Borrowed Akan Discourse-Pragmatic Markers in Ghanaian English

Abstract This study examines the use of five frequently occurring Akan discourse-pragmatic markers, bi , deɛ , ankasa , mpo , and biaa , in Ghanaian English. Based on a qualitative analysis of examples drawn from the Global Web-based English (GloWbE) corpus and situated within postcolonial corpus pragmatics, the study analyzes their syntactic positioning, collocational patterns, and discourse-pragmatic functions. These markers tend to occur in post-nominal or clause-final positions, reflecting substrate influence from Akan. They serve as resources for expressing stance, contrast, scalar emphasis, and categorical assertion. Instances of double marking (e.g., even and mpo ) suggest deliberate intensification rather than redundancy. Their usage reflects the influence of indigenous language expressive norms on Ghanaian English, illustrating how discourse-pragmatic borrowing shapes localized communicative styles and contributes to ongoing processes of linguistic innovation in postcolonial contexts. The study demonstrates how corpus pragmatics can uncover discourse-pragmatic borrowing and rhetorical convergence in World Englishes.