Abstract:
This thesis presents some phonological processes in Amenfi and Fiase dialects of Wassa.
Wassa is one of the unwritten and least studied languages in Ghana. The language belongs
to the Niger Congo language family. The study is cast within the theoretical framework of
autosegmental phonology. The approach applied in this dissertation is qualitative. Data for
the analyses are drawn from both primary and secondary sources. The phonological
processes discussed in this work include vowel harmony, labialization, palatalization,
elision, insertion, compensatory lengthening and consonant mutation. Both dialects of
Wassa operate a limited stem-controlled Advanced Tongue Root (ATR) vowel harmony
system. There is also evidence of raising of the low vowel /a/ to mid back vowel in the
same compound name in Amenfi. The phenomenon where plosives and affricates change
into a nasal is a similar process in Amenfi and Fiase. Also, the phenomenon of consonant
mutation where obstruents becomes voiced in the environment of nasals is very productive
in Wassa. Bilabial lenition where bilabial /b/ lenites to [m] is also a phonological process in
Amenfi dialect. Future affix deletion in the environment of first personal pronoun and
deletion of the future and progressive in the environment of the negative are all similar
phonological processes shared by both dialects. Finally, the past and progressive affixes are
lengthened in both dialect
Description:
A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS,
FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES EDUCATION AND
COMMUNICATION, SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE
STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA IN PARTIAL
FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR AWARD OF THE
MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY (APPLIED LINGUISTICS) DEGREE
OCTOBER, 2016
