Abstract:
This study investigates the phonological and lexical variations in the Agole and
Toende dialects of Kusaal, a Mabia language spoken in the north-eastern part of
Ghana using a synchronic dialectolgical approach. It employes a qualitative design in
which both primary and secondary data were sourced for the analysis. Garu, Bawku,
Binduri and their environs constitute the research centers for the Agole dialect while
the Toende data were taken from Zebilla, Binaba, Sapeliga, and their surroundings.
The study reveals that different phonological processes trigger the phonological
variations in the dialects. It is shown that segment alternation, segment deletion and
segment substitution are in the dialects where voiced segments at word-final position
in Agole are often realised as voiceless segments or deleted in Toende. Also, the
concepts of labialisation, palatalisation and glottalisation are present in Agole but
absent in Toende. Nasalisation is also in Toende but absent in Agole at least, for some
words. Vowel sequencing in Kusaal is also prolific as far as dialect variation is
concerned. While Agole accepts diphthongs and other sequential vowels, Toende
accepts only monophthongs within morpheme-boundaries. Finally, vowel harmony
and consonant assimilation differences are salient factors for the phonological
variations in the dialects. While round or spread harmonic features are optimal in
Toende, they are not in Agole. On the other hand, [+/-ATR] harmony is also optimal
in Agole but not in Toende. The study also depicts that lexical variation is an integral
part of languages with dialects and Kusaal is not an exception. It is shown that the two
dialects maintain their respective list of words referring to the same referent in the
language. It is apparent that nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs contain
the prominent variables in the dialects. It is observed further that nouns provide a tall
list of lexical items showing differences in the dialects. This is possibly so because of
language contact and easy borrowing of nouns. This is followed by verbs, adjectives
and finally adverbs.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Gur-Gonja Education,
Faculty of Ghanaian Languages Education, submitted to the
School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Ghanaian Language Studies-Kusaal)
in the University of Education, Winneba
