Phonological adaptation of Arabic names in Atebubu (Bono East Region, Ghana) Cover Image

Phonological adaptation of Arabic names in Atebubu (Bono East Region, Ghana)
Phonological adaptation of Arabic names in Atebubu (Bono East Region, Ghana)

Author(s): Abdulai Akuamah, John Odoom
Subject(s): Language studies, Applied Linguistics
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: Atebubu; Akan; Bono dialect; nativisation; phonological adaptation; personal names; pronunciation

Summary/Abstract: This paper discusses the phonological processes embedded in some nativised Arabic personal names in Atebubu, in the Bono East Region of Ghana. The study shows that the main phonological processes entrenched in the nativisation process include segment deletion, vowel insertion, prothesis, substitution, consonant deletion, hypocorism, and free variation. These phonological processes are employed as a mitigation strategy to conform to the phonotactics of Akan. Moreover, the study shows that the Bono speakers usually substitute the consonants [ʃ, z, q, d͡ʑ] with [ɕ, s, k, d͡ʒ], respectively. Data for the study was gathered from both primary and secondary sources.

  • Issue Year: 2023
  • Issue No: 57
  • Page Range: 175-192
  • Page Count: 18
  • Language: English
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