Ah ghanA mmA!

Look around a bit more closely, open your ears and observe Ghanaians as they talk, laugh, cry and express their emotions. You will find that our society is one big exclamation mark! Take these for example: when we are so sad we feel like crying, we say, ‘ah’; when we are extremely impressed with someone or something, we say ‘ah’. When we eat something and really enjoy it, we say ‘ah’, when we feel cheated or feel someone has pulled a fast one on us, we say ‘ah’. When we are shown so much love, we say ‘ah’, when we are irritated, we say ‘ah’. When we enjoy the breeze, we say ‘ah’; when we look upon something or someone beautiful, we say ‘ah’.

When we are shocked, we say ‘ah’, when we are ecstatic, we say ‘ah’. From our everyday conversations, interactions and activities, the ‘ah’ exclamation can always be heard in diverse ways, running, walking and jumping in-between. And the sound of it is not always the same. The ‘ah’ expression in anger is loud, sharp and crisp! And when you hear the ‘ah’ expression from a satisfied Ghanaian, it is soft, warm and travels with some deep sense of meaning that lasts forever. Now listen to the ‘ah’ expression from a sorely irritated Ghanaian and you will find that it is strong, coarse and pungent. It catches you when you least expect it leaving a sour taste in your mouth. And if you are a first-time visitor to the country, don’t be too surprised if you hear this expression at every turn. In order not to get confused, just take note of the pitch and the rhythm with which they are expressed; in doing so, take particular note of the demeanour of the person expressing it and when you are done, you can walk up confidently to a bystander and say something like, ‘well sir, a gentleman I just met wriggled his wrists at me and kept shouting ‘ah’ all the time. What does that ‘ah’ mean?

Now, a critical look at Ghanaian names confirms this fact. I’ll show you why; take a look at these: AvemegA, AsamoA, AzumA, NanA, NkrumA, AmankwA, VorsA, AtiA, AppiA, AbenA, AkosuA, AdwoA, MensA, MansA, DankwA, AsabeA, NaA, BabA, HamA, AnowA, DuA, AgbokA, AmissA, DebrA, DansoA, AnsA. Do you find that the ‘ah’ exclamation runs through all of them? It is interesting to note that this exclamatory aspect of our society and our essence as Ghanaians has permeated everything including our names! Every name ends with an exclamation and here too, the varying rhythms and sounds define their right pronunciations.

And if you think 26 names are not enough to hang on to this claim, well how about AbekA, AdamA, AdizA, AdjeiwaA, AdomA, YaA, AndA, AliA, AmissA, AnimA, AnobeA, AnyA, ArabA, ArmA, YankA, AttakorA, AwuA, SowA, DwamenA, BentumA, BinkA, BoamA, BraimA, InusA, CobblA, KwabenA, KumasA, MensA… i’m getting tired Ah!