Now you see the result? The Nigerians don't have that problem, pidgin English has taken care of the tribal language supidity that some in Ghana boast of it.
Now you see the result? The Nigerians don't have that problem, pidgin English has taken care of the tribal language supidity that some in Ghana boast of it.
ELINAM 10 years ago
Simple because some one lied to Ghanaians that they are a model colony for the stupid British, few half-baked educated Ghanaians who wanted to be British so bad frowned on the kroo/pidgin English.Beside that these few guys la ... read full comment
Simple because some one lied to Ghanaians that they are a model colony for the stupid British, few half-baked educated Ghanaians who wanted to be British so bad frowned on the kroo/pidgin English.Beside that these few guys lacked eloquence in the English that they thought they could speak, they did everything to look down on people who were speaking pidgin and termed them as uneducated and therefore killed its organic development, while other nations like Liberia,Sierra Leon and Nigeria continued to allow its organic development.
This development has easily put many english words on the mouth of say, Nigerians and the confidence that allows them to speak it even with no formal education. The continue usage of any language makes it easier to speak.
Contrary, the average educated Ghanaian speaks the english language with no eloquence and confidence. The artistic constructions and the command that is needed to put words together to induce laughter in a comedy is just not there.
The rigidity in which we try to speak the english like some english man makes it even worst to say the least.
And on top of that, the average Ghanaian hates to pick up a book and read.
In today's Africa, more Zimbabweans,Kenyans, Tanzanians,South Africans and other Anglophones do better expression in the English language than we do. Even Indians and Chinese who have developed their own languages still express themselves better than Ghanaians.
Language is a creative art, and boy, has creativity has left our shores or what? Even our own local languages are suffering from the gross lack grammatical art.
KOFI OF AFRICA 10 years ago
ELINAM,
You are right. The lack of reading is central to the development of languages in Ghana.
Local languages are necessary for increase communication towards national development and modernisation.
Regards.
ELINAM,
You are right. The lack of reading is central to the development of languages in Ghana.
Local languages are necessary for increase communication towards national development and modernisation.
Regards.
GHFUO, be serious & change ur MENtali 10 years ago
GHWEB, WHY DO U ENDORSE THRASH LIKE THIS HUH?
GHWEB, WHY DO U ENDORSE THRASH LIKE THIS HUH?
KOFI OF AFRICA 10 years ago
GHFUO, be serious &,
Presumably because 'GHWEB' is also too democratic and inclusive in indulging trash like you?
Maybe you should lead your contradictory, hypocritical campaign of backward 'MENtali' - as you show being ... read full comment
GHFUO, be serious &,
Presumably because 'GHWEB' is also too democratic and inclusive in indulging trash like you?
Maybe you should lead your contradictory, hypocritical campaign of backward 'MENtali' - as you show being rude to me in discourse - through 'good practice'?
Akadu Mensema 10 years ago
"Thus, Ghana needs to also evolve an ethnic or even filmic-based use of Pidgin English to communicate with Anglophones worldwide. The local language sector in Kumasi (with Kyeiwaa, Agja Koo, Linwin, Nana Ama McBrown, etc) nee ... read full comment
"Thus, Ghana needs to also evolve an ethnic or even filmic-based use of Pidgin English to communicate with Anglophones worldwide. The local language sector in Kumasi (with Kyeiwaa, Agja Koo, Linwin, Nana Ama McBrown, etc) need to seriously address this linguistic imbalance in film-making asidiously."
CITIZEN ONE 10 years ago
It is extremely embarrassing to see these guys and dolls attempt comedy in Twi. I don't understand most of you, but comedy has style, has intelligence in it. It indulges ones ability to view life in its entirety...through pol ... read full comment
It is extremely embarrassing to see these guys and dolls attempt comedy in Twi. I don't understand most of you, but comedy has style, has intelligence in it. It indulges ones ability to view life in its entirety...through politics, social life and sometimes extremely educative, even radical. In Ghana, comedy means say the dumbest things or look ugly and stupid, and you rule.
I find it amusing that someone thinks white comedians are dry. I have never heard a funny Twi comedian in my life, they all talk stupid. What amazes me about this trend is, why don't we have a proliferation of Ga, Ewe, Hausa, Fanti, Nzema ot other ethnic comedians? Oh just like all those Fake Pastors...so if everybody has a problem with the issue but it still dominates, then it means you all liars , hypocrites or plain stupid!
Akadu Mensema 10 years ago
You get my drift: don't listen to the Twi-speaking comedians!
You get my drift: don't listen to the Twi-speaking comedians!
KOFI OF AFRICA 10 years ago
Akadu Mensema,
Sorry I don't get your drift. I love both local and English language comedy.
Akadu Mensema,
Sorry I don't get your drift. I love both local and English language comedy.
KOFI OF AFRICA 10 years ago
CITIZEN ONE,
I am not saying we should only speak Creole English. I am saying we should think and correct a serious problem in the way we communicate comedy to an international audience.
I have noted Nigerian Pidgin En ... read full comment
CITIZEN ONE,
I am not saying we should only speak Creole English. I am saying we should think and correct a serious problem in the way we communicate comedy to an international audience.
I have noted Nigerian Pidgin English comedy is doing well. Therefore there is need for our comedians in Ghana to evolve the most effective language that will gain us a toe-hold on the multi-billion $ comedy market.
Ps. visit an earlier article I wrote (click opinions, and archived articles) for an earlier article I wrote advocating the speaking of Ghanaian and Continental African languages as lingua franca.
Our authentic languages have power and influence on our: cultural identity/ies, social cohesion, and can contribute to national and continental development and modernisation.
Regards
Kweku Donsuro 10 years ago
You forgot Bob Cole and OD.
You forgot Bob Cole and OD.
KOFI OF AFRICA 10 years ago
Kweku,
You know kweku, I was thinking just that today, that I left out Bob Cole, OD and other pathfinders of Ghana comedy.
Kweku,
You know kweku, I was thinking just that today, that I left out Bob Cole, OD and other pathfinders of Ghana comedy.
Kweku Donsuro 10 years ago
We do not have to parrot the western comedians because what makes whites laugh do not tickle us a wee bit. The whites have wry and dry humour so we should not copy them in any way. Let us be ourselves and give our comedy in p ... read full comment
We do not have to parrot the western comedians because what makes whites laugh do not tickle us a wee bit. The whites have wry and dry humour so we should not copy them in any way. Let us be ourselves and give our comedy in patois or cocktail or mixed grill of different dialects to maintain our culture and remain ourselves. We should not seek global acclaim because of cultural barriers. Let the global audience figure us out when we 'vocabulate' and 'comedie'
CITIZEN ONE 10 years ago
Indeed Ghana had some quality Actors and Musicians, because we did acculturate our local languages with English and it made us stand out in Africa and the World. Even our great and formidable High Life Music was so beautiful, ... read full comment
Indeed Ghana had some quality Actors and Musicians, because we did acculturate our local languages with English and it made us stand out in Africa and the World. Even our great and formidable High Life Music was so beautiful, sang equally in Fanti, Twi, Ga and I believe even in Ewe. These days these greedy selfish Akans have monopolized the market, and made life so miserable for themselves and the rest of their compatriots.
Nobody seems to draw the analogy with, Taxi, Tro-tro and Street Hawking business, but in simple terms, this is exactly what Twi has degenerated into - Trash Language! You want filth, you want shouting, you want insults, you want ignorance, you want abject stupid called comedy say it in Twi. You want failure of parliament, let Twi dominate the hallways.
And last but least, please stop saying our local languages, because Akans make an effort not to speak or understand any other language, but they expect others to engage them. If to be yourself means speaking your own local language why don't they pass legislation such that if you live in Northern Ghana, you must study Hausa in school, if you migrate from Brong Ahafo, Western Region, Volta Region, Ashanti Region to Accra, you must study Ga in school. This will end the same language cleansing process that these hypocrites claim the British unleashed on the Gold Coast. Twi is as foreign to a Hausa or Ewe man as English is foreign to a Twi speaking Ghanaian. STUPID!!!
KOFI OF AFRICA 10 years ago
CITIZEN ONE,
I will not contribute to national discourse on anything along ethnic lines the way you write here.
Yes you have a point, I am Fantse speaking (an Akan). But I also do not like the chauvinism of some Akan sp ... read full comment
CITIZEN ONE,
I will not contribute to national discourse on anything along ethnic lines the way you write here.
Yes you have a point, I am Fantse speaking (an Akan). But I also do not like the chauvinism of some Akan speakers in public life.
Their behaviour in politics, business, cultural environment (educational, religious activities) leaves a lot to be desired. It makes one cringe with embarrassment.
But opportunistically using this discourse on language and comedy to battling some Akan people who may have irritated you, is not the right way to go.
If they are as ignorant as you depict them, don't you think your equally poisonous and aggressive language here will provoke a worse reaction from them?
Now you see the result? The Nigerians don't have that problem, pidgin English has taken care of the tribal language supidity that some in Ghana boast of it.
Simple because some one lied to Ghanaians that they are a model colony for the stupid British, few half-baked educated Ghanaians who wanted to be British so bad frowned on the kroo/pidgin English.Beside that these few guys la ...
read full comment
ELINAM,
You are right. The lack of reading is central to the development of languages in Ghana.
Local languages are necessary for increase communication towards national development and modernisation.
Regards.
GHWEB, WHY DO U ENDORSE THRASH LIKE THIS HUH?
GHFUO, be serious &,
Presumably because 'GHWEB' is also too democratic and inclusive in indulging trash like you?
Maybe you should lead your contradictory, hypocritical campaign of backward 'MENtali' - as you show being ...
read full comment
"Thus, Ghana needs to also evolve an ethnic or even filmic-based use of Pidgin English to communicate with Anglophones worldwide. The local language sector in Kumasi (with Kyeiwaa, Agja Koo, Linwin, Nana Ama McBrown, etc) nee ...
read full comment
It is extremely embarrassing to see these guys and dolls attempt comedy in Twi. I don't understand most of you, but comedy has style, has intelligence in it. It indulges ones ability to view life in its entirety...through pol ...
read full comment
You get my drift: don't listen to the Twi-speaking comedians!
Akadu Mensema,
Sorry I don't get your drift. I love both local and English language comedy.
CITIZEN ONE,
I am not saying we should only speak Creole English. I am saying we should think and correct a serious problem in the way we communicate comedy to an international audience.
I have noted Nigerian Pidgin En ...
read full comment
You forgot Bob Cole and OD.
Kweku,
You know kweku, I was thinking just that today, that I left out Bob Cole, OD and other pathfinders of Ghana comedy.
We do not have to parrot the western comedians because what makes whites laugh do not tickle us a wee bit. The whites have wry and dry humour so we should not copy them in any way. Let us be ourselves and give our comedy in p ...
read full comment
Indeed Ghana had some quality Actors and Musicians, because we did acculturate our local languages with English and it made us stand out in Africa and the World. Even our great and formidable High Life Music was so beautiful, ...
read full comment
CITIZEN ONE,
I will not contribute to national discourse on anything along ethnic lines the way you write here.
Yes you have a point, I am Fantse speaking (an Akan). But I also do not like the chauvinism of some Akan sp ...
read full comment
Kweku Donsuro,
Excellently put!