Makaa–Njem languages
Bantu language group spoken in Cameroon
| Makaa–Njem | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | Southern Cameroon and neighbouring areas |
| Linguistic classification | Niger–Congo?
|
| Subdivisions |
|
| Glottolog | maka1323 |
 The Makaa–Njem languages (excluding Kako) | |
The Makaa–Njem languages are a group of Bantu languages spoken in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Republic of the Congo. They are coded Zone A.80 in Guthrie's classification.
According to Nurse & Philippson (2003), adding the Kako languages (Guthrie's A.90) forms a valid node, called Pomo–Bomwali (Kairn Klieman 1997).
Languages
Kako
The Guthrie Kako (A.90) languages are:
- Kwakum
- Pol
- Pomo-Kweso (Pomo, Kweso)
- Kako.
Makaa–Njem
The Guthrie Makaa–Njem (A.80) languages are:
| Language name | Primary location | Secondary location(s) | Ethnic group(s) | No. speakers[1] | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bekwel | Congo | Cameroon, Gabon | Bekwel | 12,060 | Close to Nkonabeeb and Koonzime. Cameroonian speakers also use Mpongmpong.[2] |
| Bomwali | Congo | Cameroon | Bomwali | 39,280 | |
| Byep | Cameroon | None | Maka | 9,500 | Also called North Makaa, though not intelligible with Makaa.[3] |
| Kol | Cameroon | Gabon | Bekol | 12,000 | Speakers use Makaa or Koonzime as well.[4] |
| Koonzime | Cameroon | None | Badwe'e, Nzime | 30,000 | Badwe'e speak Koozime dialect; Nzime speak Koonzime dialect. Used as a second language by many Baka.[5] |
| Makaa | Cameroon | None | Maka | 80,000 | Related to Byep (North Makaa) and Kol, although unintelligible with them.[6] |
| Mpiemo | Central African Republic | Cameroon, Congo | Mbimu | 29,000 | |
| Mpumpong | Cameroon | None | Nkonabeeb | 45,000 | |
| Ngumba (Kwasio) | Cameroon | Equatorial Guinea | Mabi, Ngumba, Bujeba, Gyele (Koya, Kola) | 22,000 | The Gyele are Pygmies |
| Njyem | Cameroon | Congo | Njyem | 7,000 | Spoken by many Baka as a second language.[7] |
| Swo | Cameroon | None | Swo | 9,000 | High level of influence from Beti.[8] |
| Ukhwejo | Central African Republic | None | Benkonjo | 2,000 |
Maho (2009) adds Shiwe (Oshieba) of central Gabon.
Glottolog classifies the languages as follows:[9]
- Makaa–Kako (A.80-90) languages:
- Kako (or Mkako, Nkoxo, Dikaka, Yaka)
- Kwakum (or Kpakum, Pakum, Bakum, Abakum, Abakoum, Akpwakum)
- Pol (or Pol, Pori, Pul) (Azom, Polri Kinda)
- Pomo-Kweso (Pomo, Kweso)
- Makaa–Njem (A.80) languages
- Bomwali (or Bomali, Boumoali, Bumali, Lino, Sangasanga)
- Yambe
- Mpoic languages:
- Mpongmpong (or Mpumpong, Pongpong, Mpompo, Mpopo, Mbombo, Bombo)
- Bekwil (or Bekwie, Bekwel, Bakwil, Bakwele, Okpele)
- Njemic languages:
- Mpiemo–Ukhwejo languages:
- Western A80 languages:
- Mvumboic languages:
- Gyele (or Guiele, Giele, Gieli, Gyeli, Bogyeli, Bondjiel, Bajeli, Babinga, Bakola, Bakuele, Bekoe, Likoya)
- Kwasio (or Kwassio, Bisio, Bissio, Bisiwo, Bujeba, Mabi, Mabea, Ngumba, Mgoumba, Ngoumba, Mvumbo)
- Shiwe (or Shiwa, Chiwa, Oshieba, Ossyeba)
- Makaaic languages:
- Byep-Besep (or North Makaa) (Byep, Besep)
- Makaa (or South Makaa)
- Kol (or Bikele-Bikay, Bikele-Bikeng, Bikélé, and Bekol)
- So (or Sso, Swo, Shwo, Fo)
- Mvumboic languages:
Notes
- ^ All totals are based on the relevant Ethnologue pages.
- ^ "Bekwel", Ethnologue.
- ^ "Byep", Ethnologue.
- ^ "Kol", Ethnologue.
- ^ "Koonzime", Ethnologue.
- ^ "Kol", Ethnologue.
- ^ "Njyem", Ethnologue.
- ^ "So", Ethnologue.
- ^ Hammarström, Harald; Forke, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin; Bank, Sebastian, eds. (2020). "Makaa-Njem (A.80)". Glottolog 4.3.
References
- Nurse, Derek; Philippson, Gérard, eds. (2003). The Bantu languages. London: Routledge. ISBN 9780700711345.
- Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. (ed.) (2005). Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 15th ed. Dallas: SIL International. Retrieved 7 June 2006.
