English is not our mother tongue but it is the official language in Ghana.
Agreed, we even sometimes misuse our own dialect not to talk of another man’s language. Nonetheless, we have no choice, so far as English remains our official language—it is better for us to get it right.
Interestingly, we grew up using some words to represent the other. We don’t know how most of these words or phrases came to be but no matter some people’s educational level, they still say these words as it seems that’s what they grew up to know and can’t stop using it.
In Ghana, many of the phrases you are likely to hear seem like good English till you get into an English class or when you realize it can’t even be found in any English dictionary.
If you have been using any of these words we are about to mention (Which we believe you always do unless you are not a Ghanaian) then you might want to really take another closer look at it.
Here are 9 of such words and phrases you always probably use — but do not know it’s wrong.
1. Ice Water – “Chilled Water”
Though saying ice water instead of chilled water is not right— this phrase is not entirely wrong but can be used informally— but it won’t be proper to use them officially.
Unfortunately, it has gained so many roots, it’s accepted everywhere.
2. Barbering Shop – “Barber Shop”
It is rather a barber shop instead of barbering shop.Barbering is the process of cutting or trimming one’s hair.
Barbering means the process is ongoing but the place where the job is done is known as a barber shop and not a barbering shop.
3.Dropping – “Charter”
Dropping is one common word on the streets.
In Ghana, dropping is used wrongly and in fact, it means to charter a taxi and not ‘animal droppings’ as many tourists perceive when they first hear it.
4. Drop – “Alight”
I guess you’ve been saying the word ‘ I will drop, I will drop at the next bus stop’ when you are in a taxi or trotro.
The right thing to say is ‘I will alight here or ‘will alight at the next bus stop as drop here means like you want to fall off the car.
5.Balance- “Change”
This is very common among “trotro” conductors and their passengers. Instead of, my change, we say, “give me my balance”. Balance however, is not entirely wrong but change is the right word to use it acts as the predominant over balance. That’s “money returned to someone as the balance of the sum paid for something”.
6.Reduce – “Discount”
In Ghana, it is common to hear customers bargaining saying, “reduce it” in the market or trading. It’s not a crime to request for a reduction in the price of an item but we believe it’s not right to say reduce it when you can just ask for a discount.
7. Chop Bar – “Eatery”
The eatery is the right word to use for places we buy food to eat but unfortunately, in Ghana, we’ve decided to replace it with ‘Chop Bar’.
8. Flash – “Missed Call”
If you should call someone in Ghana and they should miss your call, don’t be surprised when they call back and the first thing they will ask is, “You flashed me, that’s why I’m calling back”.
What it actually means is that they missed your call.
9. Mate – “Bus Conductor”
If you are new in Ghana and in a bus or ‘trotro’ and you hear people calling out, “Mate! mate!! mate!!!”, don’t assume it’s what you think it is. They referring to the bus conductor.
However, most of these words and phrases have become well known and they’ve been accepted by the community and changing them will be very difficult because even well-educated people use it. But we can get it right if most people start getting the right usage of a word or phrases.
