Batanga

A language of Cameroon

Batanga-Banda, Noho, Noku

Batanga

5,750 in Cameroon (2015 SIL), decreasing. Very few monolinguals. Ethnic population: 11,500 (2015 SIL). Total users in all countries: 13,750.

Location

South region: Océan division, Kribi area, Bight of Biafra coast.

Language Maps

Southern Cameroon

Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and São Tomé e Príncipe

Language Status

6b* (Threatened).

Classification

Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Bubi-Benga (A.32)

Dialects

Banoho (Banɔhɔ, Banaka, Bano’o, Banoko, Banoo, Nohu, Noko), Bapuku (Bapoko, Bapuu, Naka, Poko, Puku), Batanga (Batanga-Banda).

Language Use

Most parents of young children now transmit French as L1 rather than Batanga. Children above age 6 speak French [fra] better than Batanga. Most also use French [fra]. Some also use Bulu [bum]. Some also use Kwasio [nmg]. Used as L2 by Kwasio [nmg].

Language Development

Radio. Bible: 2010.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Batanga

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Different from Batanga [bdu] of South West Region (Oroko).

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Equatorial Guinea

Language NameBapuku

User Population

8,000 in Equatorial Guinea (2017 SIL), decreasing. Very few monolinguals. Ethnic population: 9,000 (2017).

Location

Litoral province: Bapuku along central coast, south of Mbini to Cabo San Juan.

Alternate Names

Bapoko, Bapuu, Batanga, Naka, Puku

Dialects

None known. The Puku are an Ndowe coastal people.

Language Status

6b* (Threatened).

Language Use

Most also use Spanish [spa]. Some also use Benga [bng]. Some also use French [fra], mainly as a trade language with merchants from francophone African countries. Some also use Kombe [nui].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: Most are literate in Spanish [spa].

Other Comments

Different from Batanga [bdu] of South West Region in Cameroon (Balundu-Bima), and the Batanga dialect of Caka [ckx]. Traditionally coastal fishermen. All the Benga and Batanga consider themselves ‘Boumba’ (those who use ‘mba’ to refer to ourselves), and together with additional groups are ‘Ndowe’ (the beach peoples). Christian, traditional religion.

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Batanga

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A language of Cameroon

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