Assimilatory and Syllable Structure Processes in Kusaal

Abstract

This paper expounds on some of the recurring phonological processes that are prevalent in

Kusaal, a Mabia language spoken mainly in the north-eastern part of Ghana but also in the

adjourning areas of Burkina Faso and Togo. Drawing on generative phonological theory,

the study first examines the processes whereby one sound copies or behaves like another

within a word or phrase (assimilation), and thereafter, discusses some of the processes that

are evident in the structuring of syllables in the language. We find that the prevalent factors

in the former include nasalization, homorganic nasal assimilation (HNA), labialisation,

palatalization, glide formation and vowel harmony. As regards syllable structure processes,

deletion, syllable truncation, aspiration and glottalization have critical functions and equally

factor into the phonology of borrowed words in the language.

Keywords: Kusaal, Mabia, assimilation, syllable structures, loanword phonology