NASALISATION AND NASAL ASSIMILATION IN AKAN

Abstract

This paper discusses nasal consonant assimilation in Akan (Niger-Congo, Kwa language). The paper demonstrates that nasal consonant assimilation in Akan can be local, homorganic (partial), and total. The underlying voiced alveolar nasal /n/ surfaces with the initial consonant of the following stem word to give a homorganic or nasal sound. The paper shows that among the three major dialects of Akan (Fante, Asante, and Akuapem), Fante exhibits only place (homorganic) assimilation, while Asante and Akuapem demonstrate both place (homorganic) and manner assimilation. Moreover, the paper establishes that nasal consonant assimilation in Akan is adjacent, partial, complete (total), bidirectional, and is either regressive or reciprocal. Nasal consonant assimilation in Akan occurs mainly in the domains of stems, compound words, plural formation, negation, imperative, and reduplication constructions. Therefore, this paper contributes to the typology of consonant-consonant assimilations that occur in Akan, that is, nasal place assimilation, and total consonant assimilation. We formalized our discussions within the theoretical framework of Feature Geometry (FG) Phonology.