TWI is a Niger-Congo language spoken primarily in West Africa by approximately
20million people. It is the native tongue of people, residing predominantly in Ghana. There are three distinct dialects; Ashanti, Akuapem & Fante. As a result of the trans atlantic slave trade,
traces of the TWI language live on today in parts of the Americas and Caribbean. Anansi, which is the TWI word for spider
is probably the most prominent legacy.
Twi is a tonal language, so the meaning of a word could change with the inflection or pitch
of the speaker. Standard written twi does not make use of tonal marks (Diacritics) to capture inflection or pitch. The
IKWYS solution introduces the use of tonal marks on written text to ensure users can learn correct pronounciation
of twi words. This is a feature unique to the IKWYS interactive solution.
There are three distinct tones: Low, Mid and High. These are often compared to the musical tones of Do, Re & Mi. For example
the written Twi word Huru, could mean either jump or boil depending on the speaker. With
the IKWYS Interactive Twi solution, the use of tonal marks; Hùrú (jump) and Hùrù
(boil) not only eliminates confusion but also developes accurate pronounciation.
