View source for Languages of Ghana

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{{Languages of
| country    = Ghana
| official   = English<ref name="The Ghanaian Government states that English is the official language">{{cite web|quote=English is the official language of Ghana and is universally used in schools in addition to nine other local languages. The most widely spoken local languages are, Ga, Dagomba, Akan and Ewe.|url=http://www.ghanaembassy.org/index.php?page=language-and-religion|title=Language and Religion|publisher=Ghana Embassy|access-date=8 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301155437/https://www.ghanaembassy.org/index.php?page=language-and-religion|archive-date=1 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Ghana – 2010 Population and Housing Census">{{cite web|url=http://www.statsghana.gov.gh/docfiles/2010phc/Census2010_Summary_report_of_final_results.pdf|title=Ghana – 2010 Population and Housing Census|work=Government of Ghana|year=2010|access-date=1 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925192147/http://www.statsghana.gov.gh/docfiles/2010phc/Census2010_Summary_report_of_final_results.pdf|archive-date=25 September 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| regional = ''Government-sponsored languages:<ref name="NCA">{{cite web|title=The Bureau Of Ghana Languages-BGL|url=http://www.ghanaculture.gov.gh/index1.php?linkid=331&page=2&sectionid=602|publisher=National Commission on Culture|year=2006|access-date=11 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112001558/http://www.ghanaculture.gov.gh/index1.php?linkid=331&page=2&sectionid=602|archive-date=12 November 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>'' [[Fante language|Fante]], [[Akuapem Twi]], [[Asante Twi]], [[Ewe language|Ewe]], [[Dagaare]], [[Dagbanli]], [[Adangme]], [[Ga language|Ga]], [[Gonja language|Gonja]], [[Kasem language|Kasem]], [[Nzema language|Nzema]]
| immigrant    = 
{{Plainlist|
* Chinese<ref>{{cite web|title=Ghana Institute of Languages|url=http://www.gil.edu.gh/web/about-us.php|work=gil.edu.gh|publisher=[[Ghana Institute of Languages]]|access-date=16 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005001820/http://www.gil.edu.gh/web/about-us.php|archive-date=5 October 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Standard Hindi|Hindi]]<ref name="IMM">{{cite web|title=Immigration into Ghana Since 1990|url=http://www.oecd.org/dev/poverty/46733734.pdf|publisher=Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS), University of Ghana, Legon|year=2012|access-date=11 November 2013}}</ref>
* [[Arabic]]<ref name="IMM"/>
* [[Sindhi language|Sindhi]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Indian Community in Ghana|url=http://www.indiahc-ghana.com/pages.php?id=93|work=indiahc-ghana.com|access-date=16 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708230115/http://www.indiahc-ghana.com/pages.php?id=93|archive-date=8 July 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Yoruba language|Yoruba]]<ref name="IMM"/>
}} 
| foreign    = French
| sign        = [[Ghanaian Sign Language]] <br>([[American Sign Language]]) <br>[[Adamorobe Sign Language]]<br>[[Nanabin Sign Language]]
| extralabel = [[Lingua franca]]
| extra      = [[Ghanaian English]]<br />[[Ghanaian Pidgin English]]
|image = Shai Hills Reserve (29).jpg
|caption = English-language sign at the [[Shai Hills Resource Reserve]]
}}
[[File:Ghana Army Southern Command.JPG|thumb|230px|A government sign in English in [[Accra]]]]

[[Ghana]] is a [[multilingual]] country in which about eighty languages are spoken.<ref>[http://www.ethnologue.com/country/GH "Ghana," in: Lewis, M. Paul, Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig (eds.). 2014. ''Ethnologue: Languages of the World'', 17th ed.Murica Texas: SIL International.]</ref> Of these, English, which was inherited from the colonial era, is the [[official language]] and [[lingua franca]].<ref name="USA">{{cite web|title=The Bureau Of Ghana Languages-BGL|url=http://www.ghanaembassy.org/index.php?page=language-and-religion|publisher=Ghana Embassy Washington DC, USA|year=2013|access-date=11 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=A handbook of varieties of English. 1. Phonology, Volume 2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mtd3a-56ysUC&pg=PA847 |publisher=Oxford University Press |author=Bernd Kortmann Walter de Gruyter, 2004|year=2004|access-date=11 November 2013|isbn=9783110175325 }}</ref> Of the languages indigenous to Ghana, [[Akan languages|Akan]] is the most widely spoken in the south.<ref name="Introduction To The Verbal and Multi-Verbalsystem of Akan"/> [[Dagbani language|Dagbani]], Dagare, Sisaala, Waale, and Gonja are among the most widely spoken in the northern part of the country. 

[[Ghana]] has more than seventy ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language.<ref>{{cite web|title=Master Drummers of Dagbon, Volumes 1 and 2
|url=http://www.johnchernoff.com/Master%20Drummers%20of%20Dagbon%20notes.html|publisher=Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979|access-date=8 December 2013|date=1992|author1=Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulai |author2=John M. Chernoff }}</ref> Languages that belong to the same ethnic group are usually mutually intelligible. The [[Dagbani language|Dagbanli]], Nanumba and [[Mampruli language|Mamprusi]] languages of [[Northern Region, Ghana|Northern Region]], are almost the same and, are mutually intelligible with the [[Frafra language|Frafra]] and [[Wali language (Gur)|Waali]] languages of the Upper East and [[Upper West Region]]s of [[Ghana]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Tribes of the Ashanti Hinterland" (1932)|journal=Journal of the Royal African Society|volume=30|issue=118|pages=40–57|publisher=Oxford University Press|author=R.S.Rattray Journal of the Royal African Society Vol. 30, No. 118 (Jan., 1931), pp. 40–57|jstor=716938|year=1931}}</ref> The [[Oti–Volta languages|Mole–Dagbani]] languages are spoken by more than 20% of the population.

Eleven languages have the status of government-sponsored languages: three [[Akan language|Akan dialects]] ([[Akuapem dialect|Akuapem Twi]], [[Asante dialect|Asante Twi]] and [[Fante dialect|Fante]]) and two [[Oti–Volta languages|Mole–Dagbani languages]] ([[Dagaare]] and [[Dagomba language|Dagbanli]]). The others are [[Ewe language|Ewe]], [[Adangme language|Dangme]], [[Ga language|Ga]], [[Nzema language|Nzema]], [[Gonja language|Gonja]], and [[Kasem language|Kasem]].<ref name="NCA"/>
<!--<ref>{{cite web|title=Study of Ghanaian Languages|url=http://www.africa.upenn.edu/K-12/Study_16156.html|publisher=http://www.africa.upenn.edu|access-date=6 November 2013}}</ref> -->

In April 2019, the Ghanaian government declared its intention to make French one of Ghana's official languages due to the country being surrounded by Francophone countries ([[Burkina Faso]] to a lesser extent, the [[Ivory Coast]] and [[Togo]]) and the presence of a French speaking minority in the country.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://qz.com/africa/1588566/ghanas-president-wants-french-as-a-second-language/ | title=Ghana's president wants to make French a formal language, but it's not a popular plan | date=7 April 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pulse.com.gh/bi/strategy/ghana-adopts-french-as-its-second-official-language/eg77s29 | title=Ghana adopts French as its second official language | date=21 March 2019 }}</ref>

==Government-sponsored languages==
The number of government-sponsored languages is either eleven or nine, depending on whether or not [[Akuapem Twi]], [[Asante dialect|Asante Twi]], and [[Fante dialect|Fante]] are considered a single language.<ref name="NCA"/> They are supported by the [[Bureau of Ghana Languages]], which was established in 1951 and publishes materials in the languages; during the periods when Ghanaian languages were used in primary education, these were the languages which were used. All these languages belong to the [[Niger–Congo language family]], though to several different branches.

===Akan (Fante, Asante Twi and Akuapem Twi)===
[[File:Predominant tribe in the area - (Ghana) LOC 88692692.jpg|thumb|350px|A map of Ghana's ethno-linguistic areas]]

[[Akan languages|Akan]], part of the [[Kwa languages|Kwa branch]] of the Niger–Congo family, is a [[dialect continuum]],<ref>{{cite web|title=The Online Encyclopaedia of Written Systems Languages|url=http://www.omniglot.com/writing/akan.htm|publisher=Omniglot|year=2013|access-date=11 November 2013}}</ref> but with regard to official status, only a few out of the many varieties of Akan are recognised: [[Fante dialect|Fante]], [[Asante dialect|Asante Twi]], [[Akuapem dialect|Akuapem Twi]]. Taken as a whole, Akan is the most-widely spoken language in Ghana.<ref name="Introduction To The Verbal and Multi-Verbalsystem of Akan">{{cite web|title=Introduction To The Verbal and Multi-Verbal system of Akan|url=http://www.ling.hf.ntnu.no/tross/osam.pdf|work=ling.hf.ntnu.no|year=2013|access-date=16 November 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407085659/http://www.ling.hf.ntnu.no/tross/osam.pdf|archive-date=7 April 2014}}</ref>

===Ewe===
[[Ewe language|Ewe]] is a [[Gbe languages|Gbe language]], part of the [[Volta–Niger languages|Volta–Niger branch]] of the Niger–Congo family. The Ewe Language is spoken in Ghana, Togo and Benin with a trace of the language in West Nigeria.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://verbafricana.org/ewe/c-ewe-language.htm|title=Verba Africana — Ewe background materials — The Ewe language|website=verbafricana.org|access-date=2019-05-18}}</ref> Out of the many dialects of Ewe spoken in Ghana, the major ones are Anlo, Tongu, Vedome, Gbi, and Krepi.

=== Dagbani ===
[[Dagbani language|Dagbani]] is one of the [[Gur languages]]. It is the most spoken language in Northern Ghana. The number of native  speakers numbers more than three million, this number will reach six million if dialects such as Nanumba, Mamprusi and Kamara are added. It belongs to the larger [[Oti–Volta languages|Mole–Dagbani]] [[Ethnic groups in Africa#Overview#Western Africa|ethnic group]] found in [[Ghana]] and [[Demographics of Ghana#Ethnic groups|makes up about 18.5% of the population]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Ethnic Structure, Inequality and Governance of the Public Sector in Ghana |url=http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BCCF9/%28httpAuxPages%29/8509496C0F316AB1C1256ED900466964/$file/Asante%20%28small%29.pdf|publisher=United Nations Research Institute For Social Development (UNRISD)|author=Richard Asante & E.Gyimah-Boadi |year=2004|access-date=11 November 2013}}</ref> It is spoken by [[Dagomba people|Dagombas]] in the [[Northern Region, Ghana|Northern Region]] of [[Ghana]].

===Dangme===
[[Adangme language|Dangme]] is one of the [[Ga–Dangme languages]] within the Kwa branch. It is spoken in Greater Accra, in south-east Ghana and Togo.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ndetei |first=Chris |date=2019-09-23 |title=A look at the exciting facts of the Dangme language |url=https://yen.com.gh/133471-dangme-basic-phrases-interesting-facts.html |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=Yen.com.gh – Ghana news. |language=en}}</ref> Dangme is a West African Kwa language spoken in Ghana, and it has been gaining popularity among Ghana residents.

===Dagaare===
[[Dagaare language|Dagaare]] is another of the Gur languages. It is spoken in the Upper West Region of Ghana. It is also spoken in [[Burkina Faso]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dagaare language and alphabet |url=https://omniglot.com/writing/dagaare.htm |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=omniglot.com}}</ref> Waali, spoken by the Wala people, and the Dagaare language are languages that can be understood by each other's speakers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Upper West Region |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/geography/upper_west.php |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=www.ghanaweb.com}}</ref>

===Ga===
[[Ga language|Ga]] is the other Ga–Dangme language within the Kwa branch. Ga is spoken in south-eastern Ghana, in and around the capital Accra. It is a Niger-Congo language in the Kwa branch, spoken by around 600,000 people in Ghana.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ga language, alphabet and pronunciation |url=https://omniglot.com/writing/ga.htm |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=omniglot.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ga {{!}} Ga People {{!}} West African Tribe, Language & Culture {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ga |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> Six separate towns comprised the Ga-speaking peoples: Accra, Osu, Labadi, Teshi, Nungua, and Tema. Each town had a central stool of importance in Ga traditions. Accra, among these towns, rose to prominence and now serves as Ghana's capital.

===Nzema===
[[Nzema language|Nzema]] is one of the [[Bia languages]], closely related to Akan. It is spoken by the [[Nzema people]] in the Western Region of Ghana. It is also spoken in the [[Côte d'Ivoire|Ivory Coast]]. Nzema, also known as Appolo, is mainly spoken in Ghana's Jomoro district and Ivory Coast's Comoé district. In 2004, it had around 330,000 speakers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ndetei |first=Chris |date=2019-09-30 |title=Fascinating facts about the Nzema community and useful phrases |url=https://yen.com.gh/133827-nzema-basic-phrases-interesting-facts.html |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=Yen.com.gh – Ghana news. |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nzema language, alphabet and pronunciation |url=https://www.omniglot.com/writing/nzema.htm |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=www.omniglot.com}}</ref> The Nzema language utilizes a Latin-based script and comprises a total of twenty-four alphabetic characters.

===Kasem===
[[Kasem language|Kasem]] is a [[Gurunsi languages|Gurunsi language]], in the Gur branch. It is spoken in the Upper Eastern Region of Ghana. It is also spoken in [[Burkina Faso]]. By 1998, Kasem had around 250,000 speakers, divided between Ghana (130,000) and Burkina Faso (120,000). It's alternatively known as Kasena, Kasim, Kassem, Kasɩm, or Kassena.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kasem to English dictionary . |url=https://lughayangu.com/kasem |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=Lughayangu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Kasem language and alphabet |url=https://omniglot.com/writing/kasem.htm |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=omniglot.com}}</ref>

===Gonja===
[[Gonja language|Gonja]] is one of the [[Guang languages]], part of the [[Tano languages]] within the Kwa branch along with Akan and Bia. It is spoken in the Northern Region of Ghana and Wa. "Gonja" comes from "Kada Goro-Jaa" in Hausa, signifying "land of Red Cola." Ghana has over 285,000 Gonja people.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ndetei |first=Chris |date=2020-10-02 |title=Guan tribe: history, language, food, dance, festivals, facts |url=https://yen.com.gh/171789-guan-tribe-history-language-food-dance-festivals-facts.html |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=Yen.com.gh – Ghana news. |language=en}}</ref>

== Languages spoken in Ghana by number of speakers ==
This chart reflects data provided by ''Ethnologue''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ethnologue.com/country/GH/languages|title=Ghana|website=Ethnologue|language=en|access-date=2019-08-04}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Rank
!Language
!Speakers
|-
|1
|English
|9,800,002
|-
|2
|[[Akan languages|Akan]] ([[Fante dialect|Fante]]/[[Twi]])
|9,100,000
|-
|3
|[[Ghanaian Pidgin English]]
|5,000,000
|-
|4
|[[Ewe language|Ewe]] Dialects of Ɛve include Aŋlo, Tɔŋu, Vɛdomɛ,Gbi, Krepi, among others)
|3,820,000
|-
|5
|[[Abron dialect|Abron]]
|1,170,000
|-
|6
|[[Dagbani language|Dagbani]] (including Mamprusi,  and Nanumba dialects)
|1,160,000
|-
|7
|[[Dangme language|Dangme]]
|1,020,000
|-
|8
|[[Dagaare language|Dagaare]]
|924,000
|-
|9
|[[Konkomba language|Konkomba]]
|831,000
|-
|10
|[[Ga language|Ga]]
|745,000
|-
|11
|Farefare
|638,000
|-
|12
|Kusaal
|535,000
|-
|13
|[[Mamprusi language|Mampruli]]
|414,000
|-
|14
|[[Gonja language|Gonja]]
|310,000
|-
|15
|[[Sehwi language|Sehwi]]
|305,000
|-
|16
|[[Nzema language|Nzema]]
|299,000
|-
|17
|French
|273,795
|-
|18
|[[Wasa dialect|Wasa]]
|273,000
|-
|19
|[[Sisaala language|Sisaala, Tumulung]]
|219,000
|-
|20
|[[Sisaala language|Sisaala, Western]]
|219,000
|-
|21
|[[Bimoba language|Bimoba]]
|176,000
|-
|22
|[[Ahanta language|Ahanta]]
|175,000
|-
|23
|[[Ntcham language|Ntcham]]
|169,000
|-
|24
|[[Buli language (Ghana)|Buli]]
|168,000
|-
|25
|[[Bisa language (Burkina Faso)|Bisa]]
|166,000
|-
|26
|[[Kasena language|Kasem]]
|149,000
|-
|27
|[[Tem language|Tem]]
|134,000
|-
|28
|[[Cherepon language|Cherepon]]
|132,000
|-
|29
|[[Southern Birifor language|Birifor, Southern]]
|125,000
|-
|30
|[[Anufo language|Anufo]]
|91,300
|-
|31
|[[Wali language (Gur)|Wali]]
|84,800
|-
|32
|[[Larteh language|Larteh]]
|74,000
|-
|33
|[[Siwu language|Siwu]]
|71,900
|-
|34
|[[Chumburung language|Chumburung]]
|69,000
|-
|35
|[[Anyin language|Anyin]]
|66,400
|-
|35
|[[Nafaanra]]
|61,000
|-
|36
|[[Krache language|Krache]]
|58,000
|-
|37
|[[Lelemi language|Lelemi]]
|48,900
|-
|38
|[[Deg language|Deg]]
|42,900
|-
|39
|[[Paasaal language|Paasaal]]
|36,000
|-
|40
|[[Kabiye language|Kabre, (language kabre)]]
|35,642
|-
|41
|[[Avatime language|Avatime]]
|27,200
|-
|42
|[[Kulango language|Kulango, Bondoukou]]
|27,000
|-
|43
|[[Sekpele language|Sekpele]]
|23,000
|-
|44
|[[Delo language|Delo]]
|18,400
|-
|45
|[[Jwira-Pepesa language|Jwira-Pepesa]]
|18,000
|-
|46
|[[Gua language|Gua]]
|17,600
|-
|47
|[[Tampulma]]
|16,000
|-
|48
|[[Kulango language|Kulango, Bouna]]
|15,500
|-
|49
|[[Ligbi language|Ligbi]]
|15,000
|-
|50
|[[Nawuri language|Nawuri]]
|14,000
|-
|51
|[[Vagla language|Vagla]]
|13,900
|-
|52
|[[Tuwuli]]
|11,400
|-
|53
|[[Selee language|Selee]]
|11,300
|-
|54
|[[Adele language|Adele]]
|11,000
|-
|55
|[[Nkonya language|Nkonya]]
|11,000
|-
|56
|[[Gikyode]]
|10,400
|-
|57
|[[Dwang language|Dwang]]
|8,200
|-
|58
|[[Akposo language|Akposo]]
|7,500
|-
|59
|[[Logba language|Logba]]
|7,500
|-
|60
|[[Nkami language|Nkami]]
|7,000
|-
|61
|[[Hanga language|Hanga]]
|6,800
|-
|62
|[[Nyangbo language|Nyangbo]]
|6,400
|-
|63
|[[Chakali language|Chakali]]
|6,000
|-
|64
|[[Ghanaian Sign Language]]
|6,000
|-
|65
|[[Safaliba language|Safaliba]]
|5,000
|-
|66
|[[Tafi language|Tafi]]
|4,400
|-
|67
|[[Maasina Fulfulde|Fulfulde, Maasina]]
|4,240
|-
|68
|[[Adangbe|Adangbe/Dangbe]]
|4,000
|-
|69
|[[Konni language|Konni]]
|3,800
|-
|70
|[[Adamorobe Sign Language]]
|3,500
|-
|71
|[[Chala language|Chala]]
|3,000
|-
|72
|[[Kamara language|Kamara]]
|3,000
|-
|73
|[[Kantosi language|Kantosi]]
|2,300
|-
|74
|[[Bago-Kusuntu language|Kusuntu]]
|2,100
|-
|75
|[[Nchumbulu language|Nchumbulu]]
|1,800
|-
|76
|[[Kplang language|Kplang]]
|1,600
|-
|77
|[[Dompo language|Dompo]]
|970
|-
|78
|[[Animere language|Animere]]
|700
|-
|79
|[[Hausa language|Hausa]]
|Unclear
|-
|80
|[[Lama language|Lama]]
|1
|-
|81
|[[Nawdm language|Nawdm]]
|Unclear
|}

==Language classification==
The language of Ghana belong to the following branches within the [[Niger–Congo languages|Niger–Congo language family]]:
*[[Kwa languages]] (Akan, Bia, Guang in Tano; Ga and Adangme)
*[[Gbe languages]] (Ewe)
*[[Gur languages]] (Gurunsi, [[Dagbani language|Dagbani]], Mossi, Dagaare, and Frafra in Oti–Volta)
*[[Senufo languages]] ([[Nafaanra language|Nafaanra]])
*[[Kulango languages]]
*[[Mande languages]] (Wangara, Ligbi)

Older classifications may instead group them as Kwa, Gur, and Mande.

==See also==
*[[Ghana]]
*[[Demographics of Ghana]]
*[[Ghanaian English]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120828183503/http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=Ghana Ethnologue listing for Ghana]
*[http://www.ethnologue.com/show_map.asp?name=GH&seq=10 Ethnologue map of languages in Ghana]
*[http://www.lingref.com/cpp/acal/35/paper1298.pdf Owu-Ewie, Charles. 2006. The Language Policy of Education in Ghana: A Critical Look at the English-Only Language Policy of Education. In Selected Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference on African Linguistics, ed. John Mugane et al., 76–85. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project.]
*[http://www.panafril10n.org/wikidoc/pmwiki.php/PanAfrLoc/Ghana PanAfrican L10n wiki page on Ghana]
*[http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/afrique/ghana.htm ''L'aménagement linguistique dans le monde'' page on Ghana]
*[http://www.Ghanaweb.com GhanaWeb]

{{Languages of Ghana}}
{{Ghana topics}}
{{Africa in topic|Languages of}}
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