The Central Tano or Akan languages are a pair of

dialect cluster A dialect is a variety of language spoken by a particular group of people. This may include dominant and standardized varieties as well as vernacular, unwritten, or non-standardized varieties, such as those used in developing countries or iso ...

s of the Niger-Congo family (or perhaps the theorised

Kwa languages The Kwa languages, often specified as New Kwa, are a proposed but as-yet-undemonstrated family of languages spoken in the south-eastern part of Ivory Coast, across southern Ghana, and in central Togo. The Kwa family belongs to the Niger-Congo ...

) spoken in

Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

and

Ivory Coast Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest List of ci ...

by the

Akan people The Akan () people are a kwa languages, Kwa group living primarily in present-day Ghana and in parts of Ivory Coast and Togo in West Africa. The Akan speak languages within the Central Tano languages, Central Tano branch of the Potou–Tano la ...

. There are two or three languages, each with dialects that are sometimes treated as languages themselves:Dolphyne, Florence Abena (1986) The languages of the Akan peoples. ''Research review''. Vol. 2 No. 1, Pages 1-

University of Ghana. p. 15. *Akanic (primarily in Ghana) **core Akan language, Akan (Asante, Akuapem and Fante dialects) **

Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by the nickname Bono ( ), is an Irish singer-songwriter and activist. He is a founding member, the lead vocalist, and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Bono is known for his impassioned voca ...

** Wasa *Bia (primarily in Ivory Coast and Western Ghana) **Northern Bia language *** Anyin dialect *** Baoulé dialect *** Chakosi (Anufo) dialect *** Sefwi (Sehwi) dialect **Southern Bia language *** Nzema dialect *** Ahanta dialect *** Jwira–Pepesa dialect All have written forms in the

Latin script The Latin script, also known as the Roman script, is a writing system based on the letters of the classical Latin alphabet, derived from a form of the Greek alphabet which was in use in the ancient Greek city of Cumae in Magna Graecia. The Gree ...

References

Potou–Tano languages {{kwa-lang-stub