More Classroom Conversation

Yεfrε me Akua [Aquia] Alison!
(My name is or, literally, They call me "Girl born on a Wednesday" Alison)

Today, we learned about a few more ways to greet people, especially ways relevant to the classroom. I also learned my Akan "day" name (Akua or Akua Alison if there is more than 1 Akua present). Most of the day was spent working on classroom and travel phrases. We also reviewed our homework, but didn't finish.

How to greet the teacher:
Student: Abusuapanin maahã. [Abuiswiapaneen, maaha(n)] = Good afternoon, professor.
Teacher: Ya enua / Yenua. [Ya enwia / Yenwia] = You, too.
Student: Na wo hõ te sεn? [Na, wo ho(n) teh sen] = How are you?
Teacher: Onyame adom, meho yε. [Onyami adom, meho(n) ye] = By God's grace, I'm well.


How to greet classmates:
Me pεsε mekyia me adesuafo⊃. [Mi pesay mechia mi ade-sua-foa]

How to greet your friends:
Me pεsε mekyia me nuamo. [Mi pesay mechia mi new-amO]

A shortened greeting when you're in a hurry or late to class:
Mekyia mo oo! [Mechia-mO...!] = Accept my greeting!
(Note: "oo!" at the end of a phrase is meant to emphasize the whole thing. It is also often added to the end of a joke.)

If two or more people are giving this greeting together:
Yεkyia mo oo! [Yechia-mO...!] = Accept our greeting!

Thus, "Yε" = We/us/our (depending on context!) and "Me" = I/me/my and "Mo" = All of you and "Wo" = You (singular)

Above, the student asks the teacher, "Na wo hõ te sεn?" How would we ask the whole class, "How are you?"
"Na mo hõ te sεn?" = How are all of you?
Response: "Yε hõ yε." = We're fine.

More vocabulary for the teacher or for teachers or for students:

Me yε kyerεkyerεni. [Mi ye cherecherenii] = I'm a teacher.
Yεfrε me Kodwo, me yε Osuap⊃n kyerεkyerεni. [Yefre mi Kojo, mi ye Oswiapawn cherecherenii] = They call me Kodwo, I'm a University teacher / Professor.

Kasa kyerε = to teach or address people about something
Yεfrε me Akua Alison, me yε Osuani. [... mi ye OswiaNI] = They call me Akua Alison, I'm a University student.

Some vocabulary related to traveling in Ghana, especially in a city:
Me si w⊃ ha. [Mi si wa HA] = I'll get off [the bus or car] here.
Me si w⊃ Legon. = I'll get off in/at Legon.
Me si fam. [Mi si fam] = I'll alight/get out here.
Mepaakyεw, Edwoada wo w⊃h⊃? [... Ejoada wo waha] = Please, are you available on Monday? (The teacher explains that people will ask visitors this because they want to spend time with you while you're in Ghana and learn about what you do.)

This lesson has become too long. I'll present our vocabulary words and phrases tomorrow as a coherent post, rather than split in two.

Favorite word of the day: ⊃baahemaa = Queen Mother. (She is the woman that sits next to the Chief (if he's a male), but she is the one that has most of the authority. She speaks for him and takes care of the people. Our teacher explained that many Ghanaian men habitually consult their wife about everything because they respect women and their ability to reason.)