http://41.74.91.244:8080/handle/123456789/746 Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:37:01 GMT 2026-04-08T16:37:01Z http://41.74.91.244:8080/handle/123456789/5181 A textual interpretation of Sisaala Bayira performance Seidu, A. This thesis is based on an ethnographic study of the Sisaala Bayira performance in context. The research was conducted in the Sisaala East and West, the north eastern and western parts of Ghana. The data was gathered through fieldwork on live Bayira performances during funerals in Walembelle, Tumu and Gwollu using observation and interviews as the main research tools. The main purpose of the study was an exploration of the historical context and aesthetic features embedded in Bayira performances. These have literary significance and make meaningful contributions to the development of African orature. The theories which backed the study are Tedlock’s and Schechner’s Performance Theories. Bayira performances were captured by audio visual recordings which were then translated from Sisaali into English using Newmark’s (1988) Theoretical ideas on translation. They were coded and used for critical analysis. The results revealed that Bayira performances are embedded with aesthetic and symbolic representations whereby Bayira performers use figurative language, histrionic gestures and other paralinguistic features as effective performance skills. The art of Bayira performance is tantamount to warfare whereby performers use pithy expressions; demonstrate panegyric skills, exhortation, and admonition and trade in diatribes. The use of symbols brings realism into the art of Bayira performance. Bayira performance has several pedagogical implications apart from moral lessons. Bayira songs teach communal and traditional values and comment on issues affecting the community and individuals in society. They teach people extended knowledge and wisdom by praising good behaviour and condemning unacceptable acts which are inimical to society A thesis in the Department of English Education, Faculty of Foreign Languages Education submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of a degree of Master of Philosophy (English Education) in the University of Education, Winneba OCTOBER, 2025 Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://41.74.91.244:8080/handle/123456789/5181 2025-10-01T00:00:00Z http://41.74.91.244:8080/handle/123456789/5180 A stylistic analysis of Ama Ata Aidoo’s short stories “in the cutting of a drink”, “the message”and “certain winds from the south” Abankwa, R.K. This study analyses Ama Ata Aidoo’s short stories, “In the Cutting of a Drink”, “The Message” and “Certain Winds from the South” from a stylistic point of view. It employs the devices of foregrounding to analyze the short stories based on the checklist of linguistic and stylistic categories proposed by Leech and Short (2007). The study sought to identify the significant linguistic features in the text, what the linguistic features have been used for, and how the foregrounded features contribute to the development of the themes of the stories. The study finds that Ama Ata Aidoo uses specialized or localized vocabulary in the three short stories and that she uses concrete nouns extensively to give physical appeal to especially the settings of the short stories. She uses various sentence types for specific purposes. She has a way of weaving round by describing things, events, places and even feelings through the use of various subordinate clauses instead of naming them. The author adopts the traditional folktale style of narrating her stories and prefers the first-person narrator point of view. Ama Ata Aidoo succeeds in making her stories authentically African as she uses various linguistic features to bring out themes such as the rural- urban divide that promotes migration, change of identity and moral decadence that characterized post-independent Ghana. She emphasizes the ritual of pitying in the local community which indicates love and concern for one another in the rural setting which contrasts greatly with ‘no one cares’ attitude of city life. A thesis submitted to the school of Graduate Studies, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy (English Language) Department of English Education Faculty of Foreign Languages Education UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA Sat, 01 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://41.74.91.244:8080/handle/123456789/5180 2025-11-01T00:00:00Z http://41.74.91.244:8080/handle/123456789/5176 Transitivity analysis of selected poems of Atukwei Okai Gyasi, A Poetry, with its compressed and figurative language, challenges readers to actively engage in interpretation, particularly with regard to how language reflects the worldviews of the poet. This study is rooted in the understanding that language encodes experiential meaning and conveys ideologies, which can be uncovered through a detailed analysis of linguistic elements such as processes, participants, and circumstances. The study analyses the Transitivity system in selected poems by Atukwei Okai through the lens of Halliday and Matthiessen’s Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG). It examines the process types, their participants, and their distribution in the poems. By analyzing the poet’s linguistic choices, the study reveals the intersection of grammar and ideology, demonstrating how these elements shape thematic concerns and characterizations. The findings reveal that material processes are the most frequent processes followed by mental, relational, behavioural and existential processes in that order. In terms of the types of processes present in each poem, “The Pioneer” and “Walewale Chorus” do not have behavioural processes. On the contrary, “The Oath of the Fontomfrom” has all the six process types. There is a correlation between the length of the poems and the number of clauses in them. The ‘Oath of the Fontomfrom’ with the highest number of words (669) and sentences, has the highest number of processes (82). The ‘The Pioneer’ on the other hand, which has the least number of words (487) and sentences, records the least number of the processes (56). Also, the subjects addressed in the poems contributes to the to the differences in the process types. The research contributes to a deeper understanding of how transitivity functions in African poetry and highlights the importance of language structures in uncovering implicit worldviews in literary texts. These linguistic choices not only shape the thematic concerns of the poems but also offer insights into the poet’s representation of reality and his personal worldview. A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH EDUCATION, FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES EDUCATION, SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR AWARD OF THE MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE IN ENGLISH. September, 2025 Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://41.74.91.244:8080/handle/123456789/5176 2025-09-01T00:00:00Z http://41.74.91.244:8080/handle/123456789/5122 Spelling pronunciation in spoken English in Ghana: An exploration of educated speakers’ English in UEW Kumah, S.K While Ghanaian English has attracted scholarly attention for its phonological features, spelling pronunciation remains underexplored despite its recognition as a distinct pronunciation pattern. This study explores spelling pronunciation in Ghanaian spoken English, focusing on factors that influence its usage, some phonological patterns, and its common practices of usage. Grounded by Flege’s Speech Learning Model (1995), which highlights the role of first-language phonology in second-language acquisition, the study adopted a qualitative approach, and a descriptive research design. Ten participants, including three lecturers and seven MPhil students from the Department of English Education, University of Education, Winneba, were purposively sampled. Data were collected through questionnaires, and audio recordings of mock viva presentations. Findings reveal that spelling pronunciation is commonly used among participants, with pronunciations frequently influenced by the orthographic form of English words. Key phonological features identified include vowel and consonant modification, diphthongization, monophthongization, and epenthesis. These reflect the influence of Ghanaian language systems and the transparent nature of their orthographies. Participants generally viewed spelling pronunciation as both natural and acceptable in formal and informal contexts. The study concludes that spelling pronunciation, rather than being a deviation, is a normative feature in Ghanaian spoken English with implications for English Language pedagogy and literacy. It recommends further research across diverse regions and sociolinguistic groups, as well as a reevaluation of teaching strategies to better reflect the realities of Ghanaian English. This work contributes to the understanding of Ghanaian English as a legitimate variety and supports its potential codification and pedagogical integration. A thesis in the Department of English Education, Faculty of Foreign Languages Education, submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy (English Education) In the University of Education, Winneba SEPTEMBER, 2025 Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://41.74.91.244:8080/handle/123456789/5122 2025-09-01T00:00:00Z