Know all the languages spoken in Ghana
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Statistically, there are more than eighty (80) languages spoken in Ghana; this makes Ghana a multilingual country. Besides, Ghana’s official language is English and obviously, it was inherited from the British colonial era.
This post gives you all the languages spoken in Ghana. Again, you will find the language classification in Ghana and also, the list of both government-sponsored languages and non-government sponsored languages in Ghana.
Languages Spoken In Ghana
What Are The Languages Spoken In Ghana?
Ghana is home to over seventy (70) ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language. Akan is the predominant indigenous language spoken in the south, while Dagbani is the most widely spoken language in the north.
The chart below gives all the languages spoken in Ghana based on the number of speakers.
Rankings Names Of Languages In Ghana Number Of Speakers
1 English 9,800,001
2 Akan (Fante/Twi) 9,100,000
3 Ghanaian Pidgin English 5,000,000
4 Ewe Dialects of Ɛve include Aŋlo, Tɔŋu, Vɛdomɛ,Gbi, Krepi, among others) 3,820,000
5 Abron 1,170,000
6 Dagbani ( including Mamprusi, and Nanumba dialects) 6,160,000
7 Dangme 1,020,000
8 Dagaare 924,000
9 Konkomba 831,000
10 Ga 745,000
11 Kusaal 696,000
12 Farefare 638,000
13 Mampruli 414,000
14 Gonja 310,000
15 Sehwi 305,000
16 Nzema 299,000
17 Wasa 273,000
18 Sisaala, Tumulung 219,000
19 Sisaala, Western 219,000
20 Bimoba 176,000
21 Ahanta 175,000
22 Ntcham 169,000
23 Buli 168,000
24 Bisa 166,000
25 Kasem 149,000
26 Tem 134,000
27 Cherepon 132,000
28 Birifor, Southern 125,000
29 Anufo 91,300
30 Wali 84,800
31 Larteh 74,000
32 Siwu 71,900
33 Chumburung 69,000
34 Anyin 66,400
35 Nafaanra 61,000
36 Krache 58,000
37 Lelemi 48,900
38 Deg 42,900
39 Paasaal 36,000
40 Kabre, (language kabre) 35,642
41 Avatime 27,200
42 Kulango, Bondoukou 27,000
43 Sekpele 23,000
44 Delo 18,400
45 Jwira-Pepesa 18,000
46 Gua 17,600
47 Tampulma 16,000
48 Kulango, Bouna 15,500
49 Ligbi 15,000
50 Nawuri 14,000
51 Vagla 13,900
52 Tuwuli 11,400
53 Selee 11,300
54 Adele 11,000
55 Nkonya 11,000
56 Gikyode 10,400
57 Dwang 8,200
58 Akposo 7,500
59 Logba 7,500
60 Nkami 7,000
61 Hanga 6,800
62 Nyangbo 6,400
63 Chakali 6,000
64 Ghanaian Sign Language 6,000
65 Safaliba 5,000
66 Tafi 4,400
67 Fulfulde, Maasina 4,240
68 Adangbe/Dangbe 4,000
69 Konni 3,800
70 Adamorobe Sigh Language 3,500
71 Chala 3,000
72 Kamara 3,000
73 Kantosi 2,300
74 Kusuntu 2,100
75 Nchumbulu 1,800
76 Kplang 1,600
77 Dompo 970
78 Animere 700
79 French N/A
80 Hausa N/A
81 Lama N/A
82 Nawdm N/A
Regions In Ghana And Their Major Languages
There are sixteen regions in Ghana and each region has major languages that are spoken. Obviously, certain regions in Ghana are dominated by certain ethnic groups.
The table below gives a summary of all the sixteen regions in Ghana and the major languages they speak
Regions In Ghana Major Languages Spoken
Ashanti Ashanti Twi
Greater Accra Ga
Bono Bono Twi
Bono East Bono Twi, Ashanti Twi
Central Fante
Ahafo Bono, Ashanti Twi
Eastern Krobo, Akuapem Twi
Nothern Dagbani
Savannah Gonja
North East Gur
Upper East Frafra
Upper West Dagaare
Volta Ewe
Oti Ewe, Twi
Western Akan
Language Classification In Ghana
The languages spoken in Ghana belong to various branches within the Niger-Congo language family. The classifications of languages in Ghana are below:
The languages spoken in Ghana belong to various branches within the Niger-Congo language family. The classifications of languages in Ghana are below:
Kwa languages (Akan, Bia, Guang in Tano; Ga and Adangme)
Gbe languages (Ewe)
Gur languages (Gurunsi, Dagbani, Mossi, Dagaare, and Frafra in Oti–Volta)
Senufo languages (Nafaanra)
Kulango languages
Mande languages (Wangara, Ligbi)
Categories Of Languages Spoken In Ghana
In Ghana, there are two categories of languages: government-sponsored and non-government sponsored languages.
Government-sponsored languages are supported by the Bureau of Ghana Languages. Also, teaching materials for first-grade students, such as books, can only be published in these languages.
List Of Government-sponsored Languages In Ghana
The government-sponsored languages in Ghana are Fante, Akuapem Twi, Asante Twi, Ewe, Dagaare, Dagbanli, Adangme, Ga, Gonja, Kasem and Nzema.
List Of Non-Government-sponsored Languages In Ghana
The non-government-sponsored languages in Ghana are Adele (spoken in Volta Region by Tutukpene and Nkwanta people), Anufo/Chokosi (spoken in Northern Region by Chereponi), Buli (spoken by people in Sandema), Bimoba (spoken by people in Bunkpurugu), Birifor (spoken by people in Bilema and Danvar), Bassari (spoken in the Northern Region),
Chumburung (spoken in Ekumdipe), Frafra (spoken in Bolgatanga)
Gikyode/akyode (spoken in Shiare)
Hanga (spoken in the Northern Region)
Konkomba (spoken by the people in Saboba)
Kusaal (spoken by people in Bawku)
Kasem (spoken by people in Navrongo)
Koma ( spoken by people in Yipabongo)
Buem/lelem (spoken by people in Jasikan and Bodada)
Mampruli (spoken by people in Narelugu)
Mo/ Deg (spoken by people in New Longoro and Bole)
Nafaanra (spoken in Banda Ahenkro)
Ntrubo/ Delo (spoken in Pusupu)
Nawuri (spoken in Kitare)
Sisaala (spoken in Tumu)
Tampulma and Vagla (spoken in Northern Region)
Wali (spoken in the Upper West Region)
Hausa
Facts About Languages Spoken In Ghana
1. There are eleven government-sponsored languages in Ghana: three Akan ethnic languages (Akuapem Twi, Asante Twi and Fante), two Mole-Dagbani ethnic languages (Dagaare and Dagbanli) and the others are Ewe, Dangme, Ga, Nzema, Gonja, and Kasem.
2. Ghana has about 32,982,038 population and, close to 80% of Ghanaians can speak an Akan language, and also, about 44% of Ghanaians are native speakers.
3. English is Ghana’s official language.
4. The primary ethnic groups in Ghana include Akans, Dagbani, Ewe, Ga-Adangbe, Gurma, Fulani, Guan, Gurunsi, and Bissa/Mande.
5. Ga language is the oldest language in Ghana
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