Cerma

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A language of Burkina Faso

ISO 639-3
cme
Alternate Names
Goin, Gouin, Gwe, Gwen, Kirma
Autonym
Cerma
User Population

51,900 in Burkina Faso (2009 UNSD). Total users in all countries: 53,600.

Location

Cascades region: Comoe province.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Southern, Kirma-Tyurama
Dialects

Banfora-Sienena, Niangoloko-Diarabakoko, Soubakanedougou, Gouindougouba. The Gouindougouba dialect is spoken in 1 or 2 villages. Turka [tuz] is reportedly the most similar language, but not inherently intelligible.

Typology

SVO; postpositions, articles, numerals, relatives after noun heads; question word final; no more than one affix per word; word order distinguishes objects and indirect objects; verb changes with tense and aspect; causatives by sentence order; comparatives; CV, CVC, CVV, VV, V; tonal.

Language Use

Used by all. Also use French [fra]. Also use Jula [dyu].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 12%. Literacy rate in L2: 15% Jula [dyu] or French [fra]. Taught as subject in some primary schools through grade 3. Literature. Radio. Dictionary. Texts. NT: 2011.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Cerma
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Traditional religion, Christian, Muslim.

Also spoken in:

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