Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Dangme language
open-in-new
<h2 id="classification">Classification</h2> <p>Adangme is a <a href="/facts/Kwa_languages/3esoJfb3">Kwa language</a>, part of the <a href="/facts/Niger%25E2%2580%2593Congo_languages/K0kStJHg">Niger–Congo family</a>. It is closely related to <a href="/facts/Ga_language/Q4khphBx">Ga</a>, and together they form the <a href="/facts/Ga%25E2%2580%2593Dangme_languages/nTtnK9nz">Ga–Dangme</a> branch within Kwa. </p> <h2 id="geographic-distribution">Geographic distribution</h2> <p>Adangme is spoken in <a href="/facts/Ghana/IkUw32Ya">Ghana</a> by over 800,000 people as of 2004. </p><p>It is the aboriginal language spoken in Ghana, <a href="/facts/Togo/7HzUaQkw">Togo</a>, and <a href="/facts/Benin/G98jPhND">Benin</a> by the people of Ada, Osudoku, Manya Krobo, Yilo Krobo, Shai, Ningo, Prampram and Kpone. Adangme is partly mutually intelligible with <a href="/facts/Ga_language/Q4khphBx">Ga</a>, and, to a lesser extent, <a href="/facts/Ewe_language/HBzApnmd">Ewe</a>. Nevertheless, many Adangme people also speak or understand at least one of these languages, painting the relationship as asymmetric. Adangme as a school subject is taught in the Adangme areas. </p><p>The land of these related tribes stretched from the Greater Accra Region to the Eastern Region of Ghana, northward to the <a href="/facts/Togo_Mountains/lczIVzd5">Akwapim</a> hills and has all the Adangmeland on the east and the <a href="/facts/Ga_people/nz61DrwR">Ga</a> to the west of it. Bawaleshi, which is about 4.8 kilometers southwest of Dodowa, is the last Adangme town which is close to the <a href="/facts/Akuapem_people/zJf3hbpV">Akwapim</a> and the Ga boundaries. There are six main dialects which coincide with political units. The coastal dialects are Ada, Ningo and Prampram (Gbugbla). The inland dialects are Shai (Sɛ), Krobo (Klo) and Osudoku. </p> <h2 id="phonology">Phonology</h2> <h3>Consonants</h3> Consonant phonemes<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a><table><tbody><tr><th colspan="2"></th><th><a href="/facts/Labial_consonant/bv4MqTMf">Labial</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Alveolar_consonant/B6VkW2EX">Alveolar</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Palatal_consonant/KLcKyXE8">Palatal</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Velar_consonant/blWClp79">Velar</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Labial-velar_consonant/YNfbXN0U">Labial-velar</a></th></tr><tr><th colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Nasal_consonant/m6D3cVhe">Nasal</a></th><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_bilabial_nasal/1pd7NK2x">m</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_nasal/0CEs8314">n</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_palatal_nasal/dLa9YG49">ɲ</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_velar_nasal/r6v5q92L">ŋ</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_labial%25E2%2580%2593velar_nasal/bR7bNy3v">ŋ͡m</a></td></tr><tr><th rowspan="2"><a href="/facts/Stop_consonant/okC9pztc">Plosive</a>/<a href="/facts/Affricate_consonant/Fn2y7FIA">Affricate</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Voicelessness/575TtTUn">voiceless</a></th><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_bilabial_plosive/w4M9Igp6">p</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_alveolar_plosive/1GaDe2Vy">t</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_postalveolar_affricate/14FYMJvN">t͡ʃ</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_velar_plosive/dDppVb6e">k</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_labial%25E2%2580%2593velar_plosive/b3elvwfD">k͡p</a></td></tr><tr><th><a href="/facts/Voice_(phonetics)/VdqrEGQ3">voiced</a></th><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_bilabial_plosive/6ReC9arR">b</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_plosive/A6hNvmCp">d</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_postalveolar_affricate/o7oYJUqz">d͡ʒ</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_velar_plosive/f6udTvfQ">ɡ</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_labial%25E2%2580%2593velar_plosive/6M2DB4lm">ɡ͡b</a></td></tr><tr><th rowspan="2"><a href="/facts/Fricative_consonant/1FQuuhfX">Fricative</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Voicelessness/575TtTUn">voiceless</a></th><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_labiodental_fricative/dUkN8guL">f</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_alveolar_fricative/WLKtEYDe">s</a></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th><a href="/facts/Voice_(phonetics)/VdqrEGQ3">voiced</a></th><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_labiodental_fricative/v9lESng4">v</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_fricative/TtHwyzp6">z</a></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Approximant_consonant/SXrlw7zY">Approximant</a></th><td></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_lateral_approximant/dgbHhqeK">l</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_palatal_approximant/v0NVCbUh">j</a></td><td></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_labial%25E2%2580%2593velar_approximant/HLDqbrvr">w</a></td></tr></tbody></table> <ul><li>/m, p, b/ are <a href="/facts/Bilabial_consonant/q2H5MUAe">bilabial</a>, whereas /f, v/ are <a href="/facts/Labiodental_consonant/tbsml4ED">labiodental</a>.</li> <li>/p, b, t, d, k, g/ are singly articulated plosives, /t͡ʃ, d͡ʒ/ are affricates (stops with a strong fricative release), whereas /k͡p, ɡ͡b/ are <a href="/facts/Doubly_articulated_consonant/oJCQVSyg">doubly articulated</a> plosives.</li> <li>/l/ varies between a lateral approximant [<a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_lateral_approximant/dgbHhqeK">l</a>] and a central trill [<a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_trill/rDplJobc">r</a>].</li> <li>/j/ has a fricative allophone [<a href="/facts/Voiced_postalveolar_fricative/Tb8XpRoS">ʒ</a>].</li></ul> <h3>Vowels</h3> <p>Dangme has 7 oral vowels and 5 nasal vowels.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> </p> <table><tbody><tr><th rowspan="2"></th><th colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Front_vowel/htKQs3AT">Front</a></th><th colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Back_vowel/gyHoGCH0">Back</a></th></tr><tr><th>oral</th><th><a href="/facts/Nasal_vowel/E8MYuu0T">nasal</a></th><th>oral</th><th><a href="/facts/Nasal_vowel/E8MYuu0T">nasal</a></th></tr><tr><th><a href="/facts/Close_vowel/Ne6tHQHR">Close</a></th><td><a href="/facts/Close_front_unrounded_vowel/rSUdlCPU">i</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Nasal_vowel/E8MYuu0T">ĩ</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Close_back_rounded_vowel/gqlQLfse">u</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Nasal_vowel/E8MYuu0T">ũ</a></td></tr><tr><th><a href="/facts/Close-mid_vowel/rK07wQEd">Close-mid</a></th><td><a href="/facts/Close-mid_front_unrounded_vowel/e9YNLF97">e</a></td><td> </td><td><a href="/facts/Close-mid_back_rounded_vowel/VwS9cKWJ">o</a></td><td> </td></tr><tr><th><a href="/facts/Open-mid_vowel/qkco8QqT">Open-mid</a></th><td><a href="/facts/Near-open_front_unrounded_vowel/YFxhvcEV">ɛ</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Nasal_vowel/E8MYuu0T">ɛ̃</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Open_back_rounded_vowel/k0owsbDF">ɔ</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Nasal_vowel/E8MYuu0T">ɔ̃</a></td></tr><tr><th><a href="/facts/Open_vowel/roS0Y7lA">Open</a></th><td><a href="/facts/Open_front_unrounded_vowel/s80pvmYh">a</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Nasal_vowel/E8MYuu0T">ã</a></td><td> </td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table> <ul><li>The front vowels are unrounded, whereas the back vowels are rounded.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a></li> <li>/i, u/ are slightly more open than /ĩ, ũ/.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a></li> <li>/e, o/ are close-mid [<a href="/facts/Close-mid_front_unrounded_vowel/e9YNLF97">e</a>, <a href="/facts/Close-mid_back_rounded_vowel/VwS9cKWJ">o</a>]. They do not have nasal counterparts.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a></li> <li>/ɛ̃, ɔ̃/ are open-mid [<a href="/facts/Open-mid_front_unrounded_vowel/aDRvwE46">ɛ̃</a>, <a href="/facts/Open-mid_back_rounded_vowel/yMNUClGt">ɔ̃</a>], whereas /ɛ, ɔ/ are somewhat lower (near-open) [<a href="/facts/Near-open_front_unrounded_vowel/YFxhvcEV">æ</a>, <a href="/facts/Open_back_rounded_vowel/k0owsbDF">ɔ̞</a>].<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a></li> <li>The nasal /ã/ is open front [<a href="/facts/Open_front_unrounded_vowel/s80pvmYh">ã</a>], whereas the oral /a/ is slightly retracted (near-front) [<a href="/facts/Open_front_unrounded_vowel/s80pvmYh">a̠</a>].<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a></li></ul> <h3>Tones</h3> <p>Dangme has three tones: high, mid and low. Like many West African languages, it has <a href="/facts/Tone_terracing/ah6JF2mS">tone terracing</a>. </p> <h3>Phonotactics</h3> <p>The possible syllable structures are V, CV, or CCV where the second consonant is /l/. </p> <h2 id="writing-system">Writing system</h2> <p>Dangme is written in the <a href="/facts/Latin_script/7EWeJjUV">Latin script</a>, with the addition of the letters ɛ, ɔ, and ŋ. Tones are not normally written.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p><p>Orthographic and phonemic correspondences include the following: </p> <ul><li>j - /dʒ/</li> <li>ŋ - /ŋ/</li> <li>ŋm - /ŋm/</li> <li>ny - /ɲ/</li> <li>ts - /tʃ/</li> <li>y - /j/</li> <li>ɛ - /ɛ/</li> <li>ɔ - /ɔ/</li></ul> <h2 id="sample-text">Sample text</h2> <p>The following text is Article 1 of the <a href="/facts/Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights/8hsauJsB">Universal Declaration of Human Rights</a>. </p><p><i>Adesahi tsuo ɔ, a bɔ mɛ nɛ nɔ fɛɛ nɔ e ye e he, nɛ nɔ tsuaa nɔsɔ ngɛ odehe si himi kɛ he blɔhi a blɔ fa mi. A bɔ mɛ kɛ nɔ́ se kɔmi kɛ he nule juɛmi, nɛ e hia kaa nɔ fɛɛ nɔ nɛ e na nyɛmi suɔmi kɛ ha nɔ tsuaa nɔ.</i><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="bibliography">Bibliography</h2> <ul><li>Kropp Dakubu, M. E., ed. (1977). <i>West African Language Data Sheets</i>. Vol. 1. West African Linguistic Society.</li> <li>Kropp Dakubu, M. E. (1987). <a href="https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_phon-1"><i>The Dangme Language: An Introductory Survey</i></a>. London: Macmillan.</li> <li>Kropp Dakubu, M. E., ed. (1988). <i>The Languages of Ghana</i>. London: Kegan Paul International for the International African Institute. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-7103-0210-X.</li> <li><i>Language Guide</i>. Accra: Bureau of Ghana Languages 4th Edition. 1977.</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <i>Dangme language test</i> of <a href="/facts/Wikipedia/KDRNKWnc">Wikipedia</a> at Wikimedia Incubator <ul><li><a href="http://ge.kasahorow.org/app/d">My First GaDangme Dictionary</a> kasahorow</li> <li><a href="http://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Pages/Language.aspx?LangID=gac1">Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Dangme</a></li> <li>Lessons in Wikiversity</li> <li><a href="http://globalrecordings.net/langcode/adq">Listen to a sample of Dangme from Global Recordings Network</a></li> <li><a href="http://globalrecordings.net/langcode/ada">Listen to a sample of Dangme from Global Recordings Network</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Kropp Dakubu (1987), p. 13. - Kropp Dakubu, M. E. (1987). The Dangme Language: An Introductory Survey. London: Macmillan. <a href="https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_phon-1" target="_blank">https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_phon-1</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Kropp Dakubu (1987), p. 15. - Kropp Dakubu, M. E. (1987). The Dangme Language: An Introductory Survey. London: Macmillan. <a href="https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_phon-1" target="_blank">https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_phon-1</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Kropp Dakubu (1987), p. 15. - Kropp Dakubu, M. E. (1987). The Dangme Language: An Introductory Survey. London: Macmillan. <a href="https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_phon-1" target="_blank">https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_phon-1</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Kropp Dakubu (1987), p. 15. - Kropp Dakubu, M. E. (1987). The Dangme Language: An Introductory Survey. London: Macmillan. <a href="https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_phon-1" target="_blank">https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_phon-1</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Kropp Dakubu (1987), p. 15. - Kropp Dakubu, M. E. (1987). The Dangme Language: An Introductory Survey. London: Macmillan. <a href="https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_phon-1" target="_blank">https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_phon-1</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Kropp Dakubu (1987), p. 15. - Kropp Dakubu, M. E. (1987). The Dangme Language: An Introductory Survey. London: Macmillan. <a href="https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_phon-1" target="_blank">https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_phon-1</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Kropp Dakubu (1987), p. 15. - Kropp Dakubu, M. E. (1987). The Dangme Language: An Introductory Survey. London: Macmillan. <a href="https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_phon-1" target="_blank">https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_phon-1</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Hartell, Rhonda L. (1993). Alphabets of Africa. The Long Now Foundation. Dakar: UNESCO and Summer Institute of Linguistics.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link) <a href="http://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_ortho-1" target="_blank">http://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_ada_ortho-1</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Dangme" (in English and Adangme). Retrieved 2024-04-04. <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/human-rights/universal-declaration/translations/dangme?LangID=gac1" target="_blank">https://www.ohchr.org/en/human-rights/universal-declaration/translations/dangme?LangID=gac1</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>