Akuapem Forms in Print
Same grammar, different spellings: Akuapem nhoma, kyerɛw, efisɛ = Asante nwoma, twerɛ, ɛfiri sɛ (book, write, because).
How It Works
1. Why Akuapem is everywhere in print
J. G. Christaller and his Ghanaian co-workers at Akropong finished the first complete Twi Bible, in Akuapem, in 1871. Church books, hymns and many older school texts followed it. A full Asante Bible came much later, in 1964. Today both are in use: Kyerɛw Kronkron is the Akuapem Bible and Twerɛ Kronkron the Asante one. See Church and Bible Language.
2. Common word pairs (Asante, then Akuapem)
- nwoma / nhoma (book)
- twerɛ / kyerɛw (write)
- ɛfiri sɛ / efisɛ (because)
- deɛ / nea (what, the one that)
- ahodoɔ / ahorow (of various kinds)
- mmienu, mmiɛnsa / abien, abiɛsa (two, three)
- aane / yiw (yes) and hwan / hena (who)
3. Spelling habits
- Asante writes a final ɛ or ɔ on many words where Akuapem does not: berɛ / bere (time), adeɛ / ade (thing), Odiyifoɔ / Odiyifo (prophet), as with People Who Do: -foɔ.
- At the end of a clause, Asante past verbs add ɛ and Akuapem ones do not: kaeɛ / kae (said), as in Simple Past at the End of a Clause.
- Akuapem spelling shows Vowel Harmony more often: eye for Asante ɛyɛ (it is good), ofi for ɔfiri, wugyina for wogyina (you stand).
- After verbs of saying, Akuapem prints se where Asante prints sɛ (that): Onyankopɔn kae se / Onyankopɔn kaa sɛ (God said).
4. The same verse in both
Genesis 1:1 is Mfitiaseɛ no Onyankopɔn bɔɔ ɔsoro ne asase in the Asante Bible and Mfiase no Onyankopɔn bɔɔ ɔsoro ne asase in the Akuapem one. The Lord's Prayer begins Yɛn Agya a wowɔ soro, wo din ho nte in Asante and ... wo din ho ntew in Akuapem. Word order, particles and tense prefixes are the same.
5. What to do as a reader
Read Akuapem forms as different words and spellings, not as new grammar. When you write for this course, use the Asante forms. For the verbs that differ, see Asante and Akuapem Verb Differences; for texts from before 1978, see Older Spellings.
Examples (6)
- Mfiase no Onyankopɔn bɔɔ ɔsoro ne asase.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Akuapem Bible, Genesis 1:1. The Asante Bible starts Mfitiaseɛ no.
- Na Onyankopɔn hui sɛ eye.
And God saw that it was good.
Akuapem hui and eye. The Asante Bible has Na Onyankopɔn hunuu sɛ ɛyɛ.
- Wɔakyerɛw wɔ nhoma no mu.
It is written in the book.
Akuapem kyerɛw and nhoma. Asante: Wɔatwerɛ wɔ nwoma no mu.
- Yɛn Agya a wowɔ soro, wo din ho ntew.
Our Father in heaven, may your name be holy.
Akuapem ntew. The Asante Bible has wo din ho nte.
- Merenkɔ, efisɛ meyare.
I will not go, because I am sick.
Akuapem efisɛ. Asante: Merenkɔ ɛfiri sɛ meyare.
- Nea wopɛ nyɛ asase so.
May your will be done on earth.
Akuapem nea. The Asante Bible has Deɛ wopɛ nyɛ wɔ asase so.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Printed Akuapem forms build on the varieties.
Related Patterns
- Asante and Akuapem Verb Differences
The verbs that differ, such as hunu and hu, twerɛ and kyerɛw.
Level 5 - Church and Bible Language
Church language often follows the Akuapem Bible.
Level 6 - Older Spellings
Texts before 1978 add further spelling differences.
Level 6 - Simple Past at the End of a Clause
Asante adds a final ɛ to clause-final past verbs; Akuapem prints them without it.
Level 1 - ɛfiri sɛ (Because)Because: Ɛfiri Sɛ
The Asante word that Akuapem prints as efisɛ.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
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