Fa d’Ambu

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A language of Equatorial Guinea

ISO 639-3
fab
Alternate Names
Annobonense, Annobonese, Annobonés, Fa d’Ambô
Autonym
Fa d’Ambu
Population

6,000 in Equatorial Guinea (2017 S. Smith). No monolinguals. Total users in all countries: 6,600.

Location

Annobón province: Annobón Island, isolated from mainland by 360 km of ocean (2,000); Bioko Island, Malabo (500), a few on continental Equatorial Guinea.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Creole, Portuguese based
Dialects

Different from Equatorial Guinean Pidgin [fpe] and Crioulo [pov] of Guinea-Bissau and Kabuverdianu. Little variation between Annobonese in Annobón and Malabo. Lexical similarity: 63% with Sãotomense [cri]. 10% of the lexicon comes from Spanish [spa].

Typology

Possible vowel length; vowel harmony; tone sandhi.

Language Use

Vigorous use in Annobón and Malabo. All domains except government and education where Spanish [spa] is used. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Most also use Spanish [spa]. Many on Bioko learn it, but less so on Annobón; women on Annobón seem uncomfortable using it. Many also use Equatorial Guinean Pidgin [fpe], especially on Bioko. Also use Fang [fan]. Also use Portuguese [por], as a liturgical language by local Catholics.

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: Very low. Literacy rate in L2: 95% in Spanish [spa]. Grammar. Bible portions: 2009.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Fa d’Ambu
Writing

Latin script [Latn], used since 2008.

Other Comments

Famed swimmers, fishermen, and whalers. Christian.

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