Acknowledgments
This book has taken over fifteen years to write, and has only succeeded due to the efforts of many people. First and foremost is Felix Ameka who has been with the book project from the beginning, and breathed life into it when it almost died. In 2003, he got me started on the documentation of Tutrugbu in his Southern Ghana-Togo Mountains Languages (GTM) Project. Although I left Leiden University the following year to work at the University of Florida, I was able to continue work on the project with his support. Later, a conflict arose among the community because of the project, and Felix took me to see some chiefs to defuse the situation. Once I began to write the chapters, he became my reviewer and critic, and made sure that I defended every point I made on the pages.
I am also deeply indebted to the Nyangbo community for their assistance during the documentation of the language. Togbe Osunu VI, the late chief of Nyangbo Odumase, was among the first people to welcome me to Nyangbo. He took me to meet the rest of the chiefs and regents who all welcomed me warmly. The late Mr. Victor Amedegbor, then Regent of Gagbeƒe, played a role in the choice of the elders with whom I worked. He also facilitated my access to other members of the community. The elders are Madam Christina Glover, Mr. Ben Ahundjo and Mr. Walter Agameti. I had several recording sessions with them on cultural and language information. Unfortunately, they have all passed away. The Regent of Sroe, Mr. George Akorsihu, and his spokesperson, Tsyiami Agoro, discussed chieftaincy among the Sroe people. The Regent of Odumase, Mr. Godwin Krakadi, and the regent of the spokesperson, Mr. Dickson Haka Agameti, also talked to me about the culture and occupations of the Nyangbo people. Prof. Kofi Glover at University of South Florida in Tampa helped me transcribe my first recordings on my return from the field. I would also like to acknowledge the hospitality of the late Mr. Anku Tusah, the Regent of Emli, and his brothers Mr. Kodzo Tusah and Mr. Godwin Tusah who provided accommodation for me in Emli, and made my stay comfortable. Although they also provided me with data, I was not able to use them in the grammar because of the conflict that I alluded to above.
Outside of the chiefs, their spokespersons, and regents, several members of the Nyangbo community played important roles in teaching me Tutrugbu. First is Judith Glover who took over as my principal language consultant following the passing of Togbe Osunu VI, and worked with me to the very end. She was superbly assisted by Mr. John Ayawli who often traveled with me to the other Nyangbo towns. Next is Cynthia Morkporkpor Eddeh who came by to help with Esinam and Mawuena when the other two were not available, and whose phone number I have called on several occasions for one clarification or the other. Other members of the community whom I recorded are Mr. Vincent Tumfuor, Mr. Paul Glover, Mr Traughod Ametefe, Mr. Richard Adenu, Mr. Alexander Adenu, and Bonny Kofi, who have all passed away, Miss Dora Adenu, Miss Sitsofe Agameti, Mrs. Dora Addeh Agameti, Miss Evelyn Agbate, Mr. Alfred Ankrah, Mr. Richmond Odenku, Mr. Richard Sraha, Mr. Lawrence Akyem, Miss Bernice Atiedu, Miss Grace Odani and Mr. Kofi Ntem. Some students whom I also recorded are Kafui Boadzra, Seyram Agameti, Ruth Atiedu, Junior Wilson Akator and Beatrice Aboni. Rev. Fr. Adjoe and I discussed data at the early stages of the project. Outside of the language community, the teachers of the Odumase Primary and Junior Secondary School, notable among whom are the late Mr. Vincent Osei, Mr. Collins Kpo, Mr. Dogbe and Miss Mary Egbadewoe, helped with appointments.
I am also highly indebted to Adam McCollum who contributed tremendously to the analysis in the Phonology chapter, including working on the spectrographs and the map of the Nyangbo towns. I also had discussions with Mercy Bobuafor and Kofi Dorvlo, who were also part of the Southern GTM Project. Mercy Klugah and Dodzi Kpoglu drew the initial GTM map. Dorothy Agyepong read and commented on the chapters, and George Akanlig-Pare discussed the phonology chapter. Towards the end, my most delightful friend, Jean DCosta, polished the language in Chapter 1.
My family has been particularly supportive. Joscelyn has not only read and commented on some of the chapters but she has also helped with the formatting. Sika and Senanu endured the several times I was away doing fieldwork.
I received the following funding support over the years to do the work: The Southern Ghana-Togo Mountain Languages Project, funded by the Netherlands Science Foundation (NWO) (2003), the Documentation of Nyangbo Project, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF #0651800) (2007–2009), and the Humanities Scholarship Enhancement Fund (2007 & 2009).
Finally, I would like to thank Gerrit Dimmendaal, the editor for the Grammars and Sketches of the World’s Languages series, for his infinite patience, and to his team for making this book a reality. This includes a big thank you to Jan Knipping and Gertrud Schneider-Blum for help with proof-reading, and to Monica Feinen for drawing the final version of the GTM map (Fig. 1 in Chapter 1).
To everyone and every organization, I say wɔnɔ bhit’ ibui oo!