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THE ETYMOLOGICAL MYSTERY SURROUNDING THE AKAN PHRASES: "WO NI" AND ''WO SE"
I have often propounded that if there exist ,any two phrases that are hardly assigned furlough in kinship terminological discourse within the Akan dispensation; an instant judgement without a shred of doubt can result in making reference to " wo ni" and wo se". The two simply make reference to father and mother. Interestingly, if each of the two is approached by a given specific situation, it becomes mutually exclusive. For instance, when reference is being made to any of the mainstream line of the family system ( patrilineal and matrilineal). However, if they are brought under the general context of the Akan related kinship setting one would not be far from right by referring to them as being non mutually exclusive. From the above introduction, without an inch stretch out of the box, "wo ni and wo se" can be placed under a contextual dual citizenship. Meaning depending on the context, the two phrases can be labelled as being mutually exclusive at one breadth and non mutually exclusive at another but how did they find their way to the vocabulary bank of the Akans?
As usual, we shall enter into a critical analysis to find out the etymological evidence of the two as i assist you to satisfy your curiosity.
Firstly, "wo se" - a compound of a 2nd person singular pronoun (you) and "se" meaning to father. It is said that when an amorous relationship is established between a man and woman resulting in a pregnancy, it often breed grounds for the phrases under consideration. Fathers, according to the Akan marriage tradition, never spare a moment to pride themselves by boasting about the child between the mother and them, whether born or unborn. When such situation occurs, it is said that the father has assumed ownership of the child without any confirmation by the carrier of the baby. Quiet often, the father verbally brags about the child in terms of being the man behind the results of the intimate relationship. Infact it is out of this bragging conversation that brought about the keyword of the phrase "se". Thus, the father says the child belongs to him. It is the sum of the story behind this assumption and the denotative implication of the word "that developed into somewhat newly coined word for father, that is often employed under derogatory and sarcastic circumstances.
In the case of the mother, being referring to "ni" it is evidenced on the meaning of the root word that can be labelled as morpheme, "ni" implies "to have a fore knowledge about something. Therefore, in reference to the substance of the analysis, the father usually "says" but the mother is naturally clothed with the knowledge of who the father of her child is. Have you ever wondered why royals from the patrilineal side of the family system are discouraged traditionally from occupying the stool of the state? The phenomenon that has gradually metamorphosised into a general belief by the Akans own the explanation into that fact.