Akan language

Akan
Akan
Native to	Ghana, Ivory Coast (Abron), Benin (Tchumbuli)
Ethnicity	Akan people
Native speakers	32 million (2017)
Language family	Niger–Congo Atlantic–Congo Kwa Potou–Tano Tano Central Tano Akan
Writing system	Latin (Twi alphabet, Fante alphabet) Twi Braille
Official status
Official language in	None. — Government-sponsored language of Ghana
Regulated by	Akan Orthography Committee
Language codes
ISO 639-1	ak
ISO 639-2	aka
ISO 639-3	aka – inclusive code Individual codes: abr – Abron dialect bqa – Tchumbuli fat – Fante dialect twi – Twi wss – Wasa
Glottolog	akan1251  Akanic

Akan is a language group spoken by related peoples in mainly Ghana and eastern Côte d'Ivoire. Akan belongs to the Kwa group of the Niger-Congo language family.

Dialects

Akan comprises three main mutually intelligible dialects: Fante, Asante Twi and Akwapim Twi. Asante Twi is the widely used.  Akan is the most widely spoken and used indigenous language in Ghana. About 44%, of Ghana’s population of about 22 million, speak Akan as first language. However, about 80% of Ghanaians speak Akan as a first and second language. It is officially recognized for literacy, at least at the lower primary (Primary 1-3) level, and studied at university as a bachelor or masters program. It is the most important indigenous language of Ghana. It is the language of the Western, Central, Ashanti, Eastern, Brong Ahafo regions, and the northern portion of the Volta region of Ghana.

A form of Akan is also spoken in South America, notably Suriname and Jamaica. The language came to these places through the slave trade.

Studies

Akan is studied in major universities in the United States, including Ohio University, Ohio State University, University of Wisconsin, Harvard University, Boston University, Indiana University, Michigan University, and The University of Florida. It has been a regular African language of study in the annual Summer Cooperative African Languages Institute (SCALI) program.