languages of Ghana

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. 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.

File:Predominant tribe in the area - (Ghana) LOC 88692692.jpg

Akan, part of the Kwa branch of the Niger–Congo family, is a dialect continuum,{{cite web|title=The Online Encyclopaedia of Written Systems Languages|url=http://www.omniglot.com/writing/akan.htm|publisher=Omniglot|year=2013|access-date=11 November 2013}} 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.{{cite web|title=Introduction To The Verbal and Multi-Verbal system of Akan|url=http://www.ling.hf.ntnu.no/tross/osam.pdf|work=ling.hf.ntnu.no|year=2013|access-date=16 November 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407085659/http://www.ling.hf.ntnu.no/tross/osam.pdf|archive-date=7 April 2014}}

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.{{Cite web|url=http://verbafricana.org/ewe/c-ewe-language.htm|title=Verba Africana — Ewe background materials — The Ewe language|website=verbafricana.org|access-date=2019-05-18}} 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.{{cite web|title=Ethnic Structure, Inequality and Governance of the Public Sector in Ghana |url=http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BCCF9/%28httpAuxPages%29/8509496C0F316AB1C1256ED900466964/$file/Asante%20%28small%29.pdf|publisher=United Nations Research Institute For Social Development (UNRISD)|author=Richard Asante & E.Gyimah-Boadi |year=2004|access-date=11 November 2013}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Ndetei |first=Chris |date=2019-09-23 |title=A look at the exciting facts of the Dangme language |url=https://yen.com.gh/133471-dangme-basic-phrases-interesting-facts.html |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=Yen.com.gh – Ghana news. |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Dagaare language and alphabet |url=https://omniglot.com/writing/dagaare.htm |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=omniglot.com}} Waali, spoken by the Wala people, and the Dagaare language are languages that can be understood by each other's speakers.{{Cite web |title=Upper West Region |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/geography/upper_west.php |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=www.ghanaweb.com}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Ga language, alphabet and pronunciation |url=https://omniglot.com/writing/ga.htm |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=omniglot.com}}{{Cite web |title=Ga {{!}} Ga People {{!}} West African Tribe, Language & Culture {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ga |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Ndetei |first=Chris |date=2019-09-30 |title=Fascinating facts about the Nzema community and useful phrases |url=https://yen.com.gh/133827-nzema-basic-phrases-interesting-facts.html |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=Yen.com.gh – Ghana news. |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Nzema language, alphabet and pronunciation |url=https://www.omniglot.com/writing/nzema.htm |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=www.omniglot.com}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Kasem to English dictionary . |url=https://lughayangu.com/kasem |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=Lughayangu}}{{Cite web |title=Kasem language and alphabet |url=https://omniglot.com/writing/kasem.htm |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=omniglot.com}}

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.{{Cite web |last=Ndetei |first=Chris |date=2020-10-02 |title=Guan tribe: history, language, food, dance, festivals, facts |url=https://yen.com.gh/171789-guan-tribe-history-language-food-dance-festivals-facts.html |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=Yen.com.gh – Ghana news. |language=en}}

This chart reflects data provided by Ethnologue.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ethnologue.com/country/GH/languages|title=Ghana|website=Ethnologue|language=en|access-date=2019-08-04}}

The language of Ghana belong to the following branches within the Niger–Congo language family:

• Kwa languages (Akan, Bia, Guang in Tano; Ga and Adangme)
• Gbe languages (Ewe)
• Gur languages (Gurunsi, Dagbani, Mossi, Dagaare, and Frafra in Oti–Volta)
• Senufo languages (Nafaanra)
• Kulango languages
• Mande languages (Wangara, Ligbi)

Older classifications may instead group them as Kwa, Gur, and Mande.

• Ghana
• Demographics of Ghana
• Ghanaian English

{{reflist}}

{{Commons}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120828183503/http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=Ghana Ethnologue listing for Ghana]
• [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_map.asp?name=GH&seq=10 Ethnologue map of languages in Ghana]
• [http://www.lingref.com/cpp/acal/35/paper1298.pdf Owu-Ewie, Charles. 2006. The Language Policy of Education in Ghana: A Critical Look at the English-Only Language Policy of Education. In Selected Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference on African Linguistics, ed. John Mugane et al., 76–85. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project.]
• [http://www.panafril10n.org/wikidoc/pmwiki.php/PanAfrLoc/Ghana PanAfrican L10n wiki page on Ghana]
• [http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/afrique/ghana.htm L'aménagement linguistique dans le monde page on Ghana]
• [http://www.Ghanaweb.com GhanaWeb]

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