Ghanaian and Nigerian linguistic transfer in the Spanish and Pichi of Equatorial Guinea

Abstract

This paper discusses lexical evidence of Ghanaian and Nigerian language contact in Spanish and Pichi (an English-lexifier creole), two languages spoken in Equatorial Guinea. Existing research on the lexicon of Equatoguinean Spanish and Pichi has centered primarily on the European and Bantu origins of guineanismos that are loanwords and neologisms in Equatoguinean vocabulary. Despite the geographical proximity between Ghana, Nigeria, and Equatorial Guinea, research on cross-cultural and linguistic connections between these three multilingual countries is scant. This study seeks to fill the gap with an analysis of lexical borrowings gathered from fieldwork and secondary online sources. The objective of this paper is to increase visibility on the linguistic, historical, and cultural connections between two Anglophone countries and a Hispanophone country in sub-Saharan Africa. Findings on these connections can further inspire the design of authentic pedagogical materials for the language and culture classroom.