy, time and resources to travel to Ghana to see how I was getting on with my data collection. I am as well indebted to my late cousin, Afari Yeboah (a.k.a.
    [Show full text]
  • Force-Dynamics and Causation In
    University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh FORCE DYNAMICS AND CAUSATION IN AKAN BY REGINALD AKUOKO DUAH (10166760) A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE IN LINGUISTICS JUNE 2013 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh i DECLARATION I do hereby declare that this thesis is the result of my own original research and has not been presented either in whole or in part for another degree elsewhere. References to other sources of information used in this work have been duly acknowledged. …………………………………. ……………………. REGINALD AKUOKO DUAH Date (Candidate) ………………………………… …………………….. PROF. E. KWEKU OSAM Date (Supervisor) ………………………………… …………………….. PROF. KOFI K. SAAH Date (Supervisor) …………………………………. ……………………… PROF. NANA ABA A. AMFO Date (Supervisor) University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh ii DEDICATION For my mentor, Prof. E. Kweku Osam University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my three thesis supervisors Prof. E. K. Osam, Prof. K. K. Saah and Prof. Nana Aba Amfo for their guidance and support throughout the writing of this dissertation. I am especially grateful to Prof. E. K. Osam who has insisted, over the years, that I have no excuse not to reach my full potential in academic pursuits. Such a firm commitment on Prof. Osam’s part has spurred me on throughout the writing of this dissertation. Prof. K. K. Saah also deserves much commendation for his unwavering support and encouragement in improving my writing. He has always been available when I needed direction and guidance and I cannot thank him enough for such keen interest and concern.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Download
    The Ghana Journal of Linguistics is a double-blind peer-reviewed scholarly journal appearing twice a year (not including special issues), published by the Linguistics Association of Ghana. Beginning with Volume 2 (2013) it is published in electronic format only, open access, at https://gjl.laghana.org and https://www.ajol.info/index.php/gjl/. However, print-on-demand copies can be made available on application to Mr. Fred Labi of Digibooks Ghana Ltd.: [email protected] or +233246493842. The Editors welcome papers on all aspects of linguistics. Articles submitted should not have been published previously. The Editors welcome reports on research in progress and brief notices of research findings, as well as news of general interest to linguists. The Editors also welcome books from authors and publishers for review in the Ghana Journal of Linguistics. They may be sent to Dr. Ọbádélé Kambon, Editor-in-Chief, Ghana Journal of Linguistics, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 1149, Legon, Accra, Ghana. Anyone who wishes to review a particular book is invited to contact the editor. As of January of 2016, GJL switched from an email-based article submission process to the use of website-based Open Journal Systems (OJS) software, which allows tracking of submissions, double-blind reviews, copyediting, production, and publication. We encourage linguists and scholars interested in linguistics to visit GJL’s website https://gjl.laghana.org to peruse past issues and to submit their articles. To submit an article, the author must create an account at GJL’s website. Upon account creation, the author should complete all required information including the author’s full name in the form it should appear in print, plus current academic or professional position, field of research interest(s) and a short bio statement.
    [Show full text]
  • Dagbani-English Dictionary
    DAGBANI-ENGLISH DICTIONARY with contributions by: Harold Blair Tamakloe Harold Lehmann Lee Shin Chul André Wilson Maurice Pageault Knut Olawski Tony Naden Roger Blench CIRCULATION DRAFT ONLY ALL COMENTS AND CORRECTIONS WELCOME This version prepared by; Roger Blench 8, Guest Road Cambridge CB1 2AL United Kingdom Voice/Answerphone/Fax. 0044-(0)1223-560687 E-mail [email protected] http://homepage.ntlworld.com/roger_blench/RBOP.htm This printout: Tamale 25 December, 2004 1. Introduction...................................................................................................................................................... 5 2. Transcription.................................................................................................................................................... 5 Vowels ................................................................................................................................................................................ 5 Consonants......................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Tones .................................................................................................................................................................................. 8 Plurals and other forms.................................................................................................................................................... 8 Variability in Dagbani
    [Show full text]
  • The Languages of the Akan Peoples
    The African e-Journals Project has digitized full text of articles of eleven social science and humanities journals. This item is from the digital archive maintained by Michigan State University Library. Find more at: http://digital.lib.msu.edu/projects/africanjournals/ Available through a partnership with Scroll down to read the article. TH3 LANGUAGES OP TEH! AKM PEOPLES* By Florence Abena Dolphyne There are various groups of people who call themselves "Akan"» They inhabit most of the area that covers the forest and coastal belts bounded in the west by the Bandama River in the Ivory Coast and in the eagt by the Volta River in Ghana, and include the Anyi, the Baule? the Nzema? the Ahanta, the Fante? the Asante, the Akuapan, the Akyem, the Brong, etc All of than seem to share certain common cultural traits that distinguish them from other ethnic groups in T/est Africa* Linguists (Greenberg, 1963? and Westermann .and Bryan, 1952) have used the name "Akan" to refer to the group of languages spoken in the geographical area referred to above, so that their use of the name "Akan" more or less coincides with the ethnographic use of the name* Greenberg' s <*Akan" language group is made up of six different languages which are Anyi, Baule, Twi, Guangs Metyibo and Abure, while Westermann and Bryan1 s is made up of the Twi-Fante dialect clusters the Anyi-Baule dialect clusters and the Guang dialect cluster.. In the 1950's the name KAkan» was officially adopted in Ghana as the name for the language whose written dialects are Asante, Akuapem *This paper was written in 1975 for the "Kwame Da-aku Memorial Volume*1* - a volume dedicated to the memory of the late historian, Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • GHANA JOURNAL of LINGUISTICS Volume 7 Number 2 SPECIAL
    GHANA JOURNAL OF LINGUISTICS Volume 7 Number 2 SPECIAL ISSUE DEDICATED TO PROFESSOR FLORENCE ABENA DOLPHYNE 2018 Editorial Committee: Ọbádélé Kambon (Editor-in-Chief; University of Ghana) E. Kweku Osam (Consulting Editor; University of Ghana) Gordon S. Adika (University of Ghana) Nana Aba A. Amfo (University of Ghana) Jemima A. Anderson (University of Ghana) Charles O. Marfo (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology) Editorial Board: Emmanuel N. Abakah (Ghana) Felix Ameka (Netherlands) Thomas Bearth (Switzerland) Paul Kerswill (UK) D. D. Kuupole (Ghana) Gudrun Miehe (Germany) Ozo-Mekuri Ndimele (Nigeria) John Singler (USA) Kwesi Yankah (Ghana) The Ghana Journal of Linguistics is a publication of the Linguistics Association of Ghana. Authors have sole responsibility for the content of their articles. The Ghana Journal of Linguistics is published by the Linguistics Association of Ghana. Mailing address: Linguistics Department, P.O. Box LG 61, Legon, Accra, Ghana. Email: [email protected]; [email protected] © Linguistics Association of Ghana, 2018. ISSN 2026-6596 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Adams Bodomo, Hasiyatu Abubakari and Dewei Che On Nominalizing the Serial Verb in Mabia Languages 1 Charles Marfo and E. Kweku Osam Optimal Inflections as Symmetry between Nominal and Verbal Reduplications in Akan 33 Kofi K. Saah The Syntax of Reciprocal Constructions in Akan 52 Seth Antwi Ofori Vowel Doubling before the Verbal Unit -yɛ [jɛ] in Asante Twi 71 Helen Atipoka Adongo and Avea E. Nsoh Vowel Harmony in Gurenɛ 102 Mercy Bobuafor “Paddling
    [Show full text]
  • Asante Rule As a Factor in the Emergence of the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana
    Historical Research Letter www.iiste.org ISSN 2224-3178 (Paper) ISSN 2225-0964 (Online) Vol.39, 2017 Asante Rule as a Factor in the Emergence of the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana Kwame Adum-Kyeremeh, PhD Department of History, University of Ghana, PO box 12, Legon, Accra, Ghana The research is financed by Author (Sponsoring information) Abstract This paper is a study of the nature of Asante’s relations with states in the Bono part of the Bono Ahafo Region. The paper also examines the consequences of Asante rule on its vassal states. The study reveals that prior to the Asante invasion of the Bono states in 1712, Asante traders bought kola, livestock and pottery from settlements in Bono. The Asante invasion of 1712 notwithstanding, economic relations between the two increased. During the nineteenth century, Atebubu and Bonduku, Kintampo and Wankyi became important market centres visited on a regular basis by Asante traders. Politically however, Asante conquest of Bono soured relations between Asante and the Bono states as a result of the capture and often, the murder of Bono chiefs and their subjects; looting of gold resources of the states and the replacement of legitimate Bono rulers by persons without any claim to legitimacy. Asante rule resulted in the polarization of Bono society, between pro-Bono and pro-Asante states. These factions became antagonistic towards each other and fought each other on a number of occasions. Anti- Asante sentiment grew in intensity from the late nineteenth century. In pursuit of freedom and independence from Asante rule, the Bono identified with the Convention People’s Party (CPP) in the 1950s.
    [Show full text]
  • Metaphor and Bilingual Cognition: the Case of Akan and English in Ghana
    TITLE: METAPHOR AND BILINGUAL COGNITION: THE CASE OF AKAN AND ENGLISH IN GHANA GLADYS NYARKO ANSAH (Mres Cognitive Linguistics, Mphil Linguistics, BA English and Linguistics) This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Linguistics and English Language Lancaster University August 2011 i DECLARATION I hereby do declare that apart from references to works which have been duly cited, this work is the outcome of an original research I conducted, and that it has not been presented, in part or whole, for another degree elsewhere. CANDIDATE ……………………………………. MRS GLADYS NYARKO ANSAH SUPERVISOR 1 …………………………………… DR. VERONIKA KOLLER SUPERVISOR 2 ......................................................... PROF. ELENA SEMINO ii ABSTRACT This study employs a cognitive linguistics approach, conceptual metaphor theory (CMT) to investigate bilingual conceptual representation. The study analyses the metaphorical and metonymic expressions commonly used among Akan-English bilinguals in Ghana to talk about different aspects of two basic emotion concepts (ANGER and FEAR) when they speak English. On the one hand, findings from psycholinguistic research on the nature of the bilingual mental lexicon appear somehow inconclusive. On the other hand, cognitive linguistics research on human mental representation tends to focus on evidence from native/monolingual populations. Consequently, this study combines methods from the two related fields of research to explore the nature of the bilingual conceptual representation. In other words, the study analyses bilingual figurative language in order to test two psycholinguistics claims about bilingual conceptual representation. In order to do this, the study includes a cross-linguistic/cross-cultural analysis of the conceptualisation of ANGER and FEAR in Akan and English.
    [Show full text]
  • The Peoples of Northern Ghana 22/05/2006
    The Peoples Of Northern Ghana 22/05/2006 By PROF. A.K. AWEDOBA ABSTRACT This is a detailed survey of the socio-demographic patterns of the peoples who inhabit the Northern half of Ghana. The author gives an account of the indigenous language patterns of the different ethnic groups, their social customs and distinctive customs. Among the main ethnic groups discussed in the survey are: (1) Dagbani - Nanuni and Moore&ndash;Gurma of Northern Region; (2) Dagaare &ndash; Wali- Birifor of Upper West Region; and (3) "Frafra" &ndash; Nankani, Talni, Bulsa, Nabit, Kusaal, and Grusi of Upper East Region. Northern Ghana comprises the three northernmost administrative regions of Ghana: the Upper West Region, Upper East Region and Northern Region. These lie roughly north of the Lower Black Volta River, which together with its tributaries the White and Red Voltas and the Oti and Daka rivers, drain the area that comprises Northern Ghana. Northern Ghana shares international boundaries with the Burkina Faso to the North, Togo to the east and Cote D'Ivoire to the lower south- west. To the south Northern Ghana shares regional boundaries with the Brong Ahafo Region and the Volta Region. In colonial times the area now covered by these three regions constituted the Northern Territories of the Gold Coast and were administered by a Chief Commissioner who was responsible to the Governor of the Gold Coast for its administration. The area and its people were designated as the 'Tribes of the Ashanti Hinterland' by the Gold Coast anthropologist, Capt. R.S. Rattray who wrote a two volume account on that title describing the social institutions of the communities in this part of modern Ghana.
    [Show full text]