Nuni, Northern

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A language of Burkina Faso

ISO 639-3
nuv
Alternate Names
Nibulu, Nouni, Nounouma, Nuna, Nune, Nunuma, Nuruma
User Population

45,000 (1995 SIL). 15,000–25,000 in Northwestern Nuni, 25,000–35,000 in Northeastern Nuni.

Location

Boucle du Mouhoun region: Bale and Mouhoun provinces, near Boromo; Centre-Ouest region: Sanguie province. Dialect dividing line is Mouhoun river.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Southern, Grusi, Northern
Dialects

Northwestern Nuni, Northeastern Nuni. Northern Nuni users have no comprehension of Southern Nuni [nnw]. Reportedly similar to Kasem [xsm] and Lyélé [lee].

Typology

SVO; postpositions; genitives before noun heads; articles, adjectives, numerals, relatives after noun heads; question word initial; 1 prefix, 1 suffix; word order distinguishes subject and object; causatives; comparatives; CV, CVV, CVCV; tonal.

Language Use

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

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 5% in French [fra]. High motivation for literacy. Government coordinated literacy program in Sanguié and Sissili provinces. Grammar. NT: 1999.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Nuni, Northern
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Traditional religion, Muslim.