Busa
A language of Nigeria
| Population | 40,000 (2005 R. Jones SIM). 20,000 ethnic Laaru, Lupa and Kambari. Ethnic population: 20,000. |
| Region | Niger state, Borgu LGA, Kebbi state, Bagudo LGA. 35 villages. |
| Language map |
Nigeria, Map 1, reference number 5 |
| Alternate names | Bisã, Bisayã, Busa-Bisã, Busano, Bussanchi |
| Dialects | New Busa, Wawa, Illo. New Busa and Wawa dialects are inherently intelligible. The New Busa dialect has more prestige, but Wawa dialect is viewed as purer and used for literature. New Busa has Hausa [hau]-influenced phonology. The Illo Busa dialect has Boko [bqc] influence. Lexical similarity: 91% with Bokobaru [bus], 85% with Boko, 54% with Kyenga [tye], 50% with Bissa [bib] in Burkina Faso. |
| Classification | Niger-Congo, Mande, Eastern, Eastern, Busa |
| Language use | Positive attitude. Also use Hausa, Cishingini [asg], or English. |
| Language development | Literacy rate in L2: 5%. Busa and Hausa adult literacy programs. Busa literature is available. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 2004. |
| Comments | Different from Bissa of Burkina Faso and Ghana. The Hausa call several groups of people (Boko, Bokobaru, Busa, Bariba) ‘Bussawa’, while the Yoruba call them all ‘Bariba’. The Hausa call the languages of all these groups ‘Bussanchi’. SOV; postpositions; genitives before noun heads; articles, adjectives, numerals, relatives after noun heads; question word initial or final; 4 suffixes; word order distinguishes subject, object, direct object; person, number, aspect included in subject pronouns; tone indicates some verb aspect; passive; CV, CVV, CCV; grammatical tone affects NPs, verbs, and pronouns; tonal, 3 level tones. Peasant agriculturalists. Muslim, Christian. |
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