35.3172, Books: A Sociolinguistic Study of an Ewe-based Youth Language of Aflao, Ghana: Amenorvi (2024)

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-35-3172. Mon Nov 11 2024. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 35.3172, Books: A Sociolinguistic Study of an Ewe-based Youth Language of Aflao, Ghana: Amenorvi (2024)

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Date: 25-Oct-2024
From: Jan Martin [lotdissertations-fgw at uva.nl]
Subject: A Sociolinguistic Study of an Ewe-based Youth Language of Aflao, Ghana: Amenorvi (2024)


Title: A Sociolinguistic Study of an Ewe-based Youth Language of
Aflao, Ghana
Series Title: LOT Dissertation Series
Publication Year: 2024
Publisher: Netherlands Graduate School of Linguistics / Landelijke
(LOT)
                http://www.lotpublications.nl/
Book URL: https://dx.medra.org/10.48273/LOT0680

Author: Cosmas Rai Amenorvi
Paperback: ISBN: 978-94-6093-464-3 Pages: 413 Price: Europe EURO 45,00
Abstract:

In one of Africa’s most blended, cosmopolitan and vibrant border
towns, Aflao, Ghana, a captivating youth culture has given birth to an
Ewe-based youth language called Adzagbe ‘rogue/hooligan language’. An
exploration of recorded conversations, interviews, and observations of
this language reveals a linguistic potpourri where Adzagbe speakers
skillfully blend their native Ewe with linguistic elements from
various sources. English and French make a significant contribution to
the Adzagbe lexicon given that Aflao is sandwiched between Anglophone
Ghana and Francophone Togo.

Adzagbe emerges as a rich fusion of morphological, phonological, and
semantic manipulations, crafting a lexicon with novel expressions and
idioms. Morphological manipulations, including prefixation,
suffixation, and inventive coinages, intertwine with phonological
creativity, featuring clipping and metathesis of word syllables.
Equally captivating, Adzagbe semantic manipulations include metaphors,
metonymy, and playful speaker etymologies that breathe life into the
idiomatic expressions.

Yet, beyond the linguistic allure lies a profound purpose – the
forging of a distinct identity. Adzagbe speakers, predominantly male,
weave a cultural identity that defies conventional norms. From their
love for rebellious music, flamboyant grooming styles to taking of
controversial nicknames, Adzagbe becomes a symbol of defiance and
self-expression. This book describes a fascinating social rebellion,
with Adzagbe youth openly embracing controversial lifestyles,
recreational indulgences, and a unique gendered and ageist identity
that draw both admiration and criticism from the older generation and
the wider community of Aflao.

Step into the Adzagbe world, where language is not just a means of
communication but also an expression of youth identity and cultural
dissent.

Linguistic Field(s): Sociolinguistics

Subject Language(s): Ewe (ewe)

Written In: English (eng)



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