Journal of West African Languages Volume 46.1 (2019)
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International Journal of Language, Translation and Intercultural Communication Vol. 1, 2012 English in Ghana: Growth, Tensions, and Trends Adika Gordon University of Ghana https://doi.org/10.12681/ijltic.17 Copyright © 2012 To cite this article: Adika, G. (2012). English in Ghana: Growth, Tensions, and Trends. International Journal of Language, Translation and Intercultural Communication, 1, 151-166. doi:https://doi.org/10.12681/ijltic.17 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 01/11/2020 19:10:06 | IJLTIC 2012 1 (1), 151-166 English in Ghana: Growth, Tensions, and Trends Gordon Senanu Kwame Adika, University of Ghana Abstract his paper provides snapshots of the growth of English in Ghana by reviewing T the debates that have characterised its usage, recapitulating the distinctive features of Ghanaian English (GhaE), and examining current directions of its growth. From its fi rst implantation in Ghana, then the Gold Coast, in the early part of the 16th century to date, English in Ghana, like in other West African countries has shown formidable resilience as the language of formal education, and a medium for cross-ethnic communication in a predominantly multilingual environment. The tensions attendant upon which language to use as a medium of instruction at the lower levels of education appear to be yielding to the logic of complementarities and bilingualism within the local language ecology. English in Ghana, as an outer circle phenomenon, has been travelling the delicate expansionist path of innovation, adaptation, and maintenance of standards over the years. The distinctive Ghanaian linguistic and cultural colouration continues to permeate the English language on all levels, including vocabulary, idiomatic usage, and pronunciation. -
Some Endangered Languages of Ghana
American Journal of Linguistics 2012, 1(2): 10-18 DOI: 10.5923/j.linguistics.20120102.01 Some Endangered Languages of Ghana Jonas N. Akpanglo-Narte y1,*, Rebecca A. Akpanglo-Narte y2 1Office of the Vice-President (Academic), Regent University College of Science & Technology, Accra, Ghana 2Department of Applied Linguistics, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana Abstract The phenomenon of language endangerment and, ultimately, language loss is considered in regard to indigenous Ghanaian languages. It is established that two languages, namely, Ghanaian English (GhE) and Akan, especially the Twi dialect, and to a small degree, Ewe, are slowly killing off the smaller Ghanaian languages. For instance, in 1970 almost all Winneba natives spoke Efutu (Ewutu) as their first language. By 2010, 40 years later, only approximately 50% of children born to the Winneba natives speak Efutu as a first language. About 30% of these children speak no Efutu at all. Interestingly, medium-sized languages such as Ga, Dangme and Nzema are also slowly losing grounds to the three languages cited. Meanwhile there are some dozen Ghanaian languages that have less than 1000 estimated speakers each but which have held their own for a century. It is concluded that the closer a language community is to the major urban centers, the more likely it is to be endangered. It is further concluded that the language policy of the Ghana Government is contributing to the loss of Ghanaian languages. Ke ywo rds Endangered, Languages, Language Loss, Ghana, Ghanaian, Ga, Dangme, GaDangme the world’s top 10, namely, Standard Chinese, English, 1. Introduction Spanish, Bengali, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, Japanese, and German. -
Iconicity in the Adamorobe Sign Language and the Akuapem Twi (Ideophones)
We speak with our hands and voices: Iconicity in the Adamorobe Sign Language and the Akuapem Twi (ideophones) Mary Edward Thesis for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Linguistics Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies University of Bergen, Norway Spring Semester, 2015 UNIVERSITETET I BERGEN 0 Universitetet i Bergen Institutt for lingvistiske, litterære og estetiske studier LING350 Masteroppgave i lingvistikk Vårsemester 2015 We speak with our hands and voices: Iconicity in the Adamorobe Sign Language and the Akuapem Twi (ideophones) Mary Edward i Abstract This research drew on the linguistic concept of iconicity and with a period of three months, five deaf signers of the Adamorobe community and some unspecified Akuapem Twi (Akan) speakers were studied and interviewed. The Adamorobe Sign Language examples categorised for retrieval are size and shape, time expression, verbal directionality and emotive and cognitive function. The ideophones of Akuapem Twi examples given in this thesis, based on the implicational hierarchy are sound, touch, movement, smell, vision and size and shape. This thesis showed out that iconicity is highly exhibited in the Adamorobe Sign Language and the ideophones of Akuapem Twi. There are levels of iconicity demonstrated in each. The research used an iconic scale of 1-5 to check the levels of iconicity; 5-4 representing the highest iconicity and 1 representing the lowest iconicity. This scale was personally developed to aid in categorising the levels of iconicity and it was identified that some of the iconic element are higher in iconicity while others are low. The AdaSL and the ideophones of Akuapem Twi have Highly Iconic Structures that have strong iconic resemblance of the form. -
Some Aspects of Morphological and Phonological Differences Between Gomoa and Iguae Subdialects of the Fante Dialect of the Akan Language
University of Education, Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA SOME ASPECTS OF MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHONOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GOMOA AND IGUAE SUBDIALECTS OF FANTE A Thesis in the Department of APPLIED LINGUISTICS Faculty of LANGUAGES EDUCATION submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, University of Education, Winneba in partial fulfillment of the requirements for award of the Master of Philosophy (Applied Linguistics) Degree OWUSU-BAAH, KATE A. (406008023) 2013 1 University of Education, Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh DECLARATION I, OWUSU-BAAH KATE AKOSUA declare that except for references quotations to works which have been cited and acknowledged, this thesis is the result of my original research, and that it has neither in whole or in part been presented for another degree elsewhere. ………………………..….... …………………………… OWUSU-BAAH KATE AKOSUA DATE (CANDIDATE) SUPERVISOR’S DECLARATION I hereby declare that the preparation and presentation of this work was supervised in accordance with the guidelines for supervision of Thesis as laid down by the University of Education, Winneba. ……………………………… …………………………… DR. CHARLES OWU-EWIE DATE (SUPERVISOR) 2 University of Education, Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the people who have been helpful in diverse ways to the success of this work. My sincerest gratitude goes to my supervisor, Dr. Charles Owu-Ewie of Akan-Nzema Department of the University of Education, Winneba – Ajumako Campus. He read through every page of this work, offered pieces of advice, suggestions, words of encouragement and books. His immense assistance is very well appreciated. I thank Mr. Kwasi Adomako of the same Department for his help in many ways. -
VOWEL RAISING in AKAN REDUPLICATION Kwesi Adomako1
VOWEL RAISING IN AKAN REDUPLICATION Kwesi Adomako1 Abstract This paper examines vowel raising in reduplication in Akan, a Niger- Congo (Kwa) language, focusing on the Asante-Twi dialect. It has been generally observed in Akan that in reduplicating CV stems, the stem [+low] vowels are pre-specified with [+high] the reduplicant (RED). However, it has been claimed that raising to the mid vowel in disyllabic REDs is idiosyncratic to the Fante dialect. I show that the phenomenon is attested in Asante and that stem CV1V2, where V2 is [+low], raises to a corresponding [-high, -low] vowel in the RED, and not [+high]. I account for this within the Optimality Theory framework. 1. Introduction Vowel raising has been a phenomenon that has received some scholarship in Akan phonology in general over the years and particularly in the domain of reduplication. Reduplication, in turn, has been one of the areas of research which have contributed immensely to our understanding of phonology and its theorization. Akan has been one of the languages that have contributed substantially over the past years in this regard. Among the notable authors who have made such contributions are Christaller (1875), Welmers (1946), Schachter & Fromkin (1968), Wilbur (1973), Marantz (1982), Lieber (1987), Dolphyne (1988), McCarthy & Prince (1993b, 1995), Raimy (2000, 2000b) and Abakah (2004, ms). However, these scholars seem to disagree on the height to which the stem low vowels raise in the reduplicant. Two major schools of thought have emerged as a result of this, the first one being spearheaded by Schachter and Fromkin’s (1968) funded project on the study of Akan phonology. -
Ghana and Accra: a Multilingual Setting
PDF hosted at the Radboud Repository of the Radboud University Nijmegen The following full text is a publisher's version. For additional information about this publication click this link. http://hdl.handle.net/2066/190131 Please be advised that this information was generated on 2021-09-26 and may be subject to change. LANGUAGE CONTACT AND CHANGE IN LINGUISTICALLY HETEROGENEOUS URBAN COMMUNITIES THE CASE OF AKAN IN ACCRA Published by LOT phone: +31 30 253 6111 Trans 10 3512 JK Utrecht e-mail: [email protected] The Netherlands http://www.lo tschool.nl Cover illustration by NOAHBS ART GALLERY ISBN: 978-94-6093-278-6 NUR 616 Copyright © 2018: Solace Ago Yankson. All rights reserved. LANGUAGE CONTACT AND CHANGE IN LINGUISTICALLY HETEROGENEOUS URBAN COMMUNITIES The case of Akan in Accra Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen op gezag van de rector magnificus prof. dr. J.H.J.M. van Krieken, volgens besluit van het college van decanen in het openbaar te verdedigen op maandag 26 maart 2018 om 10.30 uur precies door Solace Ago Yankson geboren op 2 april 1976 te Agona Swedru, Ghana Promotor: Prof. dr. P.C. Muysken Copromotor: Dr. M.C. van den Berg (Universiteit Utrecht) Manuscriptcommissie: Prof. dr. R.W.N.M. van Hout Dr. F.K. Ameka (Universiteit Leiden) Prof. dr. P.E. Kerswill (York University, Verenigd Koninkrijk) This research was supported by the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP/NUFFIC) under project number 23000276 LANGUAGE CONTACT AND CHANGE IN LINGUISTICALLY HETEROGENEOUS URBAN COMMUNITIES The case of Akan in Accra Doctoral Thesis to obtain the degree of doctor from Radboud University Nijmegen on the authority of the Rector Magnificus prof. -
Language Information LANGUAGE LINE
Language Information LANGUAGE LINE. The Court strongly prefers to use live interpreters in the courtrooms whenever possible. However, when the Court can’t find live interpreters, we sometimes use Language Line, a national telephone service supplying interpreters for most languages on the planet almost immediately. The number for that service is 1-800-874-9426. Contact Circuit Administration at 605-367-5920 for the Court’s account number and authorization codes. AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE/DEAF INTERPRETATION Minnehaha County in the 2nd Judicial Circuit uses a combination of local, highly credentialed ASL/Deaf interpretation providers including Communication Services for the Deaf (CSD), Interpreter Services Inc. (ISI), and highly qualified freelancers for the courts in Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, and Canton, Lincoln County. We are also happy to make court video units available to any other courts to access these interpreters from Sioux Falls (although many providers have their own video units now). The State of South Dakota has also adopted certification requirements for ASL/deaf interpretation “in a legal setting” in 2006. The following link published by the State Department of Human Services/ Division of Rehabilitative Services lists all the certified interpreters in South Dakota and their certification levels, and provides a lot of other information on deaf interpretation requirements and services in South Dakota. DHS Deaf Services AFRICAN DIALECTS A number of the residents of the 2nd Judicial Circuit speak relatively obscure African dialects. For court staff, attorneys, and the public, this list may be of some assistance in confirming the spelling and country of origin of some of those rare African dialects. -
Obiaa Pɛ Sɛ Ɔkɔ International.« Negotiating the Local and the Global in Ghanaian Hiplife Music
»OBIAA PƐ SƐ ƆKƆ INTERNATIONAL.« NEGOTIATING THE LOCAL AND THE GLOBAL IN GHANAIAN HIPLIFE MUSIC Florian Carl Obiaa pɛ sɛ ɔkɔ international Ɛno ne answer? Kwame, yɛfiri one ansa na yɛkɔ two Wo nni ntaban, ɛnso wo pɛ sɛ wotu. Everybody wants to become ›international‹ Is that the answer? Kwame, we start from ›one‹ before we go to ›two‹ You don't have wings, yet you want to fly. (Obour feat. Okyeame Kwame & Richie: »The Game«, Crentsil/Obour 2006) Introduction Ghana's soundscape is currently dominated by three major trends. The per- haps most pervasive of these, permeating public and private spaces, is gos- pel music. The gospel music industry has been fueled by the ever-growing number of charismatic churches that, in the words of one author, have »quite successfully colonized public space« (Meyer 2008: 84) over the past few decades. The rise of neo-Pentecostal Christianity in Ghana has fostered a distinctive Christian popular culture and aesthetics that incorporates both local and international styles (Carl 2012 and 2014b; Meyer 2008). The second major trend is highlife, Ghana's classical form of popular dance band music, which prevailed throughout much of the twentieth century (Collins 1996). In contrast to dance band music up until the 1980s, highlife is nowadays often based on synthesized and computer-programmed sounds (Collins 2012). Since the late 1970s, highlife in its live-performed form has also entered Christian churches, so that in terms of musical style there are 33 FLORIAN CARL strong overlaps between gospel music and highlife (Carl 2014a; Collins 2004). Finally, the third trend in Ghanaian popular music, which is the focus of this article, is hiplife. -
Multilingualism Is the Term Used to Refer to a Speech Community Which Makes Use of Two Or More Languages
Dr. Seth Antwi Ofori (Sociolinguistics notes, 2014) MULTILINGUALISM INTRODUCTION: -- Multilingualism is the term used to refer to a speech community which makes use of two or more languages. -- Many, perhaps most, of the countries of the world are decidedly multilingual. -- Multilingualism cuts across the whole social fabric in Africa and Ghana. -- It forms a socio-political and socio-linguistic characteristic of most speech communities in Africa and in Ghana. -- Understanding what multilingualism means to a society is at the core of the sociolinguistics of society. WHO IS A MULTILINGUAL? -- A multilingual refers to a person who has the ability to speak two or more languages with an appreciable degree of proficiency. Some scholars prefer to use the term bilingual for an individual who has the ability to speak two languages, and reserve the term multilingual for those who speak more than two languages. TYPES OF MULTILINGUALISM There are two types of multilingualism: individual multilingualism ad societal multilingualism. -- Individual multilingualism: -- Individuals based on their unique social circumstances “find the need or opportunity to learn an additional language.1 Such opportunities may show up in the course of the individual’s geographical and/or social mobility, or through marriage, or through some other exposure to another language” (Amuzu 2009: 82).2 Individual multilingualism is an almost everyday phenomenon in Africa and in Ghana among adults. Individual multilingualism refers to a situation where a person speaks two or more languages. -- Societal multilingualism: is a situation where two or more languages are (functionally) used in a society because several people know all or a combination of them. -
An Introduction to Linguistic Typology
An Introduction to Linguistic Typology An Introduction to Linguistic Typology Viveka Velupillai University of Giessen John Benjamins Publishing Company Amsterdam / Philadelphia TM The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of 8 the American National Standard for Information Sciences – Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ansi z39.48-1984. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data An introduction to linguistic typology / Viveka Velupillai. â. p cm. â Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Typology (Linguistics) 2. Linguistic universals. I. Title. P204.V45 â 2012 415--dc23 2012020909 isbn 978 90 272 1198 9 (Hb; alk. paper) isbn 978 90 272 1199 6 (Pb; alk. paper) isbn 978 90 272 7350 5 (Eb) © 2012 – John Benjamins B.V. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, photoprint, microfilm, or any other means, without written permission from the publisher. John Benjamins Publishing Company • P.O. Box 36224 • 1020 me Amsterdam • The Netherlands John Benjamins North America • P.O. Box 27519 • Philadelphia PA 19118-0519 • USA V. Velupillai: Introduction to Typology NON-PUBLIC VERSION: PLEASE DO NOT CITE OR DISSEMINATE!! ForFor AlTô VelaVela anchoranchor and and inspiration inspiration 2 Table of contents Acknowledgements xv Abbreviations xvii Abbreviations for sign language names xx Database acronyms xxi Languages cited in chapter 1 xxii 1. Introduction 1 1.1 Fast forward from the past to the present 1 1.2 The purpose of this book 3 1.3 Conventions 5 1.3.1 Some remarks on the languages cited in this book 5 1.3.2 Some remarks on the examples in this book 8 1.4 The structure of this book 10 1.5 Keywords 12 1.6 Exercises 12 Languages cited in chapter 2 14 2. -
Pidgin! Make We Hear Your Speak, Make We Know Why Chaw Students Dey Luv You Desiree Pipkins
SIT Graduate Institute/SIT Study Abroad DigitalCollections@SIT African Diaspora ISPs African Diaspora Collection 4-1-2004 Pidgin! Make we hear your speak, Make we know why chaw students dey luv you Desiree Pipkins Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcollections.sit.edu/african_diaspora_isp Part of the African Languages and Societies Commons Recommended Citation Pipkins, Desiree, "Pidgin! Make we hear your speak, Make we know why chaw students dey luv you" (2004). African Diaspora ISPs. Paper 57. http://digitalcollections.sit.edu/african_diaspora_isp/57 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the African Diaspora Collection at DigitalCollections@SIT. It has been accepted for inclusion in African Diaspora ISPs by an authorized administrator of DigitalCollections@SIT. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Pidgin! Make we hear your speak, Make we know why chaw students dey luv you Desiree Pipkins Academic Advisor: Dr. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang ISP Advisor: Dr. Lawrence Owusu-Ansah SIT Ghana African Diaspora Spring 2004 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements Abstract Introduction Chapter One: 1.1. Role of Language in Society: Language as Culture 1.2. History of English in Ghana 1.3. Resistance to English Chapter Two 2.0. Introduction to Pidgin 2.1. Origin of Ghanaian Pidgin English 2.2. Entry of Pidgin English into Senior Secondary Schools Chapter Three 3.0. Why Students Speak Pidgin English 3.1. Student Pidgin as an Argot 3.2. Code Switching with Student Pidgin 3.3. Process of Pidginization 3.4. Student Pidgin as a Gender Specific Phenomenon Chapter Four 4.0. Methodology 4.1. -
Pidgin and Creole Languages: Essays in Memory of John E. Reinecke
Pidgin and Creole Languages JOHN E. REINECKE 1904–1982 Pidgin and Creole Languages Essays in Memory of John E. Reinecke Edited by Glenn G. Gilbert Open Access edition funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities / Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Humanities Open Book Program. Licensed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 In- ternational (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which permits readers to freely download and share the work in print or electronic format for non-commercial purposes, so long as credit is given to the author. Derivative works and commercial uses require per- mission from the publisher. For details, see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/. The Cre- ative Commons license described above does not apply to any material that is separately copyrighted. Open Access ISBNs: 9780824882150 (PDF) 9780824882143 (EPUB) This version created: 17 May, 2019 Please visit www.hawaiiopen.org for more Open Access works from University of Hawai‘i Press. © 1987 University of Hawaii Press All Rights Reserved CONTENTS Preface viii Acknowledgments xii Introduction 1 John E. Reinecke: His Life and Work Charlene J. Sato and Aiko T. Reinecke 3 William Greenfield, A Neglected Pioneer Creolist John E. Reinecke 28 Theoretical Perspectives 39 Some Possible African Creoles: A Pilot Study M. Lionel Bender 41 Pidgin Hawaiian Derek Bickerton and William H. Wilson 65 The Substance of Creole Studies: A Reappraisal Lawrence D. Carrington 83 Verb Fronting in Creole: Transmission or Bioprogram? Chris Corne 102 The Need for a Multidimensional Model Robert B. Le Page 125 Decreolization Paths for Guyanese Singular Pronouns John R.