Gbaya

A language of Sudan

Gbäyä

User Population

28,000 in Sudan (2017). Total users in all countries: 48,000 (as L1: 44,000; as L2: 4,000).

Location

South Darfur state: Radom district, Kafia Kingi and south.

Language Maps

5 (Developing).

Nilo-Saharan, Satellite-Core, Satellites, Central Sudanic, West, Kresh

Typology

SVO; prepositions; genitives, articles, relatives after noun heads; adjectives before, numerals usually before noun heads; CV, V, CCV (CVC rare); 5 tones.

Language Use

Used by all. Used as L2 by Gula [kcm], Yulu [yul].

Language Development

Literature. NT: 2019.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Gbaya

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Also spoken in:

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South Sudan

Language NameGbaya

User Population

20,000 in South Sudan, all users. L1 users: 16,000 in South Sudan (2013 SIL). L2 users: 4,000.

Location

Western Bahr al Ghazal state: Raga and north through Katta, Boro and Kosho to Kafia Kingi, south of Radom National Park.

Alternate Names

Gbäyä, Kpala, Kpara, Kparla, Kredj, Kreich, Kreish, Kresh

Dialects

Naka (Kresh-Boro), Gbaya-Ndogo (Kresh-Ndogo), Gbaya-Ngbongbo (Kresh-Hofra), Gbaya-Gboko, Orlo (Woro), Gbaya-Dara, Dongo. 8 tribes and dialects. Gbaya-Ndogo is prestigious and understood by all. Naka is largest and also well understood.

Language Status

5 (Developing). Recognized language (2011, Transitional Constitution Article 6(1)).

Language Use

All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Sudanese Spoken Arabic [apd]. Used as L2 by Aja [aja], Mangayat [myj], Yulu [yul].

Language Development

Developed literacy materials in use. Taught as subject in some primary schools through grade 3.

Other Comments

Different from Gbaya languages in the Niger-Congo family.

View other languages of South Sudan

Gbaya

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A language of Sudan

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