An Introduction to Akan

342 Pages·2016·2.49 MB·English

by  Berry Jack

pocoanyT azsuaz

Bp 119 520 FL 007 523,
ayTHoR Berry, Jack; Xideo, agnes Akosua

ISLE an Trfroduction to akan.

WsTzTVTO" —orthyestern Univ., Swanston, IL1,

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ansoRact

This introduction to akan is designed to provide the
paste structures aod vocabulary that a non-native speaker vould need
to use Akan. The text is based on the usante dialect of ‘Akan, and 13
divided into twenty units. gach unit consiats of a conversation given
in English and Asante, drills for the classrooa or individual
practice, granvar notes, and a list of the vocabulary intraduced in
the unit. The conversations are of graded difficulty, 1 sketch of the
Akan alphabet and pronunciation precedes the tout. The appendices
consist ofs (1) a discussion of the Akan verb in pri
(2) 4 discussion of the Akan verb dn secondary anton:
notes on conjunctions, an Baglish-iken vocabulary coaple:
volune, {CLR}

* — Docunants acquired by ERIC include sary informad unpublished

* aaterials not available from other sources, ERIC makes every effort
+ to obtain the best copy available. Nevertheless, itena of aarginal
* reproducibility are often encountered and this affects the quality

* of the wicrofiche and hardcopy reproductions ERIC aakea available
* via the 283c Docusant Neproduction Service [EDES}. 2085 is not
* responsible for the quality of the original decunont, Reproductions

supplied by EDPS are the best that can he sade from the original.
Tithe TL, Gee. bom, DER
Contant 6, DeC-0- 72-2389
Bunee No x Bel

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SRE TATRODUCT ION 79 AKAN

€D119520

Agnes. Akosua A‘éoo

2

Evanston, 1:2iaods

1975
The work herein was performed pursuant to a
contract with the U.S. Deparment of Health,
Edveation and Wolfara, Office of Ecucation,
under the provisioas af che Title Vi,
Sectfon 602, ADEA,
fn Introduction to akan

by

sok BERRY

and

AGNES AKOSUA A100

Northwestern University

Evanston, 11
ES

pneFace

eroduction to Akan was prepared and produced with the support

ao

of the U. $. Office of Education, Department of Health, Education and
Welfare, and under the Nacional Defense et, Title V1, Section 602

Yhe course is based en classroom experience with students at the
Universities of London: and Ghana and more recently, a¢ Horthkestern
University, as well as with U. 5. Peace Corps Volunteers serving or
intending: to serve In Ghana. In its present form, it is designed
primarily co provide basic Structures and vocabulary for s|tuations
In which a nonvnative speaker aight need to use Akan.

The text, for the most part, kas praparad jointly by the two
authors, In this task, thay were greatly assisted by earlier publi
cations t0 which reference is nade in the bibliography at the end of

Chis work, OF tho unpublished work made available to the authors,

special mention should o¢ made of an Intraductory Course in Fanta,

mE. Welners.

aly loaned In manuscrtpc form by Professor Wil
At an early stage of preparstion, Dr. Florence Bolphyne of the
Department of Linguistics Of the Unlversity of Ghana, acted as a
consultant to the project and provided advice ond much useful data.
| should Tike also to take hls opportunity to ehank my Friend
land colleague, Professor J. H. Aketia of the, University of Ghata who
First tried to teach me Akan nearly thirty years ago. | am gracefut
for his help then ard over the ensuing years. Mich of che «cance
: data presented in this volune X owe to Professor Nkeela and my analysis

ts along lines Siese suggested by bin.
The tapee ohich accompany the text sere, for the moat pact recorded

by Mag Aida and Dr. KoEt Ovua

sah. Hr, Joseph Adjaye, ax vell as
cukdng many useful suggestions for tepraving che text, also asde capes
for use as students? exerciats. ATL the tapes vere prepared in the
Language Laburatury of Northwestern Universtey under the supervision
Of Me. Barry Wallisy

Finslly, vor best cherks are due to Mrs. Patricia Barnes and

Hes. Vera Dowd who typed a d1ECleult manuscript and helped 1m aany

ays at all stages of the work,
InTRQeueT ION

The Akan language comprises a number of dialects of which three

are in general written use in Ghana at che present thie: Fanta, Asante

‘and Akuapem (Twi). The first two are undoubtedly the most widely spoken
oF all Akan dialects but Akuapem, desplte its fener speakers, is still
important as the dialect originally chosen to be the basis of the

written Tanguage and as the dialect best described In the najor reference
works.

In large degree the three dialects are inter-intelligible but the
Seginner in Akan will do better if he restricts himself as far as
Possible to models Fron a single dialect: The present course is based
on materials from the speech of one of the authors, HIss Aiduo, who speaks
Akan natively In the dialect of Kunase (Kiaabere}. Hr. Owusu-Hensah
who fs heard In some conversations with her is of the same social and
regional background as Miss Aldeo so that alt the texts provided for
the student nay be considered linguistically homogeneous.

The texts provided are al in the Asante dialect and are
transerbed accordingly. Sone attempt 1s nade throughout the course
however, (0 relate individual vocabulary tems te their corresponding
vwrtten forms in Akvapeft. In the vocabubaries which are a part of each
unity the dictionary (that is the Akugpen} form of each word Is given in
parentheses after the Asante when there is a wrltten difference. In

deciding the clains of competing spellings in both dfalacts we have for
the most part, folloned the Twi Spelling Book’, $0 far as we are aware,
our enly departures from standard usage as defined therein have been in
the matter of Joarwords From English (itters ne follow English spelt ing
in 01) cuies) and in che spelling of the Past Tenge of the verb.

The course as a vhole consists of three maln parts. A flese pare
introduoes the Yegmmer £0 the more Insortant structures and the basic
voeabulary af the Akan fanguage by wor of @ series of conversatlons
of graded difficulty, The Akan text. a falely fee English translation
with 9 moro literal eranslation In parentheses uhen necdad, eogether
wieh brief nates on the less obviows oF nore imortant polats of eranear

‘and meaningyare given for gach conversation, The secofd part of the

course provides additional materials for practice in either classroom
dritls or private study with the tape recorder. A conversation with ts
sccompanying drifls can be thought of as a valt's wark and there are

‘wonty such units in the course. Hot af] units are of equal iength. Sone

lnits ~ tha first, for example = are longer than average and will be found

0 require correspondingly more wf the student's time, A balanc
tained however by having shorter units at varfous stages of the course
to slow tine for revis hy edrlier lessons should this b8 thought to be

necessary or desirabte.

"tui Neen Morenkore Kyergub
ook Bepot, feces, a, d

Iu Spattiog Book. Scottish Heston
A third part of the course. cansists of detailed references (by

altar! and s0

paragraph) to the standard works on Akan by J. Gch
provides a source of extra neterials for use at the teacher's discretion
as well as nore detailed descriptions of specific festures of vacabulary

and structure than are possible or appropriate im the present aanual

4B

"s. G. christatler. Digtionary of the Asante and Fanta Language cated
Tshi (Tei), 2nd edition, revised and enlarged. fasel 1933.

A Gromar of the Asante and Fante Language called TshI
[Ghee Tai)” sasel 1875. Republished Gregg Press, Inc. Ridgewood,
Neds
ALPRANE AUD PROWCLARTON

19