Radio and News Twi

Level 6

Twi news has its own words: kasɛbɔ (news), aban (government), Ɔmanpanin (president), mmarahyɛbadwa (parliament): Ɔmanpanin no akasa akyerɛ ɔman no (The President has addressed the nation).

How It Works

1. News words

  • kasɛbɔ (also written kaseɛbɔ): news, a news report
  • aban: government
  • Ɔmanpanin: president
  • mmarahyɛbadwa: parliament
  • mmara: law, laws
  • ɔman: nation, state
  • amanyɔkuo: political party

2. Words built from phrases
Many public-life words are compounds. Ɔmanpanin is ɔman (nation) plus panin (elder): the elder of the nation. Mmarahyɛbadwa is mmara (laws) plus hyɛ (make, set) plus badwa (assembly): the assembly that makes laws. As in other verb-object nouns, the object comes first.

3. Reporting events
Fresh news is usually told with the perfect: Ɔmanpanin no akasa akyerɛ ɔman no (The President has addressed the nation). What officials say is reported with sɛ: Aban no aka sɛ sukuu bɛbue Dwoada (The government has said that schools will open on Monday).

4. Long noun phrases
News Twi packs a lot into one noun phrase, with the relative clause after the noun and no at the end: mmara foforɔ a mmarahyɛbadwa no apene so no (the new law that parliament has approved). See relative clauses.

5. English for new ideas
News borrows English terms, especially for offices, institutions and new ideas, and fits them into Twi grammar: Finance Minister no akasa afa budget no ho (The Finance Minister has spoken about the budget). The Twi article no follows the English noun. See English Mixed Into Twi.

6. On air
Presenters greet listeners formally, with Mema mo akye (Good morning, everyone) and similar greetings, before reading the news.

Examples (4)

  1. Ɔmanpanin no akasa akyerɛ ɔman no.

    The President has addressed the nation.

    Word by Word: president the has-spoken has-shown nation the

    The perfect marks fresh news.

  2. Aban no aka sɛ sukuu bɛbue Dwoada.

    The government has said that schools will open on Monday.

    Sɛ introduces what the government said.

  3. Mmarahyɛbadwa no apene mmara foforɔ bi so.

    Parliament has approved a new law.

    Word by Word: parliament the has-agreed law new a on

    Pene ... so means agree to or approve.

  4. Finance Minister no akasa afa budget no ho.

    The Finance Minister has spoken about the budget.

    English terms take the Twi article no and sit inside Twi grammar.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding English the as well as Twi no.

    The Finance Minister no akasa.
    Finance Minister no akasa.

    Twi marks the noun with its own article, no, after it. Adding English the as well doubles the article.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Radio and News TwiLevel 6

Learn This First

News register builds on compound nouns, the perfect and reported speech with sɛ.

Words in This Pattern

abanɔmanpaninmmarahyɛbadwa