TwiGrad: An ASR-based application for learning Twi

Abstract

Language is a very important aspect of every people's culture and identity. Language is the basic human form of communication made up of various sounds and symbols that pass information from a person to another. The cultural significance of language mades it important for cultural identification and pride, hence the inability to communicate in one's language is simply a loss of part of their identity. The loss of native or heritage language is a problem most common among people living in a place other than their native lands where the dominant language is different from their native language. This projects a technology-based solution aimed at the acquisition and maintenance of Twi (a Ghanaian language) among people who wish to learn the language or increase their speaking proficiency in it. The product, an ASR-based mobile application, was well received, with majority of the stakeholders expressing an 80% acceptance of the functionality and usability of the application.