Ghomálá’

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A language of Cameroon

ISO 639-3
bbj
Alternate Names
Baloum, Bamileke-Bandjoun, Bandjoun, Banjoun-Baham, Banjun, Batie, Mahum, Mandju
Population

260,000 (1982 SIL).

Location

West Region, most of Mifi division, except extreme south and pockets north and west; Mifi division, Bamendjou subdivision; east Menoua division; a pocket in south Bamboutos division.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

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

Ghomálá’ Central (Baham, Bandjoun, Hom, Jo, We, Yogam), Ghomálá’ North (Fusap, Lang), Ghomálá’ South (Dengkwop, Pa, Te), Ngemba (Bamenjou, Fu’da, Meka, Monjo, Mugum, Sa). Bameka, Bansoa, and Balessing are subvarieties of South Ghomálá’, North Ghomálá’ has 2 subvarieties, Central Ghomálá’ 4, and Ngemba 5.

Language Use

Taught informally to adults since the early 1900s. Adopted by UNESCO in 1960s as one of 9 languages of wider communication for Cameroon. Taught formally in 6 Roman Catholic schools since 1995.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 25%–50%. NT: 2002.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Ghomálá’
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Traditional religion, Christian.