EDUCATION
BA, PhD (University of Ghana, Legon)
Dissertation: Force dynamics and causation in Akan
TEACHING
LNGS 302: Syntax I
LNGS 303: Phonetics and Phonology of a Ghanaian language (Akan)
LNGS 402: Semantics
LNGS 403: Syntax II
LNGS 412: Semantics of a Ghanaian language (Akan)
LNGS 422: Pragmatics
Postgraduate
LNGS 603: Theory of syntax
LNGS 604: Seminar in semantics and pragmatics
LNGS 615: Trends in Linguistics
Thesis Supervision
Bimpeh, Anne Abigail. 2016. Semantics of exclusives in Ewe. MPhil thesis, Department of Linguistics, University of Ghana, Legon.
Nuuratu Abubakar. Morphosyntax of the noun phrase in Sisaalɩ. 2018. MPhil thesis, Department of Linguistics, University of Ghana, Legon.
CURRENT RESEARCH
This project examines the expression of causation in sixteen Kwa languages with regards to the forms and constructions used in expressing causation, the syntactic properties and structure of causative constructions and the major events types of causation which are encoded across Kwa languages. I’m currently preparing a book length manuscript based on this project.
This project explores how PAIN is conceptualized and expressed in Akan. The study identifies different types of PAIN constructions and argue that they represent different conceptualization of PAIN in the language.
This project (with Stefan Savic, Rhodes University, South Africa) re-examines the semantics of tense/aspect morphemes in Akan, particularly the so-called past tense or completive tense. The study focuses on identifying semantic tests for evincing the primary function of tense/aspect morphemes in Akan.
In this project, we (with Obadele Kambon, University of Ghana, Legon) hope to publish a monograph which documents the process of serial verb construction nominalization in Akan and show how to analyse intervening elements in such constructions, propose a template for serial verb construction nominalization and identify its general features.
In this project, we (with Ronald Schaefer, University of Southern Illinois, Edwardsville and Prof Francis Egbokhare, University of Ibadan, Nigeria) identify complementation types across Niger-Congo and how such a typology can account for some seemingly arrant complement sentences in Kwa and Benue-Congo language families.
PUBLICATIONS
Obadele Kambon, Reginald Akuoko Duah & Clement I. K. Appah. 2018. Serial verb nominalization in Akan: the question of intervening elements. In Emily Clem, Peter Jenks & Hannah Sande (eds.), Theory and description in African Linguistics: Selected papers from ACAL 47, 361–386. Berlin: Language Science Press.
Duah, R. Akuoko and Sarah Marjie. 2012. Code-Switching in Written Communication: Factors and Motivations. In Helen Lauer and Joana Boampong (eds.), Creating in Diversity: Exploring our Differences for Nationhood, 97 – 121. Accra: Sub-Saharan Publishers.
Duah, R. Akuoko, Abigail Ayiglo and Afua M. Blay. 2010. The Dilemma of African American English Identity: A Case of African Language Influence? In Helen Lauer, Nana Aba Amfo and Jemima Anderson (eds.), Identity Meets Nationality: Voices from the Humanities, 111-135. Accra: Sub-Saharan Publishers.
Grubic, Mira, Agata Renans and R. Akuoko Duah. To appear. Focus, Exhaustivity and Existence in Akan, Ga and Ngamo. Linguistics.
Appah, Clement K. I., R. Akuoko Duah and Ọbádélé Kambon. 2017. Akan Noun–Verb Nominal Compounds: The Exocentric Synthetic View. Language Sciences 64, 1-15.
Kambon, Obadele and R. Akuoko Duah. 2017. Non-African Linguistics Be Like “This is a New Way to Quote!”. Ghana Journal of Linguistics 6(2), 85-115.
Duah, R. Akuoko. 2015. Exhaustive Focus Marking in Akan. Interdisciplinary Studies on Information Structure 19, 1-28.
Osam, E. Kweku, R. Akuoko Duah and Afua M. Blay. 2011. The So-Called Postpositions in Akan: A Reconsideration. Journal of West African Languages XXXVII (2), 107-118.
SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS & CONFERENCES
Coordination, tense and focus: The case of the particle na in Akan. SynSem Colloquium, University of Potsdam.
Conceptualization of PAIN in Akan. Department of Linguistics Seminar (October, 2018), University of Ghana, Legon
The semantics of the clausal determiner no in Akan (Kwa) (with Carla Bombi, Agata Renans & Mira Grubic). Sinn und Bedeutung (SuB) 23 (September 2018), Barcelona.
Back to the Past: Semantics of Past Time Marking in Akan (with Stefan Savic). 30th WALC and 10th LAG Conference (August 2017), University of Education, Winneba.
Too much Focus on Focus: The Grammatical Status of Focus Particles in Akan, Ga and Dangme (with Nana Aba Amfo). 30th WALC and 10th LAG Conference (August 2017), University of Education, Winneba.
Kwa, Causatively Speaking. Special Seminar, Department of English Language and Linguistics (November 2016), Rhodes University, South Africa.
Toward a typology of Niger-Congo complementation (with Ronald Schaefer & Francis Egbokhare). Proto-Niger-Congo 2nd International Congress (September 1-3, 2016), Paris.
Serial Verb Nominalization in Akan: The Question of Intervening Elements (with Obadele Kambon & Celement Appah). 47th Annual Conference of African Linguistics (March 23-25, 2016), University of California, Berkeley.
Exhaustive Interpretation of Focus in Akan. 47th Annual Conference of African Linguistics (March 23-25, 2016), University of California, Berkeley.
Non-African Linguists Be Like "This is a new way to quote!" (with Obadele Kambon). 10th Annual Linguistics Association of Ghana (LAG) Conference (July 2015), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi.
H-Tone Insertion on Verbs in na-Focus Sentences and Beyond (with Susanne Genzel). Morphosyntactic Triggers of Tone Workshop (June 12-13, 2015), Universitat Leipzig, Germany.
Focus Exhaustivity in Akan. Workshop on Semantics of African, Austronesian and Asian Languages (Triple A1) (June 11-13), Universitat Tuebingen, Germany.
Event Types of Causation in Akan. African Linguistics School (June 2013), Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Split Intransitivity in Ga and Akan (with Samson Korsah). 5th Annual Linguistics Association of Ghana (LAG) Conference (July 31, 2012), University of Education, Winneba.
Causatives in Akan: Coding Mechanisms and Clause Structure. Special Seminar, Department of English Language and Linguistics (November 6, 2012), Rhodes University, South Africa.
Causatives in Dangme and Akan (with Regina Oforiwaa Caesar). A paper presented at the African Linguistics School (June 27, 2011), Songhai Agricultural College, Porto Novo, Benin.