Languages of Ghana
The official language of Ghana is English , a language that is only mother tongue for a tiny minority of Ghanaians. The reason for choosing English as the official language is the extremely large number of different languages and dialects in Ghana. North and South Ghana are linguistically separated because they belong to different language families, the Gur languages in the north and the Kwa languages in the south.
The number of languages in Ghana
Information on the number of languages in Ghana varies from 46 to more than 100, depending on the source.
There are mutliple reasons for this:
- For many languages and dialects there are different views as to whether they should be classified as an independent language or as a dialect . For example, Ga , Dangme and Krobo are sometimes counted as independent languages, but sometimes also combined into one language "Ga-Adangme". In addition to linguistic criteria, political factors also play a role here: Ga and Dangme, for example, are recognized written languages (“official literary languages”) in Ghana.
- Smallest languages such as Animere , with fewer than 1000 speakers, are not counted.
- There is a difference in dealing with the major languages of West Africa, of which a small number of speakers live in Ghana. For example, several million people all over West Africa speak Fulfulde , the language of the Fulbe (also called Fulani or Peul). Only a few thousand of them live in Ghana.
- The different names for a certain language are often a problem, as there are proper names, official names and Germanized terms. For example, the northern Ghanaian Frafra is also known as "Farefare", "Gurenne", "Gurune" or "Nankani".
Official literary languages
Nine languages of Ghana are officially promoted and used in primary and secondary schools. Various printed matter appear in these languages:
- Akan (with Ashanti , Twi , Fante , Nzima , Akuapem, Akyem-Bosome, Kwahu, Ahafo, Asen, ...)
- Dagaare-Wali
- Dagbani
- Dangme
- Ewe
- Ga
- Gonja
- Kasem
Common languages of Ghana
In addition to English as the official language, three African languages are used as lingua franca:
- In southern Ghana, the influence of Akan extends beyond the eight million native speakers, as several million people speak it as a second language.
- Ewe is common in Eastern Ghana .
- In Western Ghana, the Mòoré - Dagbani has the function of a lingua franca .
- Among the Muslims and in northern and central Ghana, Hausa and Fulfulde are often used between the ethnic groups .
List by number of speakers
The following list is sorted in descending order according to the number of speakers of the languages in Ghana.
language | Number of speakers | was standing | Language group |
---|---|---|---|
Akan | 8,300,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Ewe | 2,250,500 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Abron | 1,050,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Farefare | 820,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Dagbani | 800,000 | 2004 | Gur language |
Dangme | 1,000,000 | 2004 | Kwa language |
Dagaare | 700,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Ga | 600,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Konkomba | 500,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Kusaal | 420,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Wasa | 309,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Nzima | 262,000 | 2004 | Kwa language |
Anyin | 250,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Sehwi | 250,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Gonja | 240,000 | 2004 | Kwa language |
Mampruli | 220,000 | 2004 | Gur language |
Hausa | 202,000 | 2005 | Chadian language |
Awutu | 180,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Bissa | 165,900 | 2003 | Mande language |
Buli | 150,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Ahanta | 142,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Wali | 138,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Kasem | 130,000 | 2004 | Gur language |
Birifor (language) | 125,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Bimoba | 120,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Cherepon | 111,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Sisaala, tumult | 105,000 | 2003 | Gur languages |
Larteh | 74,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Chumburung | 69,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Anufo | 66,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Nafaanra | 61,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Gua | 60,200 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Crap | 58,000 | 2004 | Kwa language |
Ntcham | 57,000 | 2003 | Gur languages |
Tem | 53,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Lelemi | 48,900 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Paasaal | 36,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Kabiyé | 32,000 | 2005 | Gur language |
Sisaala, (West) | 30,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Nkonya | 28,000 | 2004 | Kwa language |
Kulango, Bondoukou | 27,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Siwu | 27,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Deg | 26,400 | 2003 | Gur language |
Avatime | 24,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Sekpele | 23,400 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Jwira-Pepesa | 18,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Tampulma | 16,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Kulango, Bouna | 15,500 | 1991 | Gur language |
Ligbi | 15,000 | 2003 | Mande language |
Nawuri | 14,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Vagla | 13,500 | 2003 | Gur language |
Tuwuli | 11,400 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Selee | 11,300 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Adele | 11,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Delo | 10,900 | 2003 | Gur language |
Gikyode | 10,400 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Dwang | 8,200 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Akposo | 7,500 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Logba | 7,500 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Fulfulde | 7,300 | 2003 | |
Hanga | 6,800 | 2003 | Gur language |
Zarma | 6,500 | 2003 | |
Nyangbo | 6,400 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Chakali (language) | 6,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Nawdm | 5,400 | 2005 | Gur language |
Tafi | 4,400 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Safaliba | 4,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Konni | 3,800 | 2003 | Gur language |
Adamorobe sign language | 3,400 | 2003 | Sign language |
Chala | 3,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Kamara | 3,000 | 2003 | Gur language |
Kantosi | 2,300 | 2003 | Gur language |
Adangbe | 2,000 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Nchumbulu | 1,800 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Complete | 1,600 | 2003 | Kwa language |
lama | a few hundred / thousand | 1996 | Gur language |
Animere | 700 | 2003 | Kwa language |
Dompo | 60 to 70 | 1999 | Kwa language |
Ghanaian Sign Language | unknown | k. A. | Sign language |
See also
Web links
- http://www.ethnologue.com , there: Ghana
- List of languages spoken in Ghana on ghanaweb.com (English)
- Map of the distribution languages in Ghana
- The Language Policy of Education in Ghana (English; PDF; 312 kB)