Gonja

Primary tabs

ISO 639-3

Population

230,000 (2004 SIL), increasing.

Location

Northern Region, south; west central, upper branches of Volta lake area; Black Volta river to White Volta area, both sides.

Language Maps

Language Status

4 (Educational). Recognized language (1951, Laws of the Gold Coast, Vernacular Literature Board Ordinance, as amended by Ordinance No. 44).

Classification

Dialects

Choruba (Choroba), Gonja.

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains. All ages. Also use English [eng]. Used as L2 by Hanga [hag], Safaliba [saf].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 1%–5%. Literacy rate in L2: Below 5%. Taught in primary and secondary schools. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1984.

Language Resources

Writing

Latin script [Latn], used since 1970.

Other Comments

Traditional religion, Muslim.