Phonological adaptation of Arabic names in Atebubu (Bono East Region, Ghana)

Abstract

This paper discusses the phonological processes embedded in some nativised Arabic personal names in Atebubu, in the Bono East Region of Ghana. The study shows that the main phonological processes entrenched in the nativisation process include segment deletion, vowel insertion, prothesis, substitution, consonant deletion, hypocorism, and free variation. These phonological processes are employed as a mitigation strategy to conform to the phonotactics of Akan. Moreover, the study shows that the Bono speakers usually substitute the consonants [ʃ, z, q, d͡ʑ] with [ɕ, s, k, d͡ʒ], respectively. Data for the study was gathered from both primary and secondary sources.

Keywords

• Atebubu
• Akan
• Bono dialect
• nativisation
• phonological adaptation
• personal names