Akan Ethnic Groups
| Population | 7,000,000 (1995 WA), 44% of the population (1990 WA). 1,170,000 Asante Twi, 4,300,000 Fante, 230,000 Akuapem Twi (1993 UBS). |
| Region | The Asante are south central, Ashanti Province. The Akuapem are southeast, in areas north of Accra. The Fante are south central, between Winneba, Takoradi, and Obuasi. |
| Dialects | FANTE (FANTI, MFANTSE), AKUAPEM (AKWAPEM TWI, TWI, AKUAPIM, AKWAPI), ASANTE (ASHANTE TWI, TWI, ASANTI, ACHANTI), AGONA, DANKYIRA, ASEN, AKYEM BOSOME, KWAWU, AHAFO. |
| Classification | Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Central, Akan. |
| Comments | Dialects are largely inherently intelligible. The speech of the Asante and Akuapem is called 'Twi.' Dictionary. Grammar. SVO. Literacy rate in first language: 30% to 60%. Literacy rate in second language: 5% to 10%. Roman. Bible 1871-1964. |
Bibliography about this language:
Abakah, Emmanuel N. 1998/1999. "On the question of standard Fante."
Cahill, Michael. 1985. An autosegmental analysis of Akan nasality and tone.
Savage, T. Dale. 1987. "Some abstract features of Kwa vowel harmony: An autosegmental approach to Engenni, Igbo, Akan, and Yoruba."
1. "A closer look at downstep in Akan" by Abakah, Emmanuel Nicholas. 2000. Afrika und Ubersee.
2. "The low tone in Akan" by Abakah, Emmanuel Nicholas. 2002. Proceedings of the 14th Afrikanistentag.
3. "Remarks on the Akan vocalic inventory" 2002. Ferstschrift in honour of the 3Ds (ie Prof. M.E. Dakubu, Prof. F.A. Dolphyne and Prof. A.S. Duthie.