Language Contact in Santrokofi, a Ghana-Togo Mountain Language Community: Impact on Selee
Date
2024
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Language Matters
Abstract
The present study examines the language contact situation in Santrokofi, in
Ghana, where Selee, a Ghana-Togo Mountain language, enjoys a good degree
of maintenance although it is in triglossic contact with Ewe, Akan, and English.
With insight from the triglossic structure model, we collected and analysed
quantitative and qualitative data which revealed that Selee is the native’
ingroup language while Ewe (and to a limited extent, Akan) is their intergroup
informal language with “others”; English is the dominant language of classroom
interactions and other formal settings. There is evidence of lexical borrowing
into Selee from the other languages, especially English and Ewe. The youth may
be said to be holding on to Selee impressively, but this ongoing language
maintenance may be put to the test by the looming encroachment of Santrokofi
by Hohoe, the neighbouring major township where most public servants in
Santrokofi currently reside.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Ghana-Togo Mountain, language contact, language maintenance
Citation
Yvonne Agbetsoamedo, David Dankwa-Apawu & Evershed Amuzu (2024) Language Contact in Santrokofi, a Ghana-Togo Mountain Language Community: Impact on Selee, Language Matters, 55:1-2, 27-46, DOI: 10.1080/10228195.2024.2336445