Kanuri, Yerwa

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A language of Nigeria

ISO 639-3
knc
Alternate Names
Borno, Bornu, Central Kanuri, Kanouri, Kanoury, “Beriberi” (pej.)
Autonym
Kanuri, Yerwa Kanuri
User Population

8,150,000 in Nigeria, all users. L1 users: 7,650,000 in Nigeria (2020). L2 users: 500,000. Total users in all countries: 8,825,500 (as L1: 8,325,500; as L2: 500,000).

Location

Borno state: Bama, Gwoza, Kaga, Konduga, Kukawa, Maiduguri, Monguno, and Ngala LGAs; Gombe state: 1 enclave in each of Akko, Kwami, and Yamaltu-Deba LGAs; Yobe state: Damaturu, Fika, Fune, Geidam, Gujba, and Nguru LGAs.

Language Maps
Language Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto language of provincial identity in Borno, Yobe, and Gombe states, used in education; widespread use generally.

Classification
Nilo-Saharan, Saharan, Western, Kanuri
Dialects

Kaga (Kagama), Lare (Lere), Kwayam (Koyam), Njesko, Kabari (Kuvuri), Ngazar, Guvja, Mao, Temageri, Fadawa, Yerwa. Kwayam dialect not understood by other Kanuri (Lukas 1937). Maiduguri dialect mutually intelligible. Reportedly most similar to Manga Kanuri [kby] and Tumari Kanuri [krt]. Yerwa is central dialect. A member of macrolanguage Kanuri [kau].

Typology

SOV.

Language Use

Used as L2 by Kibaku [ckl], Putai [mfl].

Language Development

Taught in a few primary schools in grades 1–3; taught as subject in some schools. Radio. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. NT: 1997.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Kanuri, Yerwa
Writing

Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab]. Latin script [Latn], used since 1949.

Other Comments

Muslim.

Also spoken in:

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