Bisã

Print

Primary tabs

A language of Nigeria

ISO 639-3
bqp
Alternate Names
Bariba, Bisayã, Boussa, Busa, Busa-Bisã, Busano, Bussanchi, Bussawa
Autonym
Bisã
User Population

15,000 (2015 R. Jones). 20,000 ethnic Laaru, Lupa and Kambari.

Location

Kebbi state: Bagudo LGA, 35 villages; Kwara state: south of Kanji reservoir; Niger state: Borgu LGA.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Mande, Eastern, Eastern, Busa
Dialects

New Busa, Wawa. New Busa and Wawa dialects inherently intelligible. New Busa is prestigious, but Wawa dialect is viewed as purer and used for literature. New Busa has Hausa [hau]-influenced phonology. Illo Busa dialect has Boko [bqc] influence. Lexical similarity: 91% with Bokobaru [bus], 85% with Boko [bqc], 57% with Kyanga [tye], 56% with Shanga [sho], 50% with Bisa [bib] in Burkina Faso and Ghana.

Typology

SOV; postpositions; genitives before noun heads; articles, adjectives, numerals, imbedded relative NPs after noun heads; person, number, aspect suffixed to subject pronouns; CV, CVV, CCV; grammatical tone on verbs and pronouns; logophoricity, 3 level tones.

Language Use

Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Cishingini [asg]. Also use English [eng]. Also use Hausa [hau]. Used as L2 by Kyanga [tye], Laru [lan].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 5%. Busa and Hausa adult literacy programs. Literature. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 2005.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Bisã
Writing

Latin script [Latn], used since 2004.

Other Comments

Different from Bisa [bib] of Burkina Faso and Ghana. The Hausa call several groups of people (Boko, Bokobaru, Busa, Bariba) Bussawa, while the Yoruba call them Bariba. Glossonym: Bussanchi by the Hausa. Muslim.