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LOANWORD ADAPTATION STRATEGIES/ PHENOMENON IN AKAN

Akan like many other languages repair illicitness in source words which are borrowed and incorporatedto suit the native phonological structures of the language.

For the purposes of my discussion, the major strategies employed in loanword repair processes; vowelharmony, epenthesis, syllable structure modification, consonant deletion and cluster reduction, will be

considered to account for how borrowed words are adapted and/ or nativized in Akan.Vowel Harmony: Akan exhibits ATR vowel harmony. This means that only the vowels of one set mayoccur in a word. The two sets are as follows;

Set I (Advanced Tongue Root Vowels) - / i, e, ӕ, o, u / Set II (Unadvanced Tongue Root Vowels) - / ɪ , ɛ , a, ɔ , ʊ /

Phonologically, it can be noted that loanwords comply with the vowel harmony rule in Akan. E.g.

Akan English Akan English

1. Ba:g ɪ Bag 6. ʨɔ:k ʊ Chalk

2. Bɛlɛtɪ Belt 7. Tekiti / Tikiti Ticket3. Dɔk ʊta Doctor 8. Bokiti Bucket4. ʥak ɛtɪ Jacket 9. Bu:ku Book 5. Sitia Steer 10. Ko:tu Coat

Epenthesis : Vowel epenthesis is the dominant repair strategy evidenced in the loanword adaptationphenomena of Akan with the high vowels / i , ɪ , u , ʊ / being the most preferred epenthetic vowels.However the labial/round vowels are mostly favoured in many environments. E.g.

Akan English Akan English

11. Asupiti/ As ʊpɪtɪ Hospital 16. S ʊwɛta/ Sʊwata Sweater12. Filim Film 17. S ʊ tɔ: Store13. Kʊrʊpɔ:tʊ Coal pot 18. S ɪtamp ʊ Stamp14. Mas ɪta Master 19. Towuro/ Taaw ʊrʊ Towel15. Sʊpɛ:sɪ Specs/ Spectacles 20. T ʊrʊbɛntʊ Trumpet

Syllable structure modification : Akan is among the languages that mostly prefer open syllables toclosed ones. Basically there three (3) syllable types in Akan;

i. V – vowel ii. CV – consonant + vowel iii. C – syllabic consonant (nasal)

However, Akan allows for a CrV syllable structure as well in exceptional cases.Thus in adapting loanwords, the non-familiar syllable structure of the source language is modified tomeet the native syllable structure of Akan. E.g.

Akan English Akan English

21. Ka: Car 26. Kɪraʨɪ / Kraʨɪ Clerk 22. Lɛtɛ / Lɛta Letter 27. G ɪra:s ɪ / Gra:s ɪ Grass23. Bɔta Butter 28. D ʊrɔba / Dr ɔba Driver24. Pepa/ P ɪpa Paper 29. B ɪrɪk ɪsɪ / Br ɪk ɪsɪ Bricks25. Tire ŋ Train 30. B ʊrɔɕɪ / Bra ɕɪ Brush

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Consonant deletion and cluster reduction: Consonant clusters are generally neither preferred noraccepted in Akan. Thus, loanwords with consonant clusters are adjusted by either insertion of a vowelbetween them or deletion of one consonant especially those occurring in coda position or word final.E.g.

Akan English Akan English

31. Bɔta Butter 36. Sukuu School32. Bɔ:lʊ Ball 37. S ɔpɔ:tʊ Support33. Lɛtɛ / Lɛta Letter 38. S ʊtɔpʊ Stop34. Kʊlɔk ʊ Clock 39. T ɛ:lɪ Tell35. Pire:ti/ P ɪrɛ:tɪ Plate 40. Wal ɛtɪ Wallet

Conclusion

From the data analysed, I observed that for any specific borrowed word to be adapted in Akan, it has to

undergo either all or at least three (3) of the repair / adaptation strategies outlined above. However,there are exceptional cases where non-native features can still be retained in a loanword. This means itis not always the case that phonological features of the target language influence the nativisation/ adaptation process of a loanword.

REFERENCES

Adomako, Kwasi. 2008. Vowel Epenthesis and Consonant Deletion in Loanwords: A Study of Akan. Master’s Thesis. University of Tromso.

Adomako, Kwasi. 2013. Underapplication in Akan Loanword Adaptation. In: International Journal of Linguistics: Vol. 5, No. 5 – ISSN 1948-5425 2013

Apenteng, Monica Amoah & Amfo, Nana Aba Appiah. 2014. The Form and Function of EnglishLoanwords in Akan. In: Nordic Journal of African Studies 23(4): 219 – 240 (2014)

Dolphyne, Abena Florence. 1988. The Akan (Twi-Fante) Language: Its Sound Systems and TonalStructure. Accra New Town: Woeli Publishing Services