Bom-Kim

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A language of Sierra Leone

ISO 639-3
bmf
Alternate Names
Bom, Bome, Bomo, Bum
Population

Bom: a few hundred speakers; Kim: less than 15 speakers (2014 T. Childs).

Location

Southern province: northeast Bonthe district, 13 villages west of Waanje river (Bom dialect); Southern province: southeast Bonthe district, villages around Kwako lake, mostly in Nyandehun and Tamuke (Kim dialect).

Language Status

8b (Nearly extinct).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Southern, Mel, Bullom-Kissi, Bullom, Northern
Dialects

Bom, Kim (Kimi, Kirim, Kittim, Krim). Lexical similarity: 44%–45% with Sherbro [bun] dialects, 34% with Bullom So [buy].

Typology

SVO; noun classes; definite article; 24 consonants, 7 vowels and 5 diphthongs.

Language Use

Shifted to Mende [men]. Elderly speakers. All also use Mende [men].

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Bom-Kim
Other Comments

Traditional religion.

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