Wɔ AYARESABEA (IN THE HOSPITAL)

Objective
After working your way through this chapter, you must be able to 1. Identify the names of some common diseases 2. Orally discuss the causes, symptoms and prevention of some common diseases. 3. Write a dialogue between them and a doctor 4. Narrate in the
Introduction

Illness or sickness among the Akan is not only a physical occurrence but also a social fact. When one is sick one’s relatives are all affected. Individuals are seen as bad neighbors when they do not show concern for a sick friend or relative or in their recovery after a period of sickness. Sometimes, relatives pull resources together to help a sick relative to seek treatment. When people are sick they either seek traditional treatment or go to the hospital. Most people in the rural areas who have limited access to hospitals rely heavily on traditional medicine or other systems of treatment for their health needs. Even, there are some in the urban areas who still consider traditional treatment as the first option when they are sick. It is not uncommon for people to combine the two systems of healing when they are sick. I some cases, people resort to religious sects for healing.

Lesson Vocabulary

Lesson Vocabulary

Abibiduro Traditional medicine
Aborɔfoduro Scientific medicine
Aduasa Thirty
Adugyebea Pharmacy
Adugyebea Pharmacy
Aduro Medicine
Aduyεfo/dɔkota Doctor
Apɔwmuden Health
Ayarefo(ɔ) Patient
Ayaresabea Hospital
Dɔkota Doctor
Hohoro Wash
Kyerɛ Mean
Mframuyare Airborne disease
Mmaa/mmarima yare STD
Mmaa/mmarima yare STD
Nsaayare Infectious disease
Nsumyare Waterborne disease
Nsunsu Watery
Owura Gentleman
Pini Push
San bra Come back
Tiafi Toilet

Lesson Conversation:

Kwaku Dɔkota, mema wo akye ?
Doctor Yaa onua. Wo ho te sεn? ?
Doctor Dɔkota, εyε kakra ?
Doctor Yεfrε me Kwaku Amoa. Yεfrε wo sεn? ?
Kwaku Yεfrε me K.K. ?
Doctor Owura, K.K. kyerε sεn? ?
Kwaku εkyerε Kwaku Kennedy. ?
Doctor Woadi mfe sεn? ?
Kwaku Madi mfe aduasa ?
Doctor Meda ase. Pini me nkyεn kakra. εdeεn yε wo? ?
Kwaku Meyare ?
Doctor Menim sε woyare. Woyare wo he? ?
Kwaku Oh! Nnora medii aduane dada bi enti me yafunu mu ka me. Mekɔ tiafi pii. εyε nsunsu. Meti nso yε me ya. ?
Doctor εdeεn bio? ?
Kwaku εno ara ne no ?
Doctor Woanya ayamtu. Gye aduro yi. Fa mienu anPɔa, mienu awia, ne mienu anwummere. Didi ansa afa. Sε nna enum akyi na angyae a, san bra. ?
Kwaku Meda ase. εdeεn bio? ?
Doctor Abere Biara wobεdidi a, hohoro wo nsa ho yie. Di aduane a εyε hye na abere biara kata w’aduane so ?
Kwaku Meda ase pii. Makra wo ?
Doctor Nante yie. ?
Kwaku Yoo ?
Tikya Asuafo, mema mo aha. ?
Asuafo Yaa owura ?
Tikya Mo ho te sεn? ?
Asuafo Yεn ho yε paa na wo ε? ?
Tikya Me nso me ho yε paa. εnnε, yεbεsua biribi afa AIDS ho ?
Osuani AIDS yε εdeεn? ?
Osuani II Menim. AIDS yε yareε a ano nni aduro ?
Tikya Mmo woayε adeε paa. εdeεn na εde AIDS yare yi ba? ?
Tikya Mmo woayε adeε paa. εdeεn na εde AIDS yare yi ba? ?
Osuani III Nsanom. ?
Osuani II Daabi, εnyε saa. Mmaapε na εde AIDS ba. ?
Osuani I Bammɔ bεn? ?
Osuani IV ɔwɔ sε barima no hyε kɔndɔm ?
Tikya Akyi(re) yεbεka akwan ahodoɔ obi fa so nya AIDS. ?
Osuani III Na Na yεbεdεn ahu sε obi wɔ AIDS yi bi. ?
Tikya Sε obi wɔ AIDS a, ɔnya nyarewa ahodoɔ pii. Biribiara nni ne mogya mu a εko tia yareε ahodoɔ a εka nipa ?
Osuani II εdeεn nyarewa nketenkete na εtaa ka obi a ɔwɔ AIDS? ?
Tikya Nyarewa no bi ne konkorowaa, ayamtuo, mpɔmpɔ, εwa, εfe, tipaeε a ano yε den, ayamka ne nkekaho pii ?
Osuani I Tikya. εyε nokorε sε yεne obi a ɔyare AIDS nni agorɔ? ?
Tikya εnte saa. Wobεtumi ne no adi agorɔ. Mmom hwε sε woamfa ne biribi te sε brad (blade) anaa ade ɔde twitwi ne se antwitwa wo bɔwerε anaa antwitwi wo se. ?
Asuafo Tikya, yεate enti yεbεbɔ yεn ho ban afiri AIDS ho na Yεbεkyerεkyerε yεn anuanom ne nnamfo nso. ?
Tikya ɔkyena, yεbεtoa so ?

Lesson Monologue

Asεnka (Monologue): Read the monologue below about Akosua describing her sickness to her doctor.

firi aseε

to begin/start

didi

eat

fe

vomit 

mpw

joints

hwee

nothing

nnora

yesterday

brε

to be tired

hwimhwim

palpitate

boa

to help

 

Dɔkota, mepa wo kyεw meyare paa. Yare(ε) no firii aseε

nnora. Seseiara, mentumi nnidi. Aduane biara nyε me dε.

Medidi a, na mafe. Me ti nso pae me paa. Me mpɔw nyina yε me

ya. Mentumi nyε hwee koraa. Menante kakra a, na mabrε. Me

nkotodwe mienu nyina yε me ya. Nna (nda) ara na meda. Nnora

metɔɔ aduro wɔ adutɔnbea. Adutɔnni no maa me parasetaml.

Mefaa aduro no εyεE yie kakra nanso yare no asan aba. Anɔpa yi

deε εnyε koraa. Menante kakra na m’ani so biri me. M’akoma nso

yε me hwimhwim. Dɔkota, εdeεn na menyε. Boa me na merebrε.

Activity: (discussion)

What do you think Akosua is suffering from? Why?

 

 

 

?

Lesson Note

Grammar Notes

Nyarewa Ahodo(ɔ) (Types of Diseases/Sickness/Physical Disabilities)
  1. adugyebea can also be called adutnbea if the place is seen as a place for buying medicine rather than a place for getting medicine
  2. We say fa aduro when the medicine is a tablet and nom aduro when it is in liquid form. Sometimes people use them interchangeably.
  3.  

  4. TWI

    ENGLISH

    TWI

    ENGLISH

    TWI

    ENGLISH

    Krotoa/ntehyeewa

    asthma

    ayamka

    Stomach ache

    mfa

    Guinea worm

    mpete

    Chicken pox

    ayamtu

    Diarrhea

    nsamanwa/

    krotopn

    Tuberculosis

    ayamtim

    constipation

    deepu

    Candida (yeast infection)

    mmubuiε

    paralysis

    εwa

    cough

    huraeε

    malaria

    Asikyireyare

    diabetes

    Konkurowa/

    nkɔnkɔn

    dysentery

    Fiiba/atridii

    fever

    gyepim

    elephantiasis

    tott

    smallpox

    atipaeε

    headache

    ayaaseyaa

    crump

    pmp

    boil

    kwata

    leprosy

    agoago

    diphtheria

    kaka

    toothache

    adamm

    lunacy

    ktewui

    impotence

    akomayare

    Heart disease

    Ntoburo/

    ntɛnkyɛm

    measles

    bnyin

    bareness

    Owuyare

    AIDS

    dwodwo()

    stroke

    awosoawoso

    Parkinson’s

    dwosmogya

    syphilis

    etwarε

    epilepsy

    kmp

    goiter

    nkwoe

    hernia

    kookoo

    piles

    dwonsyaa

    gonorrhea

    nsaa

    rashes

    bafan

    lame

    Mogya mmoroso

    hypertension

    mumu

    dumbness

    asotiw

    deaf

    anifira

    blindness

    aw

    cold

    akyakya

    Hunch-back

    anisobiri

    dizziness

    asensen

    convulsion

    ɛmuyadeɛ

    backache

    atridiinini

    jundice
KABEA (TENSES)
  1. Daa Kabea (Present tense

The present tense is used for an action that is done everyday. It is used for a habitual event. The verb is in its infinitive state without a prefix or suffix marking tense (it has no overt affix). The verb stem is usually said on a high tone and the pronoun said on a low tone except the second person singular and plural subject prefixes which are said on high tone. The adverbs of time marker in such sentences include daa,(always) da biara (everyday), afe biara (every year), taa (often), dapεn biara(every week), bosome biara (every month) etc. When the subject of the sentence is a pronoun it is written together with the verb as one word but id the subject is a noun, they are written separately. In the following sentences the present tense is underlined.

 

Nhwεsoɔ (Examples)

 

  1. Kofi kɔ ayaresabea bosome biara.                            
  2. Fiada biara, Portia frε ne maame.                             
  3. Kennedy fa aduro da biara.
  4. Tweety da ntεm daa.                                                 
  5. Angbah sɔre anpa.
  6. Afe biara, Ghana di fahodie da
  7. Fiada biara, meto nnwom.
  8. Yεnom nsuo daa.
  9. Dapεn biara, mesua Twi.                                           
  10. Wɔ taa bɔ bɔɔl Kwasiada biara.

 

B. Atwamu/apaho Kabea (Past tense)

   

The past tense is used for an action which began in the past and at the time of speaking the action is not in progress. It is refers to a state in the past and things that we used to do often in the past. The past tense formation in Akan has different forms depending on the verb with a vowel or consonant or followed by an object or not. These are as follows:

 

1. When a verb ends with a vowel and is followed by an adverb or an object, the past tense is formed by doubling the last vowel.

 

Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)

a. Ebenezer baa ha nnora.

b. Portia kɔɔ sukuu Dwoada yi.

c. Metoo nnwom anɔpa yi.

d. Yεdii fufu.

e. Twi asuafo no yεε aduane.

2.  When the verb ends with a vowel and is not followed by an object the past is formed by adding -e or -i (-eε or -iε in Asante).

 

Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)

 

  1. Abofra no dae/daeε.
  2. Yεkɔe/kɔeε.
  3. Asuafoɔ no didii/didiiε.
  4. Maame no tɔe/tɔeε*                           *tɔ – to buy
  5. ɔbaa no tui/tuiε*.`                               *tu – to uproot

 

Note: This rule does not apply to the verb wɔ (to have) and so (to carry). It is wrong to say Mewɔɔ sika or Mewɔeε (I had money or I had), rather say “Minyaa sika” (I had money). It is also wrong to say “Mesoo nwoma” (I carried books) rather say Mesoaa nwoma (I carried books).

 

3. When a verb has a consonant ending and is followed by an object we form the past tense by doubling the last consonant.

 

Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)

 

  1. Medumm* gya no.                              *  dum - to extinguish
  2. Asuafo no nomm* nsu(o).                  * nom - to drink
  3. Papa no tɔnn adwa.                             * tɔn – to sell
  4. Mepamm atadeε nnora                       * pam – to sew
  5. Yesuaa Twi nnora                             

 

4. When a verb ends with a consonant and is not followed by an object or Adverb. The past is formed by adding the suffixes iε or eε to the verb.

Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)

 

  1. Medumiε
  2. Asuafo no nomeε
  3. Papa no tɔneε
  4. Mepameε.
  5. Yεsuaeε

 

Note: When you start a sentence with Na the present tense sentence becomes a past tense. The verb still stays in its present stay. In this case, it means used to.

 

Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)

 

  1. Na mepam atadeε
  2. Na asuafo no nom nsa
  3. Na mewɔ sika
  4. Na yεwɔ Ghana
  5. Na Kofi di fufu

 

5. Serial verbs (adeyɛ ntoaso): Sometimes two verbs in sequence combine to give a single meaning. Examples are ka hwɛ, ka kyerɛ, fa bra, yɛ hwɛ, fa nom. The past of these types of verbs are formed by following the rules discussed above but note that the first verb remains in the present. It is only the second verb which is changed to the past.

 

Examples (Nhwɛsoɔ)

  1. ɔbaa no yɛ hwɛɛ sɛ ɛbɛyɛ yie.
  2. Osuani no ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ ɔbɛsua Twi.
  3. Abofra no di hwɛeɛ.
  4. Mmofra no san kɔɔ wɔn fie.
  5. Asuafo no hyia dwenee asɛm no ho.

 

 

  1. Mprenmpren /Daa Kabea (Continuous/Progressive tense)

 

The continuous/progressive tense is used for an action which began in the past and will terminate in the future but at the time of speaking the action is still in progress. The progressive/continuous tense is marked by the prefix re-. The prefix marker re- is put right in front of the verb. Examples are reda, resu, renom etc. If the subject is a pronoun, the progressive marker is put between the pronoun and the verb and written as one word. Examples are mereda, meresu, merenom etc.

 

Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)

 

  1. Papa no redi fufu.
  2. Meresua Twi.
  3. Mmofra no renom nsuo.
  4. Papa no reyɛ adwuma.
  5. Kyerɛkyerɛni no rekyerɛ Twi

 

Sometimes, the progressive continuous tense is used for an action which began in the past and will terminate in the future but at the time of speaking the action may not be in progress.

 

Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)

 

  1. Me kyerɛkyerɛ retwerɛ nwoma.
  2. Papa no resi dan.
  3. Me maame reyɛ afuo

 

The progressive construction is also used to express a future planned action or activity. This construction has the adverb of time indicated.

 

Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)

 

  1. Merekɔ  dɔkota hɔ ɔkyena.
  2. Asuafo no retu kwan Kwasiada.
  3. Yɛreyɛ nhyiamu anwummere yi.
  4. Akwasi reto nnwom ɔkyena.
  1. Daakye Kabea (future tense)

 

This construction is used for an action which began in the past and will terminate some time in the future. The future tense in Akan is marked by the prefix bɛ- (will) attached to the verb. If the subject is a pronoun, the future marker is inserted between the verb and the pronoun and written as one word. This is future type I.

Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)

 

  1. Papa no bɛsi dan.
  2. Asuafo no bɛsua Twi.
  3. Yɛbɛkɔ New York.
  4. Kyerɛkyerɛni bɛkyerɛ adeɛ ɔkyena.
  5. Wɔbɛdi pizza anwummere yi.

 

Note: When the first person pronoun me (I) is the subject of the sentence do not write or say mebE- rather say and write mɛ- 

Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)

 

  1. Mɛda ntɛm ɔkyena
  2. Mɛtu Kwan.
  3. Mɛkɔ New York.
  4. Mɛsua Twi.
  5. Mɛtwerɛ nwoma.

The second type of future construction is a combination of the progressive (re-) plus the future (bɛ-). This indicates that the action is in the immediate future.

 

Examples (Nhwεsoɔ)

 

  1. Merebɛtu kwan.
  2. Yɛrebɛdi pizza
  3. Me papa rebɛsi dan.
  4. Asuafo no rebɛsua Twi.
  5. Wɔrebɛkɔ Columbus wɔ Ohio.

 

  1. Ayɛasie Kabea (Perfect Tense)

 

The perfect tense marker is the prefix a- which is attached to the verb stem. It is used for an action or activity completed but at the time of speaking the effect is still felt. The marker is “a”. The marker a is attached to the verb.

Examples (Nhwɛsoɔ)

  1. Wɔadi pizza no nyina.
  2. Asuafo no asua Twi.
  3. Mahu asuafo no dada.
  4. Yɛada ntɛm dodo.
  5. Abena ayɛ fie dwumadie no.

 

Lesson Exercise

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