Kwanja

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A language of Cameroon

ISO 639-3
knp
Alternate Names
Kondja, Konja
Population

20,000 (1991 UBS).

Location

Adamawa Region, most are south of Banyo between Mayo Darle and Bankim, west to Mbojdanga, east to Mbam river.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Northern, Mambiloid, Mambila-Konja, Konja
Dialects

Ndung (Ndungani), Njanga (Njang), Sundani (Sun), Twendi. The two Kwanja dialects are mutually intelligible for those who are in the Kwanja home area where they hear both dialects, more difficult for those who have not heard the other dialect. The Sundani dialect is similar to Mambila [mcu], the Ndung dialect is similar to Vute [vut].

Typology

SVO; prepositions; noun head initial in noun phrases; only remnants of noun classes; content-questions words phrase initial; no prefixes, up to 2 suffixes; clause constituents marked by word order; tense and aspect; 22 consonant and 9 vowel phonemes; 4 tones

Language Use

Regular use in Kwanja area. Home, community. A few older adults speak the Njanga dialect (1995 B. Connell). Positive attitudes, though in some places there is pressure to use Fulfulde [fud]. Youth learning French [fra].

Language Development
Poetry. Newspapers. New media. Dictionary. NT: 2006.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Kwanja
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Christian, Muslim, traditional religion.