Basic 7 · Ghanaian Language · Naming Systems
Birth-Order Names, Vowels of the Language and Reading for Main Ideas
In this topic you will state the order of birth and relate names to it, identify and produce the vowels of your Ghanaian language, and read texts to understand main ideas and supporting points.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- State birth-order names and relate them to a child's position in the family
- Identify and pronounce the vowels of the language of study
- Identify main ideas and supporting points in a text
What you already know
- Day names and kinds of names
- Reading for main ideas
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
Lesson 1
- Strand
- Customs & Institutions
- Sub-strand
- Naming Systems
- Indicator
- B7.1.2.1.2 – State the order of birth (i.e. first second and so on.) and relate the names accordingly
Introduction
In many Ghanaian families, a child's name can tell you whether they are the first, third or tenth child. Birth-order names are a proud part of our naming systems.
1. Akan Birth-Order Names
| Position | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| first-born | Piesie (also Panyin for an elder twin) | the first |
| second | Manu | second-born |
| third | Mensah | third-born |
| fourth | Anan | fourth-born |
| fifth | Num | fifth-born |
| sixth | Nsia | sixth-born |
| seventh | Nsonowa | seventh-born |
| eighth | Nwɔtwe (Awotwe) | eighth-born |
| ninth | Nkroma (Nkrumah) | ninth-born |
| tenth | Badu | tenth-born |
Many of these have become surnames. For example, Mensah, Nsiah, Awotwe, Nkrumah and Badu are common family names in Ghana today.
2. Twins and Children after Twins
| People | Twins | Child after twins |
|---|---|---|
| Akan | Ata or Atta (Panyin for the elder, Kakra for the younger) | Tawia |
| Ewe | Atsu (elder boy), Etse (younger boy); Atsufi and Etsefi for girls | names differ by family and area |
3. Relating Names to Birth Order
Birth-order names show the child's place in the family and the respect due to older siblings. The first-born often has more responsibility, such as caring for younger siblings and representing the parents. Knowing a person's birth-order name can also help you understand family relationships.
4. Birth-Order Names Today
Today, families are often smaller, so names like Badu (tenth) are given less often as birth-order names, but they remain as surnames. Many parents still use these names to keep tradition alive.
New words
- birth order
- A child's position among the children of the same parents.
- first-born
- The first child of a parent.
- surname
- A family name shared by relatives.
- twins
- Two children born at the same birth.
Summary
- Akan birth-order names include Manu (second), Mensah (third), Nsia (sixth) and Badu (tenth).
- Twins and children after twins have special names, such as Ata and Tawia.
- Many birth-order names are now used as surnames.
Class activity: Family Birth-Order Chart
- Draw your family tree showing your parents and their children.
- Label each child with their birth-order position and name in your Ghanaian language.
- Share your chart with a partner.
You need: Printed birth-order cards, Printed family-member cards, Chalkboard, Chalk
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. In Akan, the third-born is called…
- A. Mensah
- B. Manu
- C. Badu
- D. Nsia
Show answer
Answer: MensahThird.2. The child born after twins in Akan is called…
- A. Tawia
- B. Ata
- C. Panyin
- D. Piesie
Show answer
Answer: TawiaAfter twins.3. Nkrumah is a birth-order name meaning ninth-born.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueNkroma.4. Two children born at the same birth are ______.
Show answer
Answer: twinsAta, Atsu.5. Give the Akan birth-order names for the second, sixth and tenth child.
Show answer
Answer: Manu, Nsia, Badu.Birth order.6. Why are birth-order names less common as first names today?
Show answer
Answer: Families are smaller, so higher birth-order names are rarely needed, though they remain as surnames.Smaller families.
Lesson 2
- Strand
- Listening & Speaking
- Sub-strand
- Speech Sounds
- Indicator
- B7.2.3.1.1 – Identify and produce the vowels in the language of study
Introduction
Vowels are the heart of every word. In many Ghanaian languages, a small change in a vowel sound can completely change a word's meaning.
1. What Is a Vowel?
Vowel: A speech sound made with the mouth open and the air flowing freely, without blocking by the tongue, teeth or lips.
2. Oral Vowels in Twi
| Letter | Sound as in English (approximately) | Twi example |
|---|---|---|
| a | "a" in "father" | ba (child, come) |
| e | "e" in "bed" (closer) | se (say) |
| ɛ | "e" in "get" (more open) | ɛna (mother) |
| i | "ee" in "see" | di (eat) |
| o | "o" in "go" | ko (fight) |
| ɔ | "aw" in "saw" | kɔ (go) |
| u | "oo" in "food" | du (ten) |
The letters ɛ and ɔ are special letters in many Ghanaian languages, including Twi, Ewe, Ga and Dagbani. They must be written and pronounced correctly.
3. Vowels and Meaning
| Word | Meaning | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ko | fight | kɔ | go |
| se | say | sɛ | if/like |
| to | throw | tɔ | buy |
4. Nasal Vowels
Some vowels are nasal: air passes through the nose as well as the mouth. In Twi, nasal vowels often appear after or before the letters m and n, or in words such as "hwɛ" and "nsɛm". In Ewe, a nasal vowel is marked with a sign called a tilde (~) above the letter, as in "ã". Listen carefully to elders and teachers to learn which vowels are nasal.
New words
- vowel
- A speech sound made without blocking the air.
- special letter
- A letter such as ɛ or ɔ used in Ghanaian languages.
- minimal pair
- Two words differing in only one sound.
- nasal vowel
- A vowel pronounced with air through the nose.
Summary
- Twi has seven oral vowel letters: a, e, ɛ, i, o, ɔ and u.
- A change of vowel, such as ko and kɔ, can change the meaning of a word.
- Some vowels are nasal and must be pronounced with air through the nose.
Class activity: Vowel Practice
- Say each vowel of your Ghanaian language clearly.
- Read minimal pairs aloud and let your partner point to the word heard.
- Write five new words for each special vowel.
You need: Printed vowel-and-word cards, Printed pictures of familiar local objects, Chalkboard, Chalk
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Which is a special vowel letter in Twi?
- A. ɔ
- B. b
- C. k
- D. m
Show answer
Answer: ɔOpen o.2. In Twi, "kɔ" means…
- A. go
- B. fight
- C. eat
- D. say
Show answer
Answer: go"ko" means fight.3. Changing a vowel can change the meaning of a word.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueMinimal pairs.4. A vowel pronounced with air through the nose is a ______ vowel.
Show answer
Answer: nasalNasalised.5. Write the seven vowel letters of Twi (or your language).
Show answer
Answer: a, e, ɛ, i, o, ɔ, uVowel letters.6. Why must learners write special letters such as ɛ and ɔ correctly?
Show answer
Answer: Using the wrong letter can change the word and its meaning.Meaning.
Lesson 3
- Strand
- Reading
- Sub-strand
- Reading
- Indicator
- B7.3.1.1.1 – Read and understand main ideas and supporting points in a range of texts on familiar and unfamiliar topics
Introduction
Reading many kinds of texts in your Ghanaian language, such as stories, letters and reports, builds your understanding and your love for the language.
1. Reading Passage (translated from a Ghanaian-language text)
"Fishing is the main work of the people of Keta. Every morning before sunrise, the men push their large canoes into the sea. They work together, pulling the heavy nets and singing songs to keep their strength. When the canoes return, the women buy the fish. They smoke it in clay ovens and carry it to markets in Accra, Kumasi and even Togo. Fishing gives the people of Keta food and money, but in recent years the catch has become smaller because of overfishing and the use of harmful methods."
2. Main Idea and Supporting Points
| Part | Content |
|---|---|
| main idea | fishing is the main work of the people of Keta |
| support 1 | men push canoes into the sea before sunrise |
| support 2 | they pull nets together while singing |
| support 3 | women buy, smoke and sell the fish in many markets |
| support 4 | fishing provides food and money |
| new problem | the catch is smaller due to overfishing and harmful methods |
3. Reading Familiar and Unfamiliar Texts
Familiar texts are about topics you know, such as your town or family. Unfamiliar texts are about new topics, places or ideas. For unfamiliar texts, read slowly, use the title and pictures, guess word meanings from context and ask questions. Reading widely in your Ghanaian language builds vocabulary and helps you write better.
4. Answering Questions on a Text
Read the questions first so you know what to look for. Find the answer in the passage, then write it in complete sentences in your own words. For questions that ask your opinion, give a reason based on the passage.
New words
- familiar text
- A text about a topic you know well.
- unfamiliar text
- A text about a new topic.
- overfishing
- Catching too many fish so their numbers fall.
- context
- The words around a word that help explain it.
Summary
- Identify the main idea and supporting points of each text.
- Use titles, pictures and context to understand unfamiliar texts.
- Answer questions in complete sentences, using evidence from the text.
Class activity: Reading Circle
- Read a passage in your Ghanaian language aloud in turns.
- Identify the main idea and supporting points.
- Ask and answer three questions on the passage.
You need: Ghanaian-language storybook, Printed main-idea cards, Exercise books, Pencils
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. What is the main work of the people of Keta?
- A. fishing
- B. cocoa farming
- C. weaving
- D. mining
Show answer
Answer: fishingMain idea.2. How do the women preserve the fish?
- A. by smoking it in clay ovens
- B. by freezing it
- C. by salting only
- D. by drying in shade
Show answer
Answer: by smoking it in clay ovensSupporting point.3. The catch has become smaller in recent years.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueOverfishing.4. Catching too many fish so their numbers fall is ______.
Show answer
Answer: overfishingOver-harvesting.5. Give two supporting points from the passage.
Show answer
Answer: Men push canoes into the sea before sunrise; women smoke and sell the fish.Any two.6. Suggest one way to solve the problem mentioned at the end of the passage.
Show answer
Answer: Stop harmful fishing methods and allow fish to breed, for example by observing closed seasons.Sensible solution.
Homework
- Write the birth-order names of your siblings or cousins.
- Read a passage in your Ghanaian-language reader and write five words with special vowels.