| Akan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twi, Fante | ||||
| Spoken in | Ghana, Ivory Coast (Abron), Benin (Tchumbuli) | |||
| Ethnicity | Akan people | |||
| Native speakers | 9.8 million (2004)[1] | |||
| Language family | ||||
| Official status | ||||
| Official language in | None. — Government-sponsored languages of Ghana |
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| Regulated by | Akan Orthography Committee | |||
| Language codes | ||||
| ISO 639-1 | ak | |||
| ISO 639-2 | aka | |||
| ISO 639-3 | aka – inclusive code Individual codes: fat – Fanti twi – Twi abr – Abron wss – Wasa bqa – Tchumbuli |
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Akan, also known as Twi [tɕɥi] and Fante, is an Akan language that is the principal native language of Ghana, spoken over much of the southern half of that country, by about 52% of the population, and among 30% of the population of Côte d'Ivoire. Three dialects have been developed as literary standards with distinct orthographies, Asante, Akuapem (together called Twi), and Fante, which despite being mutually intelligible were inaccessible in written form to speakers of the other standards. In 1978 the Akan Orthography Committee established a common orthography for all of Akan, which is used as the medium of instruction in primary school by speakers of several other Akan languages such as Anyi, Sefwi, Ahanta as well as the Guang languages.
The Akan people and those who have either lived around Akans or have absorbed Akan people into their population speak Kwa languages, of which Twi/Fante is just one. Twi–Fante consists of the following dialects:
- Asante (Ashanti), which together with Akuapem is commonly called Twi
- Akuapem (Akwapem)
- Akyem
- Agona (commonly considered Fante)
- Kwahu
- Wassa
- Fante (Fanti or Mfantse:Anomabo, Abura, Gomua) - Spoken in east coastal Ghana.
- Brong - Spoken in west central Ghana and along the border in Côte d'Ivoire
The Bureau of Ghana Languages has compiled a unified orthography of 20,000 words.
The adinkra symbols are old ideograms.
The language came to the Caribbean and South America, notably in Suriname spoken by the Ndyuka and in Jamaica by the Jamaican Maroons known as Coromantee, with enslaved people from the region. The descendants of escaped slaves in the interior of Suriname and the Maroons in Jamaica still use a form of this language, including Akan naming convention, in which children are named after the day of the week on which they are born, e.g. Akwasi (for a boy) or Akosua (girl) born on a Sunday. In Jamaica and Suriname the Anansi spider stories are well known.
Contents |
Relationship to other Akan languages [link]
According to work done by P K Agbedor of CASAS, Mfantse (Fante), Twi (Asante and Akuapem), Abron (Bono), Wassa, Asen, Akwamu, and Kwahu belong to Cluster 1 of the speech forms of Ghana. Clusters are defined by the level of mutual intelligibility.
Cluster 1 may better be named r-Akan, which do not explicitly have the letter “l” in their original proper use. On the other hand l-Akan, refers to the Akan cluster comprising Nzema, Baoule, Anyin and other dialects spoken mainly in the Cote d'Ivoire, whose use of the letter “r” in proper usage is very rare.
Phonology [link]
Because the Akan dialects' phonologies differ slightly, Asante dialect will be used to represent Akan. Asante, like all Akan dialects, involves extensive palatalisation, vowel harmony, and tone terracing.
Consonants [link]
Before front vowels, all Asante consonants are palatalized (or labio-palatalized), and the plosives are to some extent affricated. The allophones of /n/ are quite complex. In the table below, palatalized allophones which involve more than minor phonetic palatalization are specified, in the context of the vowel /i/. These sounds do occur before other vowels, such as /a/, though in most cases not commonly.
In Asante, /ɡu/ followed by a vowel is pronounced /ɡʷ/, but in Akuapem it remains /ɡu/. The sequence /nh/ is pronounced [ŋŋ̊].
The transcriptions in the table below are in the order /phonemic/, [phonetic], ⟨orthographic⟩. Note that orthographic ⟨dw⟩ is ambiguous; in textbooks, ⟨dw⟩ = /ɡ/ may be distinguished from /dw/ with a diacritic: d̩w. Likewise, velar ⟨nw⟩ (ŋw) may be transcribed n̩w. Orthographic ⟨nu⟩ is palatalized [ɲᶣĩ].
| labial | alveolar | dorsal | labialized | |||||||||
| voiceless plosive | /p/ | [pʰ] | ⟨p⟩ | /t/ | [tʰ, tçi] | ⟨t, ti⟩ | /k/ | [kʰ, tɕʰi~cçʰi] | ⟨k, kyi⟩ | /kʷ/ | [kʷ, tɕᶣi] | ⟨kw, twi⟩ |
| voiced plosive | /b/ | [b] | ⟨b⟩ | /d/ | [d] | ⟨d⟩ | /ɡ/ | [ɡ, dʒ, dʑi~ɟʝi] | ⟨g, dw, gyi⟩ | /ɡʷ/ | [ɡʷ, dʑᶣi] | ⟨gw, dwi⟩ |
| fricative | /f/ | [f] | ⟨f⟩ | /s/ | [s] | ⟨s⟩ | /h/ | [h, çi] | ⟨h, hyi⟩ | /hʷ/ | [hʷ, çᶣi] | ⟨hw, hwi⟩ |
| nasal stop | /m/ | [m] | ⟨m⟩ | /n/ | [n, ŋ, ɲ, ɲĩ] | ⟨n, ngi⟩ | /nʷ/ | [ŋŋʷ, ɲᶣĩ] | ⟨nw, nu⟩ | |||
| geminate nasal | /nn/ | [ŋː, ɲːĩ] | ⟨ng, nyi, nnyi⟩ | /nnʷ/ | [ɲɲᶣĩ] | ⟨nw⟩ | ||||||
| other | /r/ | [ɾ, r, ɽ] | ⟨r⟩ | /w/ | [w, ɥi] | ⟨w, wi⟩ | ||||||
Vowels [link]
The Akan dialects have fourteen to fifteen vowels: four to five "tense" vowels (Advanced tongue root, or +ATR), five "lax" vowels (Retracted tongue root, or −ATR), which are adequately but not completely represented by the seven-vowel orthography, and five nasal vowels, which are not represented at all. (All fourteen were distinguished in the Gold Coast script of the colonial era.) An ATR distinction in orthographic a is only found in some subdialects of Fante, though not in the literary form; in Asante and Akuapem there are harmonic allophones of /a/, but neither is ATR. The two vowels written e (/e̘/ and /i/) and o (/o̘/ and /u/) are often not distinguished in pronunciation.
| Orthog. | +ATR | −ATR |
|---|---|---|
| i | /i̘/ [i̘] | |
| e | /e̘/ [e̘] | /i/ [ɪ~e] |
| ɛ | /e/ [ɛ] | |
| a | [æ~ɐ] | /a/ [a] |
| ɔ | /o/ [ɔ] | |
| o | /o̘/ [o̘] | /u/ [ʊ~o] |
| u | /u̘/ [u̘] |
ATR harmony [link]
Twi vowels engage in a form of vowel harmony with the root of the tongue.
- −ATR vowels followed by the +ATR non-mid vowels /i̘ a̘ u̘/ become +ATR. This is generally reflected in the orthography: That is, orthographic e ɛ a ɔ o become i e a o u. However, it is no longer reflected in the case of subject and possessive pronouns, giving them a consistent spelling. This rule takes precedence over the next one.
- After the −ATR non-high vowels /e a o/, +ATR mid vowels /e̘ o̘/ become −ATR high vowels /i u/. This is not reflected in the orthography, for both sets of vowels are spelled <e o>, and in many dialects this rule does not apply, for these vowels have merged.
Tones [link]
Twi has three phonemic tones, high (/H/), mid (/M/), and low (/L/). Initial syllable may only be high or low.
Tone terracing [link]
The phonetic pitch of the three tones depends on their environment, often being lowered after other tones, producing a steady decline known as tone terracing.
/H/ tones have the same pitch as a preceding /H/ or /M/ tone within the same tonic phrase, whereas /M/ tones have a lower pitch. That is, the sequences /HH/ and /MH/ have a level pitch, whereas the sequences /HM/ and /MM/ have a falling pitch. /H/ is lowered (downstepped) after a /L/.
/L/ is the default tone, which emerges in situations such as reduplicated prefixes. It is always at bottom of the speaker's pitch range, except in the sequence /HLH/, in which case it is raised in pitch but the final /H/ is still lowered. Thus /HMH/ and /HLH/ are pronounced with distinct but very similar pitches.
After the first "prominent" syllable of a clause, usually the first high tone, there is a downstep. This syllable is usually stressed.
Important words and phrases [link]
- Akwaaba – Welcome
- Aane – Yes
- Yiw (Akuapim) - Yes
- Daabi – No
- Da yie – Good night (lit. sleep well)
- Ɛte sεn/Wo ho te sɛn? – How is it going/How are you?
- meda wo ase – Thank you
- Mepa wo kyew – Please/excuse me
- Dwom/nnwom - Song/songs or music
- Wo din de sεn? - What is your name?
- Me din de ... - My name is ...
- W'adi mfeɛ ahe/sɛn? - How old is he/she?
- Woadi mfeɛ ahe/sɛn? - How old are you?
See also [link]
References [link]
- ^ Akan at Ethnologue (16th ed., 2009)
Fanti at Ethnologue (16th ed., 2009)
Twi at Ethnologue (16th ed., 2009)
Abron at Ethnologue (16th ed., 2009)
- Dolphyne, Florence Abena (1988), The Akan (Twi-Fante) Language: Its Sound Systems and Tonal Structure. Ghana Universities Press, Accra. ISBN 9964-3-0159-6
- F.A. Dolphyne (1996) A Comprehensive Course in Twi (Asante) for the Non-Twi Learner. Ghana University Press, Accra. ISBN 9964-3-0245-2.
- William Nketia (2004) Twi für Ghana:; Wort für Wort. Reise Know-How Verlag, Bielefeld. ISBN 3-89416-346-1. (In German)
- Obeng, Samuel Gyasi. (2001). African anthroponymy: An ethnopragmatic and norphophonological study of personal names in Akan and some African societies. LINCOM studies in anthropology 08. Muenchen: LINCOM Europa. ISBN 3-89586-431-5.
- J.E. Redden and N. Owusu (1963, 1995). Twi Basic Course. Foreign Service Institute (Hippocrene reprint). ISBN 0-7818-0394-2 [Book and audio available at website in References, below]
External links [link]
- Akan language at Ethnologue (16th ed., 2009)
- Entry for Akan at Rosetta Project
- Akan Language Resources
- Journal of West African Languages: Akan
- Kasahorow Akan Dictionary
- Twi Word of the Day and Articles
- Twi Language Resources
- Twi Poem
- Watch Twi Music Videos
- Prayer in Twi used by Ghanaians of the Baha'i Faith
- USA Foreign Service Institute Twi basic course
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Akan language edition of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
https://wn.com/Akan_language
Numeral prefix
Numeral or number prefixes are prefixes derived from numerals or occasionally other numbers. In English and other European languages, they are used to coin numerous series of words, such as unicycle – bicycle – tricycle, dyad – triad – decade, biped – quadruped, September – October – November – December, decimal – hexadecimal, sexagenarian – octogenarian, centipede – millipede, etc. There are two principal systems, taken from Latin and Greek, each with several subsystems; in addition, Sanskrit occupies a marginal position. There is also an international set of metric prefixes, which are used in the metric system, and which for the most part are either distorted from the forms below or not based on actual number words.
Table of number prefixes in English
In the following prefixes, a final vowel is normally dropped before a root that begins with a vowel, with the exceptions of bi-, which is bis- before a vowel, and of the other monosyllables, du-, di-, dvi-, tri-, which are invariable.
TWI
Twi is a collection of dialects of the Akan language, spoken in Ghana.
Twi may also refer to:
TWI as an acronym may refer to:
Lek
Lek or LEK may refer to:
See also
Albanian lek
The lek (Albanian: Leku Shqiptar; plural lekë) (sign: L; code: ALL) is the official currency of Albania. It is subdivided into 100 qindarka (singular qindarkë), although qindarka are no longer issued.
History
The lek was introduced as the first Albanian currency in February 1926.
Before then, Albania was a country without a currency, adhering to a gold standard for the fixation of commercial values. Before the First World War the Ottoman Turkish piastre was in full circulation, but following the military occupation of the country by various continental powers the gold franc (Franc Germinal) was adopted as the monetary unit. In 1923 Italian paper circulated at Scutari, Durazzo, Valona, and Argyro-Castro, and the Greek drachma at Kortcha, the values of which varied according to locality and the prevailing rates of exchange as compared with gold.
Etymology
The lek was named after Alexander the Great, whose name is often shortened to Leka in Albanian. Alexander's portrait appeared on the obverse of the 1 lek coin, while the reverse showed him on his horse.
Leak (film)
Leak (Dutch: Lek) is a 2000 Dutch thriller film directed by Jean van de Velde.
Cast
Awards
References
External links
List of Star Wars species (P–T)
This is a list of Star Wars species, containing the names of fictional sentient species from the Star Wars franchise beginning with the letters P through T. Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series, Star Wars, was released on May 25, 1977 and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by five sequels and three prequels. Many species of alien creatures (often humanoid) are depicted.
Paaerduag
In Galactic Basic, the Paaerduag is an "individual" formed by two symbiotic races that are joined as one. However, two voices create the actual name of their race, and four ears hear the true sound of it. The larger, more mobile, aspect of the Paaerduag looks like a humanoid, with long, slender arms and legs, and a head about as broad as its body, however, its voice is unheard by human ears. The smaller aspect of the Paaerduag rides upon the larger in a backpack, of sorts, facing to the rear, and looks remotely like a humanoid with a slender, almost dog-like face, and two sets of eyes. It is capable of being heard and understood. Instead of referring to itself as "I" or "me", it uses the term "we", instead.
