Akan
The Akan group of languages contains Asante (Ashanti) & Akuapem (Akuapim) Twi, Fante (Fanti), and other related dialects.
The Akan group of languages contains Asante (Ashanti) & Akuapem (Akuapim) Twi, Fante (Fanti), and other related dialects.
About an eighth of all the names in the GPN database are Akan names ending in -ase, meaning 'under', -so, meaning 'on', or -krom, meaning 'town'. In English the first two of these words would be prepositions, i.e. they would precede a following noun, as in Henley-on-Thames. But in the Akan languages they are postpositions, i.e. they follow a noun, as in Beposo, 'On the Hill', and Oboasi, 'Under the Rock'. In the third case, the first half of the name usually corresponds to the English possessive case, e.g. Adjeikrom, 'Adjei's Town'.
About an eighth of all the names in the GPN database are Akan names ending in -ase, meaning 'under', -so, meaning 'on', or -krom, meaning 'town'. In English the first two of these words would be prepositions, i.e. they would precede a following noun, as in Henley-on-Thames. But in the Akan languages they are postpositions, i.e. they follow a noun, as in Beposo, 'On the Hill', and Oboasi, 'Under the Rock'. In the third case, the first half of the name usually corresponds to the English possessive case, e.g. Adjeikrom, 'Adjei's Town'.
-ase (Under the ...): Many place names ending in -ase are based on tree names. Trees may have social or religious significance. The most well-known place in this category would be Kumasi. Other examples are shown below:
-ase (Under the ...): Many place names ending in -ase are based on tree names. Trees may have social or religious significance. The most well-known place in this category would be Kumasi. Other examples are shown below:
-so (On the ...): Places near rivers are often simply named after the rivers. The importance of a river to a community is obvious, and also in Akan traditional religion, many rivers have gods associated with them. Examples of place names based on some of the major rivers of Ghana are: Aframso, Densuso, Ofinso, Praso, Seneso, Tanoso.
-so (On the ...): Places near rivers are often simply named after the rivers. The importance of a river to a community is obvious, and also in Akan traditional religion, many rivers have gods associated with them. Examples of place names based on some of the major rivers of Ghana are: Aframso, Densuso, Ofinso, Praso, Seneso, Tanoso.
The River Pra, seen from Asin Praso old bridge
-krom (... Town): This word is a contraction of 'kurow mu', meaning 'in town', now understood simply as '-town'. It is often preceded by the name of a person, who is likely to be one of the founders or other significant personage. Akan children are always given a 'day-name' according to the day on which they were born, and all of the male day-names can be found in town names, e.g. Kojokrom (Monday), Kwabenakrom (Tuesday), Kwakukrom (Wednesday), Yaakrom (Thursday), Kofikrom (Friday), Kwamikrom (Saturday), Kwesikrom (Sunday).
-krom (... Town): This word is a contraction of 'kurow mu', meaning 'in town', now understood simply as '-town'. It is often preceded by the name of a person, who is likely to be one of the founders or other significant personage. Akan children are always given a 'day-name' according to the day on which they were born, and all of the male day-names can be found in town names, e.g. Kojokrom (Monday), Kwabenakrom (Tuesday), Kwakukrom (Wednesday), Yaakrom (Thursday), Kofikrom (Friday), Kwamikrom (Saturday), Kwesikrom (Sunday).
There are also many names which do not follow a standard pattern. Sometimes these are contractions of comments made by the founders and strongly convey their experiences and emotions. Mempeasem means 'I don't like trouble', and may indicate that the founder had migrated from a place where there had been some dispute. Domeabra means 'If you love me, come', which suggests an invitation to loved ones to join a pioneering settler. Perhaps the one that gets the most sympathy is the founder of Kukurantumi, the place where 'everything is difficult to lift'.
There are also many names which do not follow a standard pattern. Sometimes these are contractions of comments made by the founders and strongly convey their experiences and emotions. Mempeasem means 'I don't like trouble', and may indicate that the founder had migrated from a place where there had been some dispute. Domeabra means 'If you love me, come', which suggests an invitation to loved ones to join a pioneering settler. Perhaps the one that gets the most sympathy is the founder of Kukurantumi, the place where 'everything is difficult to lift'.