gyi ISO 639
Gyele Autonyms
Gyele
Visualizations
A language of Cameroon
- ISO 639
- gyi
- Alternate Names
- Babinga, Bagiele, Bagyele, Bajele, Bajeli, Bakuele, Bekoe, Bogyel, Bogyeli, Bondjiel, Giele, Gieli, Gyeli
- Autonym
- Gyele
- Population
- 4,250 in Cameroon (2012 SIL). Total users in all countries: 4,300.
- Location
- Centre region: Nyong-et-Kéllé division; South region: Océan division, Bipindi, Campo, Kribi, and Lolodorf subdivisions, forested areas between Nyong and Ntem rivers, many near Campo-Maan Reserve.
- Language Maps
- Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and São Tomé e Príncipe, Southern Cameroon
- Language Status
- 6b (Threatened).
- Classification
- Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Makaa-Njem (A.801)
- Dialects
- Bagyeli, Bakola (Bako), Likoya. Lexical similarity: high with Kwasio [nmg]. Much shared vocabulary in Bakola dialect with Basaa [bas]. Likoya is a contact variety; Gyele who live near Bulu [bum] speakers borrow from that language.
- Language Use
- Speakers often hide the fact that they have their own language. However, within the group, when no outsiders are present, they prefer Gyele. Home, with each other. Some of all ages. Most also use Kwasio [nmg]. A few also use French [fra]. Also use Basaa [bas]. Also use Bulu [bum]. Also use Ewondo [ewo]. Used as L2 by Kwasio [nmg].
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L1: 5% have some literacy in Gyele. Literacy rate in L2: Very few can read French [fra]. A Bipindi boarding school uses Gyele materials in elementary school, which produced some literacy among Bipindi area Gyele speakers. Not used in government schools, which more children are attending. Radio. Videos. Grammar. Texts. Bible portions: 1969–1987.
- Writing
- Latin script [Latn], used since about 1987.
- Other Comments
- Pygmies, dispersed in small groups in the forest. Probably different from Bakola (Bakoya) pygmies of Gabon. Traditional religion.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Gyele
Also Spoken in
- Location
- Centro Sur and Litoral provinces.
- Language Status
- 6b (Threatened)
- Language Use
- Some young people, all adults. Also use Spanish [spa].
- Other Comments
- Pygmies, dispersed in small groups in the forest. Traditional religion. View other languages of Equatorial Guinea
Language Name
Gyele
User Population
50 in Equatorial Guinea (2017 SIL). Possibly hundreds more in isolated camps.
