Kanuri, Central

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A language of Nigeria

ISO 639-3
knc
Alternate Names
Beriberi, Bornu, Kanouri, Kanoury, Yerwa Kanuri
Population

3,000,000 in Nigeria (Gunnemark and Kenrick 1985). Population total all countries: 3,240,500.

Location

Borno State, Kukawa, Kaga, Konduga, Maiduguri, Monguno, Ngala, Bama, and Gwoza LGAs; Yobe State, Nguru, Geidam, Damaturu, Fika, Fune, and Gujba LGAs; Jigawa State, Hadejia LGA. Also in Cameroon, Chad, Eritrea, Niger, Sudan.

Language Maps
Language Status

3 (Wider communication).

Classification
Nilo-Saharan, Saharan, Western, Kanuri
Dialects

Fadawa, Guvja, Kabari (Kuvuri), Kaga (Kagama), Kwayam, Lare (Lere), Mao, Ngazar, Njesko, Temageri, Yerwa. Kwayam dialect not understood by other Kanuri (Lukas 1937). Maiduguri dialect mutually intelligible. Most similar to Manga Kanuri [kby] and Tumari Kanuri [krt]. Yerwa is central dialect.

Typology

SOV

Language Use

500,000 L2 speakers.

Language Development
Radio programs. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1997.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Kanuri, Central
Writing
Arabic script, Maghribi and Naskh styles. Latin script, used since 1949.
Other Comments

Muslim.

Also spoken in:

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