Duration correlates of nasal consonants in Akan

Abstract

The study examines the duration of Akan nasal consonants at different word positions. In all, 70 speakers were recorded, ten from each of the seven Akan communities, made up of five males and five females. The subjects were asked to repeat the words presented in a carrier frame “Ɔse {key word} anaa?” [ɔsɪ…anaa] three times, which were recorded and analyzed using Kay Elemetrics Computerized Speech Laboratory (CSL) model 4500 software. The study reveals that the bilabial nasal [m]has the longest duration, followed by the alveolar nasal [n], the velar nasal [ɲ] and the palatal nasal [ŋ] respectively. At different word-positions, the duration at word initial is longer than word-medial and word-final, as that of word-medial is also longer than word-final