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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Africa > Benin > Gbe, Xwela

Gbe, Xwela

A language of Benin

ISO 639-3: xwe

Population  65,000 (2002 SIL).
Region  Mono Province, Come Subprefecture near Lake Aheme, southernmost Bopa Subprefecture; Atlantic Province, Kpomasse and Ouidah subprefectures.
Language map  Benin, reference number 49
Alternate names   Houeda, Peda, Phera, Xwela, Xwela-Gba
Dialects  A member of the Gbe language subgroup. Lexical similarity: 90% with Western Xwla [xwl], 85% with Fon [fon], 71% with Gen [gej], 82% with Saxwe [sxw], 68% with Aja [ajg].
Classification  Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Gbe
Language use  All domains. French used in schools; Fon, Waci-Gen [gej], or Saxwe used for non-formal education; French, Fon, or Gen used in government offices; Gen and some Fon and French used in churches. Good comprehension of Fon and of Gen. Fon, Waci-Gen, and Saxwe used for adult literacy in some villages.
Comments  Traditional religion, Christian.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

HENSON, Bonnie J.; JOHNSON, Eric C.; KLUGE, Angela, authors. 2011. "A sociolinguistic survey of the Gbe language communities of Benin and Togo, Volume 4: Xwela language area."  Available online

KLUGE, Angela, author. 2011. "A sociolinguistic survey of the Gbe language communities of Benin and Togo: Gbe language family overview."  Available online