Language

Knowledge is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it all.
-Ghanaian proverb

Over 250 distinct languages are spoken in Ghana. In the Volta region the predominant language is “Ewe”. It is also spoken in southern Togo and parts of Benin.

Considered one of the more difficult Ghanaian languages to learn, Ewe is spoken by over three million people. It is a tone language meaning that pitch, tone and minor variances in pronunciation matter a great deal when learning to speak Ewe. It can also lead to comedic situations when a slight raise in tone on one letter can change the whole meaning of a sentence. Although Ewe dictionaries and grammar books do exist, they are difficult to use as many phonetics symbols and diacritical marks are used.

Even during a short stay, students will find that they will be welcomed more warmly (on top of the already warm welcome of Ghanaians!) by attempting to speak a few words of Ewe and will find that it facilitates communication and creation of relationships.

This is a great video! Really easy to follow! All of the expressions taught will be useful during our stay. (Source:http://www.easytrackghana.com/)