Ghanaian English
Germanic
Ghanaian English (commonly tagged en-GH) is an institutionalized variety of English used as Ghana’s official language and as a nationwide lingua franca in a highly multilingual society. It is central to government, law, education, and national media and is generally learned alongside one or more Ghanaian languages such as Akan, Ewe, Ga, or Dagbani. Developed historically from British English, it has stable local features in pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and discourse. Educated Ghanaian English is typically non-rhotic, lacks linking and intrusive r, and often realizes vowel length and some consonantal contrasts differently from Received Pronunciation; outcomes vary with speakers’ first languages. It should not be confused with Ghanaian Pidgin English, a separate English-lexified pidgin with its own grammar and social distribution.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Ghanaian English
Sources
- Huber, Magnus 2004, Ghanaian English: phonology, in Kortmann & Schneider (eds.), A Handbook of Varieties of English vol. 1, Mouton de Gruyter, 842–865
- en.wikipedia: Ghanaian English
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Germanic
| Meaning | Ghanaian English | Kenyan English | Nigerian English | Malaysian English | English | Jamaican English | Welsh English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ |
| Fire | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ |
| Sun | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sɔn/ | sun /san/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sɵn/ | sun /sʌn/ |
| Moon | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ |
| Star | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /stɑːɹ/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ |
| Night | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ |
| Rain | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɾeɪn/ |
| Snow | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoʊ/ |
| Wind | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ |
| Earth | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːθ/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːθ/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːθ/ |
| Stone | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoʊn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ |
| Mountain | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɛn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmɵʊntn̩/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ |
| Sea | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ |
| Mother | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmɔðə/ | mother /ˈmadə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmɵðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ |
| Father | father /ˈfaːðə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfadə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfaːðə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ |
| Daughter | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ |
| I | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ |
| You | you /juː/ | you /ju/ | you /ju/ | you /juː/ | you /juː/ | you /juː/ | you /juː/ |
| We | we /wiː/ | we /wi/ | we /wi/ | we /wiː/ | we /wiː/ | we /wiː/ | we /wiː/ |
| Name | name /neːm/ | name /neːm/ | name /nem/ | name /neɪm/ | name /neɪm/ | name /neːm/ | name /neːm/ |
| Person | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsɔn/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ |
| Head | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ |
| Eye | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ |
| Ear | ear /ia/ | ear /ia/ | ear /ia/ | ear /iə/ | ear /ɪɚ/ | ear /iːa/ | ear /iːə/ |
| Nose | nose /noːs/ | nose /noːz/ | nose /noːs/ | nose /noːs/ | nose /noʊz/ | nose /noːz/ | nose /noʊz/ |
| Mouth | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊθ/ | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊθ/ | — | mouth /maʊθ/ |
| Tooth | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːθ/ |
| Tongue | tongue /tɔŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tɔŋ/ | tongue /taŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tɵŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ |
| Hand | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hæn/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hand/ | hand /hand/ |
| Foot | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ |
| Heart | heart /haːt/ | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /haːt/ | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /haːt/ | heart /haːt/ |
| Bone | bone /bon/ | bone /bon/ | bone /bon/ | bone /bon/ | bone /boʊn/ | bone /boːn/ | bone /boːn/ |
| Blood | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blɔd/ | blood /blad/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blɵd/ | blood /blʌd/ |
| Poop | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poo /puː/ | poo /puː/ |
| Love | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lɔv/ | love /laf/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lɵv/ | love /lʌv/ |
| Tree | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ |
| Dog | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔk/ | dog /dɒɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɒɡ/ |
| Cat | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kʰat ~ kjaːt/ | cat /kʰat/ |
| Fish | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːɹd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ |
| Butterfly | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbɔtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbatəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbɵtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ |
| Egg | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ |
| Bear | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /beːɹ/ | bear /bɛː/ |
| Horse | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ |
| House | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /hɵʊs/ | house /haʊs/ |
| Milk | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ |
| Honey | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhɔni/ | honey /ˈhani/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhɵni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ |
| Salt | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ |
| Wine | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ |
| Rice | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ |
| Iron | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ |
| Wheel | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ |
| Silk | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ |
| Book | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ |
| Eat | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ |
| Drink | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ |
| Sleep | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ |
| One | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wɔn/ | one /wan/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wɵn/ | one /wʌn/ |
| Two | two /tuː/ | two /tu/ | two /tu/ | two /tuː/ | two /tuː/ | two /tuː/ | two /tuː/ |
| Three | three /tɹi/ | three /θɹi/ | three /tɹi/ | three /tɹiː/ | three /θɹiː/ | three /tɹiː/ | three /θɹiː/ |
| Four | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔːɹ/ | four /foː/ | four /fɔː/ |
| Five | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ |
| Hundred | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhɔndɹɛd/ | hundred /ˈhandɹɛd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhɵndɹɛd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɾəd/ |
| Hello | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈlo/ | hello /həˈləʊ/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈləʊ/ |
| Thank you | thanks /taŋks/ | thank you /θæŋk juː/ | thanks /taŋks/ | thanks /tɛŋks/ | thank you /θæŋk juː/ | thank you /taŋk juː/ | thanks /θaŋks/ |
| Good | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊt/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ |
| New | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /nɪʊ/ |
| Red | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɾɛd/ |
| White | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ |
| Black | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blak/ | black /blak/ |
| Green | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɾiːn/ |
| Blue | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /blɪʊ/ |
| Cuckoo | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ |
| Woof | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ |
| Cock-a-doodle-doo | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɒkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɒkəduːdlˈduː/ |
| Computer | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /kɔmˈpjuːta/ | computer /kɔmˈpjuːta/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /komˈpjuːta/ | computer /kəmˈpɪʊtə/ |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ |
| Tea | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ |
| Coffee | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɒfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɒfi/ |
| Sugar | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ |
| Orange | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɒɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɒɾɪndʒ/ |
| Ninety-nine | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ |
| Dopamine | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdəʊpəmiːn/ |
| At sign | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /at/ | at /at/ |
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