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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Africa > Burkina Faso > Gourmanchéma

Gourmanchéma

A language of Burkina Faso

ISO 639-3: gux

Population	600,000 in Burkina Faso (1999 SIL). Population total all countries: 813,000.
Region	East, Gourma, Tapoa, Gnagna, Komandjari, Yagha, and Kompienga provinces, below scrub land that blends into the Sahara. Also in Benin, Niger, Togo.
Language map	Burkina Faso, reference number 14
Alternate names	Goulmacema, Gourma, Gourmantche, Gulimancema, Gulmancema, Gurma, Migulimancema
Dialects	Northern Gourmanchema, Central Gourmanchema, Southern Gourmanchema. Central and eastern dialects are inherently intelligible; northern only with difficulty.
Classification	Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Northern, Oti-Volta, Gurma
Language use	All ages. Central dialect is pretigious and used for writing. Some also use French, Zarma [dje], or Fulfulde [fuh].
Language development	Literacy rate in L2: 5%–10%. Newspapers. Radio programs. Films. NT: 1958–1990.
Writing system	Latin script.
Comments	The people are called ‘Bigulimanceba’ or ‘Gourma’. SVO; postpositions; genitives, articles before noun heads; numerals after; CV; 3 tones. Peasant agriculturalists: over 90% are able to meet all their food requirements. Traditional religion, Muslim, Christian.

Also spoken in:

Benin

Language name	Gourmanchéma
Population	62,000 in Benin (Johnstone and Mandryk 2001).
Region	North, Atakora Province, primarly Tanguieta and Kerou subprefectures; some villages in Materi and Cobly subprefectures; Borgou Province, Banikoara and Karimama subprefectures.
Language map	Benin, reference number 25
Alternate names	Goulmancema, Gourmantche, Gulimancema, Gurma, Migulimancema
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 5%–10%.
Comments	Traditional religion, Christian.

Niger

Language name	Gourmanchéma
Population	30,000 in Niger (1998).
Region	Southwest, near Burkina Faso border.
Language map	Niger
Alternate names	Goulimancema, Gourma, Gourmantche, Gurma
Language use	National language.
Comments	Traditional religion, Muslim, Christian.

Togo

Language name	Gourmanchéma
Population	121,000 in Togo (Vanderaa 1991).
Region	Northeast, Savana region, Mandouri Subprefecture. Main centers: Korbongou, Mandouri.
Language map	Togo, reference number 16
Alternate names	Gourmantche, Gulimancema, Gurma, Migulimancema
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 1%–30%.
Comments	Traditional religion.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

JACKSON, Robert A., author. 1997. Gulmancema literacy: Combining development and literacy.

NADEN, Anthony J., author. 1985. Review of: Études gulmance (Haute-Volta): Phonologie, classes nominales, lexiques, by Bernard Surugue.

Vernacular Publications

B cianb kalaatu tód laal yen láál. 2002.

Calendrier ben/gourma/français 2005. 2005.

Laal yen láál kúa b cianb kalaatu. 2002.

Le Gulma. 1998.