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'Big English': the noise that kills the message

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  • CHARLES B: 11 years ago

    ANY PERSON WHO LOVES USING BIG ENGLISH IS DUMM UN ADVANCE BECAUSE NOT EVEN THE BRITISH USES BIG ENGLISH WHEN COMMUMICATING; BUT GHANAIANS THINK THE MUST USE BIG ENGLISH TO PROVE THEIR KNOWLEDGE IN THE LANGAUGE:

  • CHARLES B: 11 years ago

    CORRECTION

  • ROB 11 years ago

    "Our fascination and fondness with Primus, the colourful history and English literature teacher at Nifa Secondary School, could largely be explained by one thing—his flamboyant oratory style and ability to confuse us with l ...
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  • Kwasi Poku 11 years ago

    Trying to remember Dr Ansah but come up short. I thought Primus taught Economics at Nifa and not Lit. May be he did.

  • ABRANTIE GYASI 11 years ago

    It should be "CHEW AND POUR"with brains but not your"CHEW AND POOR" without brains.

  • KOLA, LONDON PROPER 11 years ago

    They all sound sensational in their reportage and the worse is when you listen to them on the fm-stations, they sound like male Goats after a female Goat, very noisy.

  • JATO 11 years ago

    The substance of an article or news is more important the queens english.What has big words(english)done for us,after all of Hon.Amidu's gargantuan words,Woyome is walking freely with open chest.President of China can not wri ...
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  • Nana Ansah 11 years ago

    Akufo Addo reminds me of JB Danquah. At rallies Danquah would go for the big words and when it’s all over the crowd would go „What did the bloke say?"

    And then came Kwame Nkrumah who knew how to touch and win the hear ...
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  • Nana Ansah 11 years ago

    Correction: The rest is history.

  • Nana 11 years ago

    Stakeholders, macro-economic stability, growth trajectory, donor community, development partners, socio-economic development, poverty alleviation, debunk, etc etc.

  • Kwasi Ntiamoah, California 11 years ago

    I have been insulted severally by the Professor Emeritus of English Language, His Excellemcy Okuampah whatever, about his useless use of big English as medium of communication on this network. Oyiwa, Prof.

  • Dr. SAS, Attorney at Law 11 years ago

    The problem with Okoampa is his brain, which doesn't exist, not his English, which is superb.

  • ????? 11 years ago

    Are you that old? You watched JB Danquah at rallies?

  • M2 11 years ago

    Well done Doc. This is a brilliant piece and points directly to a big issue in our media and society at large. Let's hope your advice is taken on board by our political leaders and journalists, in particular.

  • MARCUS AMPADU 11 years ago

    I sincerely wished, Menuah Kofi, that we were all able to use our own Ghanaian languages to communicate, to deliver the messages we want to share. Unfortunately, the language we are using is not ours, and oftentimes we end u ...
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  • ADDAE 11 years ago

    WELL DONE DR.
    THIS ARTICLE SHOWS YOU ARE WELL EDUCATED NOT LIKE THIS NONSENSE PROFS./DRS./LAWYERS/POLITICIANS/JOURNALISTS ETC...WANNABES AND BIG ENGLISH ADDICTS IN OUR SOCIETY.

    YOU WROTE AND I QUOTE:

    Communication is a ...
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  • princewilly@ymail.com 11 years ago

    Please lets ask Dr Akadu if there is a word called Galamaxy in English.
    Let me know about Nimo's brother{Pneumonia]in English.
    The Chinese,Japanese,Germans,Italians,Brazilians and the Russians develop their Nation in their ...
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  • ADAMADWA 11 years ago

    Galamaxy, do you mean Galamsay?.
    if you meant Galamsay,Me nua, Galamsay is the short frorm of GETHER THEM AND SELL.

  • Jato Kaleo 11 years ago

    I hope these so-called journalists heed your advice and use words the average English language can understand.Phrases like " fingered in" just irritate me.They don't impress anybody.They should use simply phrases like "court ...
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  • Jato Kaleo 11 years ago

    Sorry"words the average English language user can understand.

  • Concerned Citizen 11 years ago

    We are still "colonised" mentally in our behaviour. Suits and necktie in a 90 degree heat. Lawyers with gowns and wigs. We are even "softly killing" our local languages. "Gargantuan" copycats in whatever we do.

  • ADAMADWA 11 years ago

    Me nua, waka nyasasem paa.Y3mp3 y3 birib ara gye se obi de3 a y3nte ase3.3daa metee s3 Accra wc MAYOR,me sree saa firi m'akonwa so too fom.Eii Oman Ghana, 3b3y3 kakra na ye nni Ohene bio.Na 3kuro biara w) Mayor.Abrofosen nti, ...
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  • Dr. SAS, Attorney at Law 11 years ago

    There is nothing like "big English" or "small English" for that matter. No matter how a person writes, somebody is going to be confused. For example, this writer's lexical items might pose a big challenge to many readers alth ...
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  • Hamid 11 years ago

    I agree with your point about "big" or "small" English. The writer will have a hard time telling us which words are "big" or "small".

    You are right about your second point - authorial licence. But I think the present write ...
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  • Dr. SAS, Attorney at Law 11 years ago

    Good input Hamid!
    Thanks.

  • Akadu Mensema 11 years ago

    Exactly, my point below!

  • Hamid 11 years ago

    The standard of journalism in Ghana has ALWAYS been poor! There is a tendency to think that journalism was better in our country in the olden days. That is not really true. We have had a few journalists who were really good, ...
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  • KWEKU TWENEBOA 11 years ago

    Couldn't agree with you more; great piece.

  • Akadu Mensema 11 years ago

    writing is like finger prints. it differs from person to person! That is the message my class four teacher gave me years ago and it has stuck with me ever since. So let everyone write the way they write!

  • Activist 11 years ago

    So make we broke am go.
    I'm proud of anyone who can fully write the so-called "broken-english" or as it's been labeled as "pigeon-english" by the British English importers, then I'd see & accept you as a scholar but not ...
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  • MABRUDA 11 years ago

    Please do not let us confuse pigeon as a language and standard English. I believe that pigeon, like creole has attained a "language status". Standard English still remains a separate construct used in certain situations and a ...
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  • John 11 years ago

    I enjoy reading your piece,but is it always true that Ghanaian politicians like using "big english"?My O level English teacher once told me that Dr Busia,was good at using simple English which everybody understood.

  • MABRUDA 11 years ago

    "Unfortunate" is one they've come across lately. Never mind big English, Ghanaian journalist can not use the participle - he is involve instead of "involved". Also, Gloria Akuffo can not be BORDERED (they mean bothered).Who t ...
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  • Paul Amuna 11 years ago

    I support you wholly. I just hope that the journalists in question (or shall I say culprits) will read your piece and learn to communicate better. It seems to me they are all copying each other in putting our this language wh ...
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  • mensah abrampa 11 years ago

    I agree with the writer. Whilst we may have different writing styles communication and dissemination of news are not the same.Ideas and thoughts start from the mind .In order for your thoughts to travel from your mind to the ...
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  • A Son Of The Land 11 years ago

    How ironic?

    Did the writer count how many big words he used in his own critique of other writers?

    I challenge the Doctor to give this article to first-year undergrads in any of our universities and let's see how many of ...
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  • Kk3 11 years ago

    Isn't that what shows they are 'educated' ? Maybe you should have listened to the vetting committee questions. I stumble on the daily graphic or Ghanaian times sometimes and frankly it's laughable!

  • Ye-ye 11 years ago

    Mr Big English extraordinaire Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe writes and impresses no-one but himself.

  • B SOYAYA 11 years ago

    Excellent write-up. Please, call me. Tried in vain to get you these days.

  • Prof. Kwame Okoampah Ahonfe 11 years ago

    The writer has little command over the english language, hence his attack on those of us who know and understand the language better.

  • Kwasi Ntiamoah, California 11 years ago

    I want to ask you a very simple question. Can you , please, translate what you wrote in your own vernacular here for us to admit that you are a professor? If not then, I will say you are lost, an uneducated literate.

  • Osibrekete 11 years ago

    If in deed you are that educated i am sure you will understand that in ghana only 15 percent of the population have university education. most of us don't. how do you think the rest of us can buy the newspapers that we read ...
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  • ASUMADU EMESEWOELI, HO, VOLTA REGION 11 years ago

    GET IN CONTACT WITH ronjectgroup@rocketmail.com FOR A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF WHY IT IS SO. IT IS A LONG STORY.