The New Ghanaian Vocabulary III

First Published on Tuesday November 2nd, 2010

Well, welcome to another class of lessons in the new Ghanaian vocabulary which is changing very very rapidly and which calls for a need to get ourselves constantly updated.

On February 8th this year, I began my patriotic duty to update the few friends I have with the changes occurring in our language and our vocabulary with the first edition of the “The New Ghanaian Vocabulary”; I continued with the second edition on the 12th of February with the second installment of the “New Ghanaian Vocabulary”; for those who did not have the privilege of being my friends early on and who have not read it, I would urge you to get abreast with the lessons in these two editions of the New Ghanaian Vocabulary.

But just to recap a few;

In the first edition, we learnt that the new word for ‘Obesity’ was ‘Anyidohu’ or its synonym ‘Ofosu ampofo’ and that a ‘team manager’ was called an Ahwoi.

We also learnt that for mediocrity, the word to say was ‘Zita’ and a dangerous confession was known as an ‘Ansaba’.
In the second lesson, we learnt the best word to use in describing a lady who wastes all her time doing pedicure is ‘Naadu’

And that a Religious frame up is either an ‘Obinim’ or an ‘Adarkwa Yiadom’; Jihad was seen to have become ‘Jamal’

The word ‘Ampadu’ was said to be a false prophet who specializes in dishing out Electoral prophecies on political platforms; ECG became Atta Disco while the dominant yellow gallons used for water have become the Mortuary Man Gallons.

To say a ‘Twitch’ we learnt that we had to say a ‘Hlordze’

Ok so this is but a few lessons from our first and second lessons.

'Amina' describes someone who receives undeserved punishments for breaking an oath of secrecy.

Hampers distributed officially by the State are known as 'Dogbes'. These are normally not accounted for

Someone who cannot stop being dishonest is known as an 'Ablakwa'! The full noun is Ablakwamaniac

A man with an unusually large number of children (pikins) is known as a 'Mahama'; the word is often used to describe men in very high state offices with over 10 children but can be applied to all

To 'Zita' is the ability of a Public Officer to access the privilege of killing two stones with just 1 bird

A 'Mould' is a failure turned into a disaster in a short period

To 'Pratt' is to see the good / best side of an individual or party when no one is able to see them and also see the bad side of other individuals or parties when no one sees them. Such characters are often known for the sharp tongues and regular shifting of goal posts.

A typical Kokoa ase Kurasini is an 'Afriyie'

You have 'Muntakaed' if you show publicly, your discontent about mockery inflicted by the general populace for something you did (though you are not the first person who did it)

An 'Acheampong' is someone who makes very irresponsible statements often and often in his zeal to show that he is also uncultured.

An 'Appiah Ofori' is an old man who gains notoriety for making very irresponsible and irrational statements

A 'Gyankoma' is an adult daughter who manages to attract for her father, undeserved criticisms as a result of her behavior

You are 'rawlingsing' if you are living a very good life financed by others! Such a state involves the shirking of responsibility for one’s children (ie. their education etc.), housing, movement, etc. unto friends and possibly the state

You are a 'Herbert' if you reveal in public, something told you by a confidant of a Leader about the Leader

A 'PrinceDerick' is a formerly outspoken alleged Gay who adopts a loud silence after he is exposed

A 'Bature' is a self acclaimed leading member of a political party whose posture put him out as someone who is more conversant with the internal intricacies of the political party or government than anyone.

To be an 'Atta' is to be an unpopular leader

The 'Star of Nketiah' is the highest award conferred on Palm Wine Tapping greats and all who have distinguished themselves in the noble art of Palm Wine Tapping; it is seldom given to former distinguished Palm Wine Tappers who have risen through the ranks of a particular field

To 'Shakespeare' is to boast loudly and collapse when your boastful utterances are challenged. It is also used to describe a person whose mouth fears no authority but whose body is not that supportive of the mouth.

'Dadzie' – A media man who causes fear and panic

To Evans& Mills is an idiomatic expression meaning to be mediocre and happy or to be underperforming and glad.

'Dadey' describes a Male who forces female subordinates to have free and unwarranted sex with him at awkward places and in awkward positions under the threat of causing termination of appointment. The Prefix – ‘Sam’ is added to this noun if the Libido of the particular male as described causes him to lose his job ultimately.

A Gold Magnate is called a 'Twumasi Ankrah'

Chimpanzee …… I don’t know

'Gizellia' describes the mental ailment which leads female sufferers to hallucinate about fairytale children they have conceived (most often with prominent men in society)

An 'Olele' is a visibly and obviously old person who refuses to quit an active engagement to allow the young and more athletic to take over. Synonym : Kingson

'Kwesi Appiah' is the situation where the actions, inactions and performance of a single individual destroys a whole agenda or movement. Such movements are normally motivated by patriotism and indigenization.

A 'JohnMensah' is a self acclaimed young person who is exposed by Nature constantly for being not so young

You have 'Opoku Manued' if you escape certain lynching from disenchanted political activists.

Insult is now ‘Aidoo’

Now the following Cities have also had changes in their Names
KUMASI – COCOASE
TAKORADI – KUB3ASE
ACCRA – NSUOASE
KOFORIDUA - BEPOASE

Thank You once again, the third lecture is over; the floor is opened for question...The handouts for this lecture are already ready for photocopying and downloading