Bana language

Bana
Native to	Cameroon
Region	Far North Region, Cameroon
Native speakers	23,000 (2007)
Language family	Afro-Asiatic Chadic Biu–Mandara Bura–Higi Higi (A.3) Bana
Language codes
ISO 639-3	bcw
Glottolog	bana1305
ELP	Bana

Bana
Language	koma kabana

Bana is an Afro-Asiatic language spoken in northern Cameroon. Dialects include Gamboura and Gili.

Bana is spoken in the canton of Guili, in the northern part of the commune of Bourrha (department of Mayo-Tsanaga, Far North Region). The speakers call their language koma kabana 'the language of the Bana'.

Phonology

Consonants

		Labial	Alveolar	Palatal	Velar		Uvular		Glottal
					Plain	Labialized	Plain	Labialized	Plain	Labialized
Nasal		m	n		ŋ	ŋʷ
Plosive	Voiceless	p	t		k	kʷ			ʔ	ʔʷ
	Voiced	b	d		ɡ	ɡʷ
	Prenasalized	ᵐb	ⁿd		ᵑɡ	ᵑɡʷ
Implosive		ɓ	ɗ
Affricate	Voiceless		ts
	Voiced		dz
	Prenasalized		ⁿdz
Fricative	Voiceless	f	s				χ	χʷ
	Voiced	v	z				ʁ	ʁʷ
Flap		ⱱ	ɾ
Approximant				j		w

The vowels of Bana are /ɨ ə ɛ/, which can occur with high, falling, low, or rising tone.

Notes

1. ^ a b Bana at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
2. ^ Binam Bikoi, Charles, ed. (2012). Atlas linguistique du Cameroun (ALCAM) . Atlas linguistique de l'Afrique centrale (ALAC) (in French). Vol. 1: Inventaire des langues. Yaoundé: CERDOTOLA. ISBN 9789956796069.
3. ^ Hofmann, Erica (1990). A preliminary phonology of bana (MA thesis). University of Victoria.

References

• Hofmann, Erica (1990). A Preliminary Phonology of Bana (PDF) (M.A. thesis). University of Victoria. OCLC 27946722.

v t e Languages of Cameroon
Official languages	French English
Major languages	Bamum Bulu Duala Ewondo Fulfulde Kom Lamnso Medumba
Pidgins	Cameroonian Pidgin English Camfranglais Ewondo Populaire Arabic
Indigenous languages	Chadian Arabic Abon Afade Aghem Ambo Babanki Bafaw-Balong Bafia Baka Baldemu Bamali Bambalang Bana Bangolan Bankon Basaa Bata Bati Batu Bebele Bebil Beti Bikya Bishuo Bitare Bomwali Bonkeng Bube Bung Buwal Byep Caka Ceve Chamba Leko Cuvok Daba Dowayo Ɗugwor Duli Eman Esimbi Eton Evant Fa’ Fang Fanji Fe'fe' Fut Gawar Gbanu Gbanzili Ghomala' Gidar Glavda Gude Gunu Gvoko Hausa Hdi Hijuk Hina Hya Ipulo Iyive Jimi Jina Kaalong Kabba Kako Kali Kanuri Kare Kasabe Kera Ki Kogo Kol Koma Kpwe Kuo Kutin Kwa’ Kwakum Kwasio La'bi Lagwan Limba Limbum Luo Maɗa Mafa Majera Makaa Malgbe Manenguba Mangbai Manza Maslam Massa Matal Mazagway Mbə’ Mboa Mbudum Mbuko Mbule Mbum Mefele Məgaka Mengisa Menyam Merey Mesaka Mfumte Mofu-Gudur Moloko Mono Mpade Mpumpong Mser Mundang Mungaka Musgu Muyang Nagumi Nda’nda’ Ndai Nen Nga'ka Ngambay Ngiemboon Ngomba Ngombale Ngwe Nimbari Njem Njerep Nkongho Noho Noni North Giziga North Mofu Northwest Gbaya Nyokon Nyong Nzakambay Nzanyi Nzime Oblo Oroko Otank language Pam Papia Parkwa Pinyin Pol Pongo Psikyɛ Rombi Sharwa South Giziga Suwu Swo Tibea Tikar To Tsuvan Tupuri Vame Vemgo-Mabas Vengo Vere Voko Wom Wuzlam Yamba Yambe Yasa Yedina Yemba Yeni Zizilivakan Zulgo-Gemzek Zumaya
Sign languages	Francophone African Sign Language Maroua Sign Language
Immigrant languages	English French Punjabi Spanish German Italian Hindi Hebrew Arabic Chinese Portuguese Japanese Russian Danish Dutch
See also: General Alphabet of Cameroon Languages

v t e Biu–Mandara languages
Tera (A.1)	Boga Ga'anda Gabin Hwana Jara Ngwaba Tera Pidlimdi
Bura–Higi	Bura–Marghi (A.2) Bura-Pabir Cibak Huba Marghi Central Margi South Nggwahyi Putai Higi (A.3) Bana Hya Kamwe Kirya-Konzəl Others Kofa
Wandala (Mandara) (A.4)	East Glavda Wandala West Dghwede Guduf-Gava Cineni Gvoko Hdi Lamang Woga Vemgo-Mabas Others Parəkwa Sukur (A.6)
Mafa (A.5)	Northeast Mbuko Vame South (A) Maɗa Məlokwo Muyang Wuzlam South (B) Ɗugwor Mikere Merey Zulgo-Gemzek Gaduwa (northeast) Gemzek Zəlgwa-Minew South (C) Baldemu Mofu-Gudur North Giziga North Mofu South Giziga South (D) Cuvok Mafa Mefele Shügule Others Matal
Daba (A.7)	North Buwal Gawar South Daba Mazagway Hina Mbudum
Bata (Gbwata) (A.8)	Bacama Bata Fali of Mubi Gude Gudu Holma Jimi Nzanyi Sharwa Tsuvan Zizilivakan
Mandage (Kotoko) (B.1)	North Lagwan Mser South Afade Malgbe Maslam Mpade Others Jilbe
East– Central	Munjuk (B.2) Mbara Musgu Beege Mpus Vulum Muskum Mida'a (< B.1) Jina Majera Others Gidar
Others	Yedina
Italics indicate extinct languages. See also: Chadic languages

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