Mendankwe-Nkwen

Print

Primary tabs

A language of Cameroon

ISO 639-3
mfd
Alternate Names
Abɔŋnamɛnda, Nkwen
User Population

27,700 (2005 SIL).

Location

North West region: Mezam division, Bamenda Central subdivision, north and east of Bamenda town, either side of Ring Road, and mountainous circle of Menda Nkwe.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b* (Threatened).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Wide Grassfields, Narrow Grassfields, Mbam-Nkam, Ngemba
Dialects

Nkwen (Bafreng), Mendankwe (Bamenda, Mandankwe, Munda). The Mendankwe dialect has 74% intelligibility of the Nkwen dialect; Nkwen 79% intelligibility of Mendankwe. Socially very distinct groups. Related to Ngemba [nge], Bafut [bfd], Pinyin [pny], Awing [azo], and Bambili-Bambui [baw].

Language Use

Some also use Cameroon Pidgin [wes]. Some also use English [eng], as language of public education. Also use French [fra].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 15%–25%.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Mendankwe-Nkwen
Writing

Unwritten [Qaax].