Sociolinguistic aspects of Akan in Accra

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Periodical article

Title:	Sociolinguistic aspects of Akan in Accra
Author:	Yankson, Solace A.
Year:	2009
Periodical:	Research Review (ISSN 0855-4412)
Volume:	25
Issue:	2
Pages:	83-101
Language:	English
Notes:	biblio. refs.
Geographic terms:	Ghana West Africa
Subjects:	sociolinguistics Akan languages language Akan language Linguistic analysis (Linguistics) Language purism Urban dialects
Abstract:	This paper examines the question as to whether, due to the multilingualism as well as the urbanization of Ghana's capital city, Accra, the Akan language which is spoken as a first language in the city has been affected. It attempts to find out whether the Akan repertoire and usage in the city differs from Akan usage in the indigenous areas, also paying attention to areas where differences can be noticed. The paper is based on recordings of conversations with respondents from both Accra and the indigenous areas where Akan is spoken. The key topics discussed include the mixture of Akan dialects in Accra, nasal assimilation, code switching, code mixing and lexical borrowing, and the differences in Akan usage between speakers in Accra who have had sustained contacts with their homeland and those who have not. App., bibliogr., notes, sum. in English and French. [Journal abstract, edited]