SOMC G2N2TIVE CONSTRUCTIONS IN AKYEM/ASANTS Tl/T

(ONI/0»NIt paS/O»SE, ETC,)*

A.C. DENTEH

1.  Introduction:

"Oni" or "3fnif  (his or her mother) belongs to a class of

Akan genitive constructions found in Akyem-Asante Twi.  Such

constructions invariably consist of a possessive pronoun followed

by a possessed noun«j usually a kinship term.  Formerly, such

grammatical constructions were written without the apostrophe*

Tho Akan Orthography Committee set up by the Institute of African

Studies and the Language Centre, Legon, at one of its meetings,

decided to write the possessive pronoun as "0" with an apostrophe
between it and the possessed noun«  Moni" or H0ni" was from that
time written with "0" plus the .apostrophe *

At a" later meeting,'it. was again decided that the form

M0fni", "O'se", "3fwofa" etc. should be regarded as-!Tcolloquial"*
The non""colioquial. correlative of the possessive pronoun is "n'e",
as in" un$ se", "ne ni",' "ne v^fa" etc  It may be inferred from
this decision then that if this "3" plus the apostrophe type of

possessive pronoun should appear in a written play or paetry., the

agreed written form should be used*

2«  " The Commit-tee' s; decieion to standardize the written form of

the possessive.pronoun to be "O'ni" etc* was-a move in the right

direction; because the "0" here may be regarded as the contracted
form of n0no"»  The following examples illustrate this point:

"Chief Instructor - Institute of African .studies.

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(a) "Ono" (nominative):

"(i)  Ono narn ha na me nso menam do*

ha na me nso menain do 4

(While he/she came this ;way^ I went that way)

(ii)  Ono ps fufuo, wo nso wo kyiri fufuo.

3-pe fufuo, wo nso wo kyiri fufuo*
(He/she likes fufuo, whereas you don't take it.)

(b)  "Ono" (possessive):

() 

akyi na wo die.

(;'./.;  N' ~akyi ha wodic-

You are his/her .follower.

(ii)  Ono ho na manya amanee no.

Ne  ho na,manya amanep. no*

(I am in trouble because of him/her)

3»  In example 2(a), "Ono" contracts 'to, "0"-.  In example 2(b)

"Ono", functioning as a possessive pronoun, transmutes into a

"no";or "Ne"»  This transmutation'sometimes gives rise to the

interchange of "No" and "Ne" as the possessive in the same context*

For instance, in the Bible, at 2 Kings chapter $ verse 25, we read

"*.«la£d this-..upon him", the expression "upon him" is translated

"no. do"'.(Fante), "no. so" (Akv/apem), "ne so" (AJcyem-Asante)•  The

point here is that "0-no" drops the "prefix "0" and retains "No" or

its transmuted form "Ne", and in other contexts drops the nominal

root form "No" or "Ne" and retains the prefix "0".

Li* / The retention of the "0" as a possessive pronoun occurs ih

Akyem^Asante Twi, and perhaps in N.zema.  The occurrence of this

"3"- possessive in:Akyem""Asante takes place in contents v/.hich are

characterized by three-main properties:  First, it,.is used in

connection with about fourteen words**  They are:~

(a) O'nana

O'ni
O'se
O'wofa
O'nua
O'sewaa
0»kunu
0'kora
O'wura (O'wura)

(b)  D'maame
0'papa

(c)  O*niwaa (O'niwaa: found

in dirges)*

(d)  O'nokwa (0*1

(e)  3'wora*

J222ll  I.  In the list, "3lnana~prenu", O'nana-prssa1', "3*nana~

sunkwakwa", "O'nana-damsaa" and nOlnana~iikaasowaI!
T
being extensions of the term "3fnana!!, have been
taken to follow the pattern of the initial term
"O'nana"! so have the extensions of the others
(e-g* ~ 3*se - O'se~kiamaf O'se~panin etc.) not
been found necessary for inclusion*

ii»  "O'maame" and TO1papa" are new adoptions*

iii*  "O'nokwa" ("By  his/her nature") follows the pattern:**

me nokwa, mo- nokwa etc.

Secondly, .the .expressions in question are mainly kinship terms,

except (d) and ,(e)< "Nokwa" relates to "Self" (me nokwa, wo nokwaf
oln3kwa)#  "Mora" (me wora, wo woraf o'wora, Kofi wora etc*) seems
to belong to the "Nokwa" group, though it is not the same in character

"Wora" may be described as a term in opposition to "Me", "wo" etc*

It needs a further study*

Thirdly, if the referent of the two items .in the genitival

construction in Akyem-Asgmte Twi are.relatives, the referent of the

possessive pronoun "3" is always the younger (diminutive), of' the

two*  For instance, we can attest "O'se" (Hie/Her father), but never
"O'ba" (his/her son or daughter)f 'i*Bxc©plt?iB'.-the.noase;c6l*riDtiroraH
(his/her master, mistress or owner), the rule does not axtend to

such relationship terms as "his' chief", "his Bishop" etc.  Where

the rule applies, if the two relations, are equal in status or by

right of birth, the "0" ^possessive can function for Sitslier si'de,

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e.g. HO'nua" or "O'nuanom" (his/her sibling or siblings) and
"O^ora" (his/her partner in marriage: "Kora" is applied to two

or more men who are married to sisters respectively; and to any,

of a group of women who are wives of one man)*

5»  One advantage of the use of the "0" vrith apostrophe is the

elimination of a possible confusion which otherwise would occur

in some expressions*  Pairs of instances are:

i  (a)  O'nua Paul wo ha:  His/Her brother Paul is here,

(b)  Onua Paul wo ha:  Brother Paul is here.

ii  (a)  O'nana aba kuro yi mu: His/Her grandparent has come

to this town.

iii  (a^  O'wura no nim: His/Her master knows it.

(b)  Owura no nim: The gentleman knows about it*

6.  The "0" possessive pronoun which has been discussed does not

occur in Fante or Akwapem Twi or Bron; it is however understood by

speakers of Akan when used by an Akycm""Asante speaker.