Ghana is a multilingual country with over 80 ethnic languages that are spoken by people from different tribes in the country, however, English is Ghana’s official foreign language because of its history of colonization.
English for all everyday needs - legal, administrative, official procedures and document, education, and media.
Although there are many languages spoken across the country, you are likely to notice that most of the people can speak English and French. In April 2019, there was an initiative to approve French as one of the official languages in the country. All the countries neighboring Ghana are francophone, and half of all Ghanaian Regions are French-speaking, however, English remains as the official foreign language. You are still likely to find French speaker easily. Foreign languages such as Spanish, Chinese, German, and Swahili are taught in Universities.
An interesting fact - languages spoken in one ethnic group (tribe) are mutually intelligible with languages from across the country. This means that someone born in the Northern Region of Ghana who speaks Dagbani, for example, can understand (even if not fully) someone who speaks Frafra because of this mutual intelligibility.
- Video by LEARNAKAN
- Sep 2018
- 10:24
Languages in Ghana originate from various ethnic groups that left their original homes in the past to settle in Ghana. With little ado, let us jump into the sea of languages spoken in Ghana and throw light on some local languages of Ghana.
Akan
By far the most common and widely spoken local language in Ghana, the Akan language comprises Fante, Asante Twi, and Akuapem Twi. These languages are mutually intelligible. The Akan language is part of the Kwa-branch of languages that we believe to have originated from Niger-Congo. It is spoken by over 40% of Ghanaians and in regions in the Ivory Coast. Akan speakers are found in Ashanti Region mainly (native speakers) and almost all across the country.
Ewe
The Ewe language is part of the Gbe dialect, which is believed to have originated from the Volta-Niger area. Mainly spoken in Volta Region, mutually intelligible branches are the Tongu (language in Sogakope, Adidome, and areas near Ada). People in Ho, Hohoe and Kpando speak Vedome and in Akatsi they speak Avenor. Anlo, for example, is the most widely spoken form of Ewe and spoken by people in southern Volta. Interestingly, apart from being the second most common language in Ghana, it is spoken also in Togo and Benin.
Dagabani
Dagombas in the Northern Region of Ghana speak Dagabani. It is part of the Gur dialect in African language history. Although it is mainly spoken in Ghana by the Dagombas and Mole-Dagbani ethnic group, it is spoken in Burkina-Faso as well. In Ghana, most of the languages spread because of trading activities.
Dangme
Dangme is part of the Ga-Dangme languages in the Greater Accra region. Its sister language is the Ga language.
Ga
This is the language you are likely to hear as soon as you land at the airport in Accra. This is the local language spoken by the people of Accra. It is part of the Ga-Adangme dialect which is spoken in South-eastern Ghana.
Nzema
Nzema is part of the Bia dialect. It is spoken by the Nzema ethnic group. Although it seems similar to Akan, it has more differences than similarities, so; it does not make it part of the Akan languages, and it is unique.
Gonja
This part of the languages spoken in the Northern Region of Ghana. It is part of the Guang and Tano dialect of languages in Africa.
Kasem
It is part of the Gur branch of languages in Africa. It is also spoken in the Upper East region and Burkina Faso.
Pidgin
A writing of languages in Ghana cannot be complete without throwing some light on pidgin. Despite not being a local or foreign language or belonging to any ethnic group, Pidgin or broken English is a type of English spoken in Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, and Sierra Leone. It is a combination of the English language and some words from common local languages. It is mostly spoken by the youth and chic older people. They use it in friendly online discussions. So next you hear someone say “Wosop” instead of “What’s Up?” and “U dey?” just go with the flow.
The languages mentioned here are only the most common ones that you are likely to hear in Ghana. Not only people from different tribes and groups, but diverse languages from all sides of the earth meet and expand in Ghana.
Ghana became the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence. Today, the West African country is one of the most prosperous in Africa, both politically and economically. Home to royalty and an abundance of resources, Ghana boasts of a rich cultural diversity. While there are tens of tribal groupings in this West African country, there are those that are influential both politically and economically, hence are well known. Here is a sneak preview of the major tribes and ethnic groups in Ghana.
1. The Ashanti Tribe
This is by far the largest tribe in Ghana numbering about seven million in total and nearly half the population of the entire country. It is also one of the few matrilineal societies in West Africa and Africa as a whole. Once renowned for the splendour and wealth of their rulers, the Ashanti people are famous for their skilful artwork and their trademark kente cloth. Other notable characteristics of the Ashanti is their extravagant funerals. Some of the famous masks, sculptures and furniture in Ghana are crafted by the Ashanti people.
2. The Mole-Dagbon Tribe.
The Mole-Dagbon could be the second most populous tribe in Ghana but only one in every seven Ghanaians is a Mole-Dagbonian. They are further divided into smaller sub-tribes, with the majority of them living mainly in the northern parts of the country such as Bolgatanga. Thanks to their skilful art in basket weaving and African crafts, the markets dominated by this tribe have begun to gain international attention and recognition.
3. The Fante Tribe
This tribal grouping is mainly located along the coastal regions of Ghana and is the second largest members that make up the Akan ethnic group to which they belong. They are mainly found in Cape Coast. Despite rapid growth and assimilation, the Fante has held to their traditions and culture to this day.
4. The Ewe Tribe
In times of need, the Ewe has over 600 deities to turn their attention to. Also found in parts of Togo and Benin, the Ewe speaks the Ewe language and are closely associated with other speakers like the Aja and Fon of Togo. They have developed a complex culture that mainly revolves around drumming. Music and dance is also part of their culture and is used when cementing social bonds among members of the society. They make up about 11% of Ghana’s total population.
5. Ga-Adangbe Tribe
These people are found mainly across the Accra plains. The modern Ga-Adangbe people live in Osu, Krobo, Shai and La among other regions. Though often regarded as one tribe, the Ga and the Adangbe represent a dozen of other tribes, each speaking a different dialect. Their culture also involves around dancing and drumming among other things.
6. The Guan Tribe
The Guan people of Ghana are believed to have migrated to their present-day land around 1000 A.D from the Mossi region of Burkina Faso. After moving to the Volta valley, they formed a settlement in Afram Plains, across the Black Volta and in the Akwapim Hills from where they moved further south to occupy the coastal plains. According to scholars, it is believed that the Gaun were the Neolithic population of the region, a fact attributed to their wide distribution.
7. The Dagomba
This is also one of the tribes that make up the face of Ghana. Numbering over a half a million, the Dagomba inhibit mainly the Northern region of the country and are also sparsely populated around the Savanna region in a region known as Sudan. Historically, they are closely related to the Mossi people of present day Burkina Faso. They mainly occupy the Tamale region, which also doubles up as the capital of the Northern Region.
8. The Hausa
The Hausa are by far the single largest ethnic group in West Africa, with the majority living in parts of Togo, Chad, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Nigeria among other countries. The Hausa speak the Hausa Language which is an Afro-Asiatic language.
9. The Kusasi People
Presently, there are about 400,000 Kusasis spread across the Bawku districts in the northern part of the country. In the recent past, the relationship between the Kusasi and other ethnic groups has hit rocky waters mainly because of a tag of war over the control of Bawku and paramountcy. This troubled relationship has also led ethnic distrust and sour relations between them and their neighbours.
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