So why do you have to learn the Ghanaian language, known as Twi anyway? Well, I have outlined eight reasons why I think learning to speak Twi will be beneficial to any non-Twi speaker especially an American or an European. If you like this article you can share or  tweet it. So here we go.

THE EIGHT REASONS

1. Twi, is one of the Kwa languages, or more accurately it belongs to the group of different Akan dialects of which Fante is also one. Taken together there are more native speakers of Twi than any other language in Ghana. To put this in perspective there are approximately 8 million speakers of Asante Twi (without including any of the other dialects such as Akwapem Twi).

2. You don’t have to learn any new characters to learn to speak Twi. Twi is written in the roman alphabet.

3. Ghanaian music. Most contemprary Ghanaian music is sung in the Twi language and even though you can listen to only their beat, it becomes meaningful when you can hear what the musicians are saying. The same goes for Ghanaian movies, which are mostly in the Twi language.

4. The Ghanaian economy is the most stable economy in West Africa, and so for anybody preparing to invest in the country even speaking a little Twi will give you a competitive edge over other investors.

5. Language and culture are linked and so learning the Twi language will help give an appreciation of the cultural heritage of the Ghanaian people.

6. Ghana is accessible to the foreign visitor in a way that is uncommon in West Africa and travel to and within Ghana is very easy. But to make the most of this opportunity for travel, Twi language at a basic level is important. Twi is spoken throughout the southern and middle part of Ghana and most people in the eastern and northern parts as well understand it.

7. Food. You can eat in the tourist restaurants in hotels but for a genuine experience you need to try the chop bars for a culturally different and sensory eating experience.

8. Like any other language, it is possible to learn a few words and phrases in Twi, enough to be polite without spending years in further education.

If you want to learn some phrases on your iphone you can buy Nkyea Twi Phrasebook on the Apple Store. If you have any questions feel free to ask in the Nkyea Forum.