Anii language

The Anii is a Guan language (sometimes called Bassila or Baseca, also known as Oji-Ouji, Ouinji-Ouinji, Winji-Winji, though this is derogatory) which is spoken in Benin, central-eastern Togo and central eastern Ghana by Makɔ-Makua or Bakɔ-Bakua clan. It is part of the geographic group of Ghana Togo Mountain languages (formerly known as the Togorestsprachen or Togo Remnant languages) of the Kwa branch of Niger–Congo.

There are four major dialect groups in Anii, which are quite different from each other, even to the point that some of the dialects are not mutually intelligible. These differences may include variation in phonology (including tonology), lexicon, syntax, and semantics. There are significant differences from village to village within groups, particularly regarding pronunciation.

The name "Anii" was chosen in May 1979 by the Anii people as the official name for the language because it is a word that is common to all the Anii dialects. It is an interjection meaning roughly ‘do you hear?’, or ‘do you understand?’ Some of the older names have colonial or derogatory connotations and should no longer be used, and just be kept for reference.