Legon Journal of the Humanities, 25

Ansah, A. M./ Legon Journal of the Humanities 25 (2014) 37-57

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Legon Journal of the Humanities, 25 
(2014)
P a g e
| 42 
assisted secondary school. The increase in the number of schools has therefore led to a 
corresponding increase in the use of English as a greater number of Larterians (my own 
coinage for the inhabitants of Larteh) have now been exposed to English through the 
school system. The Basel Mission was the first missionary body to gain roots in Larteh, 
establishing the Presbyterian Church in 1853. This was followed by the Wesleyans 
(Methodist) in 1879 and the Anglican Church in 1913. After the establishment of these 
churches, other churches usually referred to as Pentecostal churches also sprung up. 
Churches in Larteh may therefore be broadly categorized into two: Orthodox Churches 
and Charismatic Churches. The major orthodox churches are the Presbyterian, Methodist, 
Catholic, and Anglican churches. The Church of Pentecost, the Apostolic Church of 
Ghana, Jesus Generation Church, and Lighthouse Chapel International fall under the 
umbrella of Pentecostal churches in this study.
Funeral ceremonies in Larteh are communal where family members are expected 
to make donations in cash and in kind to finance the funeral. A typical funeral ceremony 
in Larteh covers three days, and regardless of the society being male-dominated, women 
play significant roles in funeral activities.
Previous studies have recorded that in Larteh, Leteh is the first language of almost 
everyone, and Akuapem Twi is spoken by almost everyone as the second language, a 
phenomenon which is corroborated by the present study. A study by Stewart (1972, p. 
83) reports that the use of a second language in Larteh is a common mark of Guan 
speakers, and that “Except in the case of Gonja, it seems that most speakers of Guan 
languages speak a second language as a lingua franca.” The use of Akan as a second 
language by Leteh speakers may be explained by geographical factors, first and foremost, 
and secondly by the effects of national educational policies which stipulate that Akuapem 
Twi be used as the medium of instruction at the basic level of education in Larteh and 
surrounding towns. Educated Larteh people speak English in addition to Leteh and Twi 
since English is the language of education, administration, and trade in Ghana.
Leteh is unwritten and does not possess an official orthography. The language is 
mostly used in the homes, among the speakers, and also as a means of communication at 
traditional gatherings, such as funerals, festivals, marriages, and naming ceremonies. 
Brokensha (1966, p. xvi) sums up the linguistic situation in Larteh in the following words 
Three languages are in common use in Larteh-Guan, Twi and English. Guan is generally 
the domestic language, children learning it as their first language and using it in their early 
years. At school, children learn English and they also have lessons in what is called 
‘Vernacular’, which is in fact Twi, for Guan is not taught at any school. Twi to some 
extent occupies the position of a prestige language, as does English on other occasions, 
being for example used in church. 
It is common knowledge that multilingualism is the norm in Africa, and in many 
communities in Africa, it is significant to find out what criteria multilingual speakers