Kasena or Kassena (Kasem or Kassem) is the language of the Kassena ethnic group and is a Gur language spoken in the Upper East Region of northern Ghana and in Burkina Faso.

Orthography

An independent 30-letter alphabet called the Goulsse alphabet (from gʋlse, “writing” in Mooré) was devised by Burkinabé app developer Wenitte Apiou, Babaguioue Micareme Akouabou and Kassem linguist Fernand Ki in summer of 2021 based on the geometrical patterns found in Kassena architecture. The alphabet is also planned to be applicable for the related Mooré language as well.

Phonology

Consonants

Vowels

Tone

Kasena has three tones, a high tone, a mid level tone and a low tone. Tonal changes either change the lexical meaning of a word or its grammatical function. Lexical A „I“ Á „You (PL)“ Grammatical Wu Negation Wú Futur

Grammar

Noun class system

There are five classes of nouns that can be identified in Kasena. These classes correspond to grammatical genders and are differentiated in terms of number, such that there are five classes for singular nouns and five classes for plural nouns.

Pronouns

Personal and possessive pronouns

There are two classes of personal pronouns. One class is referring to humans, whereas the other class is referring to non-human entities. The personal pronouns are also used as possessive pronouns, thus there is no special form for possessive pronouns in Kasena. Human personal pronouns Non-human personal pronouns

Emphatic pronouns

Reciprocal pronouns

Reciprocity is expressed by the pronoun daanɪ, which sometimes occurs as a prefix or suffix. Ba soe daanɪ. 3PL like each.other „They like each other.“

Reflexive pronouns

Reflexivity is expressed by a personal pronoun to which either tɪtɪ or katɪ ('-self')is added. O cɔgɪ o tɪtɪ. 3SG destroy 3SG self „He destroys himself.“

Relative pronouns

Relative pronouns are formed on the basis of the personal pronouns for non-human entities to which the suffix -lʊ is attached.

Indefinite pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns

Interrogative pronouns

Syntax

Word order

The Kasena language has a basic SVO word order. Ada diim toŋe. Ada yesterday work.PFV „Ada worked yesterday.“