Akan language

Spoken in

  • Niger - Congo Atlantic - Congo Volta - Congo Kwa Nyo Potou - Tano Tano Central Akan

Ak

Aka

Aka

The word Akan refers to a group of languages ​​with about 8.3 million speakers, which are assigned to the Kwa language family and are spoken in Ghana and the Ivory Coast. Speakers are the various so-called Akanvölker.

Division of Akansprachen / belonging question

Within the Akansprachen distinguishes between the following languages ​​is through their membership in the Akangruppe unity:

  • Asante Twi (about 2,800,000 ),
  • Fante (approx. 1,900,000 )
  • Akuapem - Twi (about 555,000 speakers)
  • Agona
  • Denkyira
  • Chakosi
  • Asen
  • Akyem bosome
  • Kwahu
  • Abron (language)
  • Wassaw

Other sources differ in addition to these listed above languages ​​( then " East Akansprachen " called ) nor a group of " West Akansprachen ":

  • Nzema
  • Ahanta
  • Anyin
  • Baule

According to SIL International, the two Akangruppen but separate after the branch "Central" of the classification scheme in the above infobox equal to " Akan " and " Bia ". Nzema, Ahanta, Anyi and Baule not belong then to the Akansprachen, but the Bia branch.

In contradiction to this, in the work of PK Agbedor CASAS from " complex 1 " and " complex 2 " (about the above " West Akan " or "East - Akan " according to ) the forms of language of Ghana 's speech. The complexes are characterized by evident among themselves.

Complex 1 is designated as a r- Akan (mainly Twi, Fante, Akuapem, Akyem, Wasa, Bono, Asen, Akwamu, the Kwahu spoken in Ghana and parts of Togo). They use the sound " L" does not explicitly. By contrast, the group of l - Akan would ( Nzema, Baule and other dialects are mainly spoken in the Ivory Coast ) that do not use the sound " R".

Textualization

The larger of these languages ​​also exist in written form. Abron is also used as language very well, but was never developed a written language. The Office of languages ​​of Ghana has put together three dialects a word list with a uniform orthography, which includes over 20,000 words. It is not yet widely used. Akan is one of the supported primarily by the Government of languages ​​in Ghana. It is written in Latin letters with an extended alphabet.

Akan in South America

With the slaves the language was brought to South America. Descendants of escaped slaves in Suriname still speak a form of the language, they have maintained the custom to name their children after the day of their birth, for example, Kwasi ( for a boy ) and Kwasiba ( for a girl ) that on a Sunday were born. The Anansi spider stories NSAIDs are known in Suriname.

Kwa languages Nyo languages Akan people Asante dialect Fante dialect Chakosi language Abron dialect Ahanta language Africa Alphabet Languages of Ghana Akan names
38292
de