Language/Twi/Grammar/Gender

Twi Grammar - Gender

Hi Twi learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about gender in Twi. Gender is an important part of Twi grammar and affects how we communicate. If you want to improve your Twi Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Introduction

Twi is a language that uses gender to distinguish between masculine and feminine nouns. Nouns that refer to male beings are classified as masculine and those that refer to female beings are classified as feminine. Each noun is either masculine or feminine and this affects the way adjectives, verbs, and pronouns are used.

Gender in Twi

In Twi, we use gender to classify nouns as either masculine or feminine. This is important because it affects how we use other words in a sentence. For example, if we want to use an adjective to describe a masculine noun, we use the masculine form of the adjective. Likewise, if we want to use a pronoun that refers to a masculine noun, we use the masculine form of the pronoun.

Twi gender rules are not always straightforward, and there are exceptions to these rules. While some words like "father" and "son" are masculine and "mother" and "daughter" are feminine, others like "teacher" and "doctor" can be either masculine or feminine depending on the gender of the person identified with the role.

Twi nouns that are used to refer to objects or things rather than people, animals or plants, are classified as inanimate nouns, which means they do not have gender. For example, "chair" and "table" are neither masculine nor feminine in Twi.

Examples

Here are some examples of masculine and feminine words in Twi:

Twi	Pronunciation	English
ɔbarima	ɔbàríma	man/male
ɔpanyin	ɔpanyin	elder man
papa	papa	father
nananom	nanànóm	chiefs

Twi	Pronunciation	English
ɔbaa	ɔbàa	woman/female
ɔhemaa	ɔhemàa	queen
maame	màamé	mother
obaa pa	obàá pà	beautiful lady/woman

Gender in Dialogue

A conversation between two people will always involve gender. Here's an example of gender in context:

• Person 1: Ɔwuo bi yɛ m'ani agu. (I am afraid of a certain snake)
• Person 2: Sɛ wiase abɔ wo no a, ɔyɛ abirikyi. (If the snake is from the world, it is a python)
• Person 1: Na ɔyɛ ntɔreɛsɛm ne nkpuuni (But it has a gun and a boon)
• Person 2: Ɛyɛ ntɔreɛsɛm, na na wɔdɔ ni hɔ. (It is a weapon, but they have been used before.)

In this dialogue, the word "ɔyɛ" which means "it" is masculine because the snake being referred to is masculine.

Alteration of Words

Certain words in Twi that refer to people and animals have their gender changed by altering their endings. This alteration happens when the gender of the person or animal is changed.

Here are some examples:

Twi	Pronunciation	English
ɔbarima	ɔbàríma	Man/male
ɔbarimaa	ɔbarimaa	Woman/female	ɔpanyin	ɔpanyin	Elder man
ɔpanyinwaa	ɔpanyinwaa	Elder woman/female	nana	nana	King
nanahemaa	nanahemaa	Queen	aboa	aboa	Male goat
aboafoɔ	aboafoɔ	Female goat

Conclusion

In conclusion, gender is an important aspect of Twi grammar, as it distinguishes between masculine and feminine nouns. It affects how we use other words in a sentence, including adjectives, verbs, and pronouns. If you are unsure about whether a noun is masculine or feminine, consult a dictionary or ask a native speaker.

➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

• Twi Wikipedia Page
• List of Genders in Twi