Languages of Ghana | |
---|---|
Official | English [1] [2] |
Regional | Government-sponsored languages: [3] Fante, Akuapem Twi, Asante Twi, Ewe, Dagaare, Dagbanli, Adangme, Ga, Gonja, Kasem, Nzema |
Immigrant | |
Foreign | French |
Signed | Ghanaian Sign Language (American Sign Language) Adamorobe Sign Language Nanabin Sign Language |
Lingua franca | English |
Ghana is a multilingual country in which about eighty languages are spoken. [7] Of these, English, which was inherited from the colonial era, is the official language and lingua franca. [8] [9] Of the languages indigenous to Ghana, Akan is the most widely spoken in the south. [10] Dagbani, Dagare, Sisaala, Waale, and Gonja are among the most widely spoken in the northern part of the country.
Ghana has more than seventy ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language. [11] Languages that belong to the same ethnic group are usually mutually intelligible. The Dagbanli, Nanumba and Mamprusi languages of Northern Region, are almost the same and, are mutually intelligible with the Frafra and Waali languages of the Upper East and Upper West Regions of Ghana. [12] The Mole–Dagbani languages are spoken by more than 20% of the population.
Eleven languages have the status of government-sponsored languages: three Akan ethnic languages (Akuapem Twi, Asante Twi and Fante) and two Mole–Dagbani ethnic languages (Dagaare and Dagbanli). The others are Ewe, Dangme, Ga, Nzema, Gonja, and Kasem. [3]
In April 2019, the Ghanaian government declared its intention to make French one of Ghana's official languages due to the country being surrounded by Francophone countries (Burkina Faso to a lesser extent, the Ivory Coast and Togo) and the presence of a French speaking minority in the country. [13] [14]
The number of government-sponsored languages is either eleven or nine, depending on whether or not Akuapem Twi, Asante Twi, and Fante are considered a single language. [3] They are supported by the Bureau of Ghana Languages, which was established in 1951 and publishes materials in the languages; during the periods when Ghanaian languages were used in primary education, these were the languages which were used. All these languages belong to the Niger–Congo language family, though to several different branches.
Akan, part of the Kwa branch of the Niger–Congo family, is a dialect continuum, [15] but with regard to official status, only a few out of the many varieties of Akan are recognised: Fante, Asante Twi, Akuapem Twi. Taken as a whole, Akan is the most-widely spoken language in Ghana. [10]
Ewe is a Gbe language, part of the Volta–Niger branch of the Niger–Congo family. The Ewe Language is spoken in Ghana, Togo and Benin with a trace of the language in West Nigeria. [16] Out of the many dialects of Ewe spoken in Ghana, the major ones are Anlo, Tongu, Vedome, Gbi, and Krepi.
Dagbani is one of the Gur languages. It is the most spoken language in Northern Ghana. The number of native speakers numbers more than three million, This number will reach six million if dialects such as Nanumba, Mamprusi and Kamara are added. It belongs to the larger Mole–Dagbani ethnic group found in Ghana and makes up about 18.5% of the population. [17] It is spoken by Dagombas in the Northern Region of Ghana.
Dangme is one of the Ga–Dangme languages within the Kwa branch. It is spoken in Greater Accra, in south-east Ghana and Togo. [18] Dangme is a West African Kwa language spoken in Ghana, and it has been gaining popularity among Ghana residents.
Dagaare is another of the Gur languages. It is spoken in the Upper West Region of Ghana. It is also spoken in Burkina Faso. [19] Waali, spoken by the Wala people, and the Dagaare language are languages that can be understood by each other's speakers. [20]
Ga is the other Ga–Dangme language within the Kwa branch. Ga is spoken in south-eastern Ghana, in and around the capital Accra. It is a Niger-Congo language in the Kwa branch, spoken by around 600,000 people in Ghana. [21] [22] Six separate towns comprised the Ga-speaking peoples: Accra, Osu, Labadi, Teshi, Nungua, and Tema. Each town had a central stool of importance in Ga traditions. Accra, among these towns, rose to prominence and now serves as Ghana's capital.
Nzema is one of the Bia languages, closely related to Akan. It is spoken by the Nzema people in the Western Region of Ghana. It is also spoken in the Ivory Coast. Nzema, also known as Appolo, is mainly spoken in Ghana's Jomoro district and Ivory Coast's Comoé district. In 2004, it had around 330,000 speakers. [23] [24] The Nzema language utilizes a Latin-based script and comprises a total of twenty-four alphabetic characters.
Kasem is a Gurunsi language, in the Gur branch. It is spoken in the Upper Eastern Region of Ghana. It is also spoken in Burkina Faso. By 1998, Kasem had around 250,000 speakers, divided between Ghana (130,000) and Burkina Faso (120,000). It's alternatively known as Kasena, Kasim, Kassem, Kasɩm, or Kassena. [25] [26]
Gonja is one of the Guang languages, part of the Tano languages within the Kwa branch along with Akan and Bia. It is spoken in the Northern Region of Ghana and Wa. "Gonja" comes from "Kada Goro-Jaa" in Hausa, signifying "land of Red Cola." Ghana has over 285,000 Gonja people. [27]
This chart reflects data provided by Ethnologue. [28]
Rank | Language | Speakers |
---|---|---|
1 | English | 9,800,002 |
2 | Akan (Fante/Twi) | 9,100,000 |
3 | Ghanaian Pidgin English | 5,000,000 |
4 | Ewe Dialects of Ɛve include Aŋlo, Tɔŋu, Vɛdomɛ,Gbi, Krepi, among others) | 3,820,000 |
5 | Abron | 1,170,000 |
6 | Dagbani ( including Mamprusi, and Nanumba dialects) | 6,160,000 |
7 | Dangme | 1,020,000 |
8 | Dagaare | 924,000 |
9 | Konkomba | 831,000 |
10 | Ga | 745,000 |
11 | Farefare | 638,000 |
12 | Kusaal | 535,000 |
13 | Mampruli | 414,000 |
14 | Gonja | 310,000 |
15 | Sehwi | 305,000 |
16 | Nzema | 299,000 |
17 | Wasa | 273,000 |
18 | Sisaala, Tumulung | 219,000 |
19 | Sisaala, Western | 219,000 |
20 | Bimoba | 176,000 |
21 | Ahanta | 175,000 |
22 | Ntcham | 169,000 |
23 | Buli | 168,000 |
24 | Bisa | 166,000 |
25 | Kasem | 149,000 |
26 | Tem | 134,000 |
27 | Cherepon | 132,000 |
28 | Birifor, Southern | 125,000 |
29 | Anufo | 91,300 |
30 | Wali | 84,800 |
31 | Larteh | 74,000 |
32 | Siwu | 71,900 |
33 | Chumburung | 69,000 |
34 | Anyin | 66,400 |
35 | Nafaanra | 61,000 |
36 | Krache | 58,000 |
37 | Lelemi | 48,900 |
38 | Deg | 42,900 |
39 | Paasaal | 36,000 |
40 | Kabre, (language kabre) | 35,642 |
41 | Avatime | 27,200 |
42 | Kulango, Bondoukou | 27,000 |
43 | Sekpele | 23,000 |
44 | Delo | 18,400 |
45 | Jwira-Pepesa | 18,000 |
46 | Gua | 17,600 |
47 | Tampulma | 16,000 |
48 | Kulango, Bouna | 15,500 |
49 | Ligbi | 15,000 |
50 | Nawuri | 14,000 |
51 | Vagla | 13,900 |
52 | Tuwuli | 11,400 |
53 | Selee | 11,300 |
54 | Adele | 11,000 |
55 | Nkonya | 11,000 |
56 | Gikyode | 10,400 |
57 | Dwang | 8,200 |
58 | Akposo | 7,500 |
59 | Logba | 7,500 |
60 | Nkami | 7,000 |
61 | Hanga | 6,800 |
62 | Nyangbo | 6,400 |
63 | Chakali | 6,000 |
64 | Ghanaian Sign Language | 6,000 |
65 | Safaliba | 5,000 |
66 | Tafi | 4,400 |
67 | Fulfulde, Maasina | 4,240 |
68 | Adangbe/Dangbe | 4,000 |
69 | Konni | 3,800 |
70 | Adamorobe Sign Language | 3,500 |
71 | Chala | 3,000 |
72 | Kamara | 3,000 |
73 | Kantosi | 2,300 |
74 | Kusuntu | 2,100 |
75 | Nchumbulu | 1,800 |
76 | Kplang | 1,600 |
77 | Dompo | 970 |
78 | Animere | 700 |
79 | French | Unclear |
80 | Hausa | Unclear |
81 | Lama | 1 |
82 | Nawdm | Unclear |
The language of Ghana belong to the following branches within the Niger–Congo language family:
Older classifications may instead group them as Kwa, Gur, and Mande.
Demographic features of the population of Ghana include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, religious affiliations, and other aspects.
The Gur languages, also known as Central Gur or Mabia, belong to the Niger–Congo languages. They are spoken in the Sahelian and savanna regions of West Africa, namely: in most areas of Burkina Faso, and in south-central Mali, northeastern Ivory Coast, the northern halves of Ghana and Togo, northwestern Benin, and southwestern Niger. A few Gur languages are spoken in Nigeria. Additionally, a single Gur language, Baatonum, is spoken in Benin and in the extreme northwest of Nigeria. Three other single Gur languages, the Tusya, Vyemo and Tiefo languages, are spoken in Burkina Faso. Another unclassified Gur language, Miyobe, is spoken in Benin and Togo. In addition, Kulango, Loma and Lorhon, are spoken in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. Additionally, a few Mossi speakers are in Senegal, and speakers of the Dagaare language are also found in Cameroon. The Samu languages of Burkina Faso are Gur languages.
The Kwa languages, often specified as New Kwa, are a proposed but as-yet-undemonstrated family of languages spoken in the south-eastern part of Ivory Coast, across southern and central Ghana, Togo, and Benin. The Kwa family belongs to the Niger-Congo phylum. The name was introduced in 1895 by Gottlob Krause and derives from the word for 'people' (Kwa) in many of these languages, as illustrated by Akan names. This branch consists of around 50 different languages spoken by about 25 million people. Some of the largest Kwa languages are Ewe, Akan and Baule.
Ga is a Kwa language spoken in Ghana, in and around the capital Accra, by the Ga people. There are also some speakers in Togo, Benin and Western Nigeria. It has a phonemic distinction between three vowel lengths.
Asante, also known as Ashanti, Ashante, or Asante Twi, is one of the principal members of the Akan dialect continuum. It is one of the three mutually intelligible dialects of Akan which are collectively known as Twi, the others being Bono and Akuapem. There are over 3.8 million speakers of the Asante language, mainly concentrated in Ghana and southeastern Cote D'Ivoire, and especially in and around the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
Ghana is a country of 33.48 million people and many native groups, such as:
The Dangme language, also Adangme, Dangbe or Adaŋgbi, is a Kwa language spoken in south-eastern Ghana by the Dangme people (Dangmeli). They are part of the larger Ga-Dangme ethnic group. Klogbi is a variant, spoken by the Kloli. Kropp Dakubu (1987) is the most thorough grammar of the language.
Akan is a group of several closely related languages within the wider Central Tano languages. These languages are the principal native languages of the Akan people of Ghana, spoken over much of the southern half of Ghana. About 80% of Ghana's population can speak an Akan language as a first or second language, and about 44% of Ghanaians are native speakers. There are populations of polyglots in Ghana who speak an Akan language as a third language. They are also spoken in parts of Côte d'Ivoire.
Fante, also known as Fanti, Fantse, or Mfantse, is one of the four principal members of the Akan dialect continuum, along with Asante, Bono and Akuapem, the latter three collectively known as Twi, with which it is mutually intelligible. It is principally spoken in the central and southern regions of Ghana as well as in settlements in other regions in western Ghana, Ivory Coast, as well as in Liberia, Gambia and Angola.
The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) is a university in Winneba, Central Region of Ghana. It was established in 1992 by a government ordinance and with a relationship with the University of Cape Coast. Its main aim is to train teachers for the education system of Ghana. The University of Education, Winneba is charged with the responsibility of teacher education and producing professional educators to spearhead a new national vision of education aimed at redirecting Ghana's efforts along the path of rapid economic and social development. The University of Education, Winneba is expected to play a leading role in Ghana's drive to produce scholars whose knowledge would be fully responsive to the realities and exigencies of contemporary Ghana.
This is a list of rulers and office-holders of Ghana.
Articles related to Ghana include:
Bono, also known as Abron, Brong, and Bono Twi, is a Central Tano language common to the Bono people and a major dialect of the Akan dialect continuum, and thus mutually intelligible with the principal Akan dialects of Asante and Akuapem, collectively known as Twi. It is spoken by 1.2 million in Ghana, primarily in the Central Ghanaian region of Brong-Ahafo, and by over 300,000 in eastern Ivory Coast.
The Bureau of Ghana Languages is an agency of the government of Ghana that promotes Ghanaian languages, including publication of materials in them. It focuses on 11 languages: Akuapem Twi, Asante Twi, Ewe, Mfantse, Ga, Dangme, Nzema, Dagbani, Dagaare, Gonja and Kasem.
Twi is a variety of the Akan language spoken in southern and central Ghana by several million people, mainly of the Akan people, the largest of the seventeen major ethnic groups in Ghana. Twi has about 4.4 million speakers.
Akuapem, also known as Akuapim, Akwapem Twi, and Akwapi, is one of the principal members of the Akan dialect continuum, along with Bono and Asante, with which it is collectively known as Twi, and Fante, with which it is mutually intelligible. There are 626,000 speakers of Akuapem, mainly concentrated in Ghana and southeastern Cote D'Ivoire. It is the historical literary and prestige dialect of Akan, having been chosen as the basis of the Akan translation of the Bible.
Radio 1 is a public radio station in Accra, the capital town of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. The station is owned and run by the state broadcaster - the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). The station is one of two national stations run by GBC. The station broadcasts in English and other Ghanaian languages including Akan, Dagbani, Ewe, Ga, Hausa and Nzema.
Several braille alphabets are used in Ghana. For English, Unified English Braille has been adopted. Four other languages have been written in braille: Akan (Twi), Ga, Ewe, and Dagaare. All three alphabets are based on the basic braille letter values of basic Latin alphabet:
Wasa, also known as Wassa and Wasaw, is the common language of the Wasa people and a dialect of the Akan dialect continuum. It is spoken by 273,000 in southwestern Ghana, mainly in the Wasa Amenfi West and Wasa Amenfi East districts. There are also some Wasa speakers in Ivory Coast. Wasa is mutually intelligible with Fante, Akuapem, Asante, and Abron, the latter three which are collectively known as Twi. Its dialects include Amenfi and Fianse.
English is the official language of Ghana and is universally used in schools in addition to nine other local languages. The most widely spoken local languages are, Ga, Dagomba, Akan and Ewe.
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