Akan is spoken in Ghana, West Africa and there are three major dialects, namely Akwapem, Asante-Twi and Fante. Akan is characterized by 21 plain consonants (including alveolo-palatal consonants and the labiopalatal approximant /ɥ/) plus consonants with secondary articulations (labiovelarization, labiopalatalization, palatalization), syllabic consonants (nasals and /r/), nine simple oral vowels (including a distinction between advanced tongue root and retracted tongue root vowels), three additional predictable vowels (including high front rounded vowels), five contrastively nasalized vowels, long (doubled) vowels, many vowel sequences (diphthongs), and tones (H vs L). Syllables are simple (a nucleus, optional onset, and never a coda), but words range from monosyllabic to six or more syllables. The writing system is based on the Latin alphabet. There are few studies of children’s acquisition of Akan phonology. Researchers have focused on children who are typically developing or with speech sound disorders. Common speech assessments include The Osei-Bagyina Twi Articulation Test, and other informal assessment materials. Speech interventions include traditional articulation therapy, auditory discrimination, and minimal pairs.

Key words:
Akan, Asante-Twi, multilingual, communication, speech, language, children’s development, interdisciplinary, international communities, assessment, intervention

Book chapter:
Amoako, W. K., Stemberger, J.P., & MacLeod, A. A. N. (2025). Akan speech development. In S. McLeod (Ed.). The Oxford handbook of speech development in languages of the world. Oxford University Press.

Language overview presentation:

• Amoako, W. K., Stemberger, J.P., & MacLeod, A. A. N. (forthcoming). Akan: Multilingual children’s speech development. Charles Sturt University, Australia. https://www.csu.edu.au/research/multilingual-speech/languages

This presentation relates to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 17: Partnerships to Achieve the Goals