for those who want to know more
I made a conscious decision while writing Tail of the Blue Bird that I wasn’t going to make an extra effort to find equivalent English words for things I only knew in Ghanaian languages e.g. prekese, which is used for flavouring food. But I also chose to use native words where I felt they served the situation better – AND not to add a glossary because after all, when I was growing up in Ghana, no one placed a glossary at the end of any of the books I read to explain what finches (for example) were. Regardless, there were places where I could find out what these things were if I wanted to, and that’s what this post is. A minimal glossary of sorts. If you have read Tail of the Blue Bird and find yourself struggling to understand something that is not listed here, just put a comment on this post and I will try to respond.
Nii Ayikwei
Glossary
Abomu – Belt
Adowa – a traditional dance of the Akan
Agoo – a word shouted instead of knocking on someone’s door (most homes had no doors to knock)
Akwaaba – welcome (the response depends on who you’re addressing Yεn nua for a friend, Yεn Na for an older woman etc.)
Amεε – response to ‘Agoo’ meaning, ‘we’re here’ or ‘come in’
Anyεn – witch
Awurade – Lord
Bassa bassa – wild, disorderly
Been-to – someone who has returned from living/studying outside the country
Benada – Tuesday
Bidie – Charcoal
Bosomtwe – a natural crater lake, formed by meteor impact centuries ago
Chale – a term used to address friends, similar to ‘my friend,’ but warmer
Dwowda – Monday
Fida – Friday
Kama – perfect
Kεtε – a woven mat with many uses
Kwaku Ananse – mythical trickster who inhabits most Akan moral tales
Kwasia – fool, buffoon
Kwasida – Sunday
Menada – Saturday
Nawotwe – an Akan week (normally eight days)
Onyame – God
Opanyin – elder (used to address the older people in any community), a similar word is Egya.
Paa – word used for emphasis, equivalent of ‘very’ or ‘really’
Sanyaa – Enamel
Sεbi – an expression used when one speaks of things that make them uncomfortable, or things they usually wouldn’t speak of
Trotro – an adapted minivan bus
Wukuda – Wednesday
Yawda – Thursday
John Blinn are discussing. 
John Blinn 10:50 pm on February 3, 2012 Permalink |
You evidently have a core following here in Central Texas. Our niece at the University of Texas is doing a summer program in Ghana and – like your reader Ken Shepardson – preparing myself for the culture she’ll encounter, I found Tail of the Blue Bird at the Austin library. Superbly crafted, a wonderful read. Thanks so much (and please come visit us in Austin again).
Nii Ayikwei Parkes 11:02 pm on February 3, 2012 Permalink |
Thank you!I hope to visit Austin again sometime in the future. I’ve been raving about the catfish I had the last time out there for years!