Aspects of Gua (Gwa) Phonology
Date
2013-06
Authors
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Publisher
University of Ghana
Abstract
In this thesis, I discuss the sound system, tonal patterns and some phonological
processes of Gua (Gwa). As a „Hill Guan‟ language, Gua belongs to the Guan
language group under Central Comoe sub-family of the Kwa language family. It is
spoken typically by the people of Anu-(m) and Boso, which form the two dialects
of the language. It is located in the Asuogyaman District in the Eastern Region of
Ghana. The thesis relied on data from the Boso dialect of Gua for its description.
Using primary sources of data such as wordlist elicitation, unstructured interviews
and focus group discussions, the thesis adopts Dixon‟s (1997, 2010a, 2010b and
2012) Basic Linguistic Theory to describe the phonology of Gua. The thesis claims
that Gua has ten (10) vowels with thirty-two (32) consonants (both plain and
labialised). The study maintains that Gua has five (5) syllable types which include
CV, V, C, VC and CVC. The thesis maintains vowel deletion, epenthesis,
aspiration, palatalisation, homorganic nasal assimilation and nasalisation are
phonological processes in Gua. Others are labialisation, labial-palatalisation and
vowel mutation. The thesis claims that, Gua has low and high basic tones. It shows
that verbs and adjectives have clarity in tonal patterns but in nouns it‟s only the
monosyllabic ones. Grammatically, Gua uses tone to distinguish between present
and past tense on one hand and habitual, progressive and perfective aspects on the
other. Finally, the thesis indicates that downstep, downdrift, tone polarity, tone
deletion and dissimilation are tone processes in Gua.
Description
Thesis (MPHIL)-University of Ghana, 2013