Gbaya language
Encyclopedia
The Gbaya languages, or Gbaya–Manza–Ngbaka, are a group of perhaps a dozen Ubangian languages
spoken mainly in the Central African Republic
, and to a lesser extent in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
, the Republic of the Congo
, and Cameroon
. Many of the languages go by the ethnic name Gbaya
, though the largest, with over a million speakers, is called Ngbaka, a name shared with the Ngbaka languages
of the Sere–Mba branch of Ubangian.
, Gbanu
, Ngbaka, Manza
, Ali and a few small related languages, and a couple languages of uncertain affinity with Gbaya.
Per Ethnologue
16, the structure of the family is as follows:
However, many of these varieties may be mutually intelligible, such as Ngbaka, Ngbaka Manza, and Manza. Ethnologue reports that Suma, Bossangoa, & Bozoum may be intelligible, as may Bokoto & Northwest; if true, this would link three of the branches above into a single Gbaya dialect chain
. They also suggest that Bangandu may not be a Gbaya language, but Ngbaka
, or to Ngbaka, whose classification is also uncertain.
Ubangian languages
The Ubangian languages form a fairly close-knit language family of some seventy languages centered on the Central African Republic. They are the predominant languages of the CAR, spoken by 2–3 million people, and include the national language, Sango....
spoken mainly in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
, and to a lesser extent in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
, the Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
, and Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
. Many of the languages go by the ethnic name Gbaya
Gbaya people
The Gbaya live in Central African Republic, East-central Cameroon, the north of the Republic of Congo, and the northwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo. They numbered 970,000 at the end of the 20th century. They are the largest ethnic group in the Central African Republic, comprising 34% of...
, though the largest, with over a million speakers, is called Ngbaka, a name shared with the Ngbaka languages
Ngbaka languages
The dozen Ngbaka languages are a family of Ubangian languages spoken in the Central African Republic and neighboring areas. It includes Pygmy languages such as Baka and Gundi...
of the Sere–Mba branch of Ubangian.
Languages
Essentially, the languages are GbayaGbaya language
The Gbaya languages, or Gbaya–Manza–Ngbaka, are a group of perhaps a dozen Ubangian languages spoken mainly in the Central African Republic, and to a lesser extent in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, and Cameroon...
, Gbanu
Gbanu language
Gbanu is a Gbaya language of the Central African Republic. The people do not consider themselves to be Gbaya, and it is not clear how distinct Gbanu is from the Gbaya language .-Phonology:...
, Ngbaka, Manza
Manza language
Manza is a Ubangian language spoken by the Mandja people of the Central African Republic. It is closely related to Ngbaka and may be to some extent mutually intelligible....
, Ali and a few small related languages, and a couple languages of uncertain affinity with Gbaya.
Per Ethnologue
Ethnologue
Ethnologue: Languages of the World is a web and print publication of SIL International , a Christian linguistic service organization, which studies lesser-known languages, to provide the speakers with Bibles in their native language and support their efforts in language development.The Ethnologue...
16, the structure of the family is as follows:
- Central: GbanuGbanu languageGbanu is a Gbaya language of the Central African Republic. The people do not consider themselves to be Gbaya, and it is not clear how distinct Gbanu is from the Gbaya language .-Phonology:...
, Bokoto, Gbaya-Bossangoa, Gbaya-Bozoum - East: Ali, BofiBofi languageBofi is a Ubangian language spoken in Boda and Bimbo subprefectures in southwestern Central African Republic. Those speakers in Bimbo are mostly Bambenga pygmies. Although they no longer live in the forest, their area was forested in 1950....
, Bonjo, ManzaManza languageManza is a Ubangian language spoken by the Mandja people of the Central African Republic. It is closely related to Ngbaka and may be to some extent mutually intelligible....
, Ngbaka GbayaNgbaka Gbaya languageNgbaka, distinguished from other languages called 'Ngbaka' as Ngbaka Gbaya or Ngbaka Minangende, is a Ubangian language spoken by a million people in DRC Congo...
(Ngbaka proper), Ngbaka Manza - Northwest Gbaya
- Southwest: Southwest Gbaya, Gbaya-Mbodomo, ? BanganduBangandu languageBangandu is a Ubangian language of Cameroon and Congo. Its placement in the Ubangian family is unclear: Ethnologue lists it in with the Gbaya languages, but says that it might be related to Ngombe , which is itself uncertain, being listed as Ngbaka but possibly intelligible with Southwest Gbaya....
, ? Ngombe - Suma
However, many of these varieties may be mutually intelligible, such as Ngbaka, Ngbaka Manza, and Manza. Ethnologue reports that Suma, Bossangoa, & Bozoum may be intelligible, as may Bokoto & Northwest; if true, this would link three of the branches above into a single Gbaya dialect chain
Gbaya language
The Gbaya languages, or Gbaya–Manza–Ngbaka, are a group of perhaps a dozen Ubangian languages spoken mainly in the Central African Republic, and to a lesser extent in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, and Cameroon...
. They also suggest that Bangandu may not be a Gbaya language, but Ngbaka
Ngbaka languages
The dozen Ngbaka languages are a family of Ubangian languages spoken in the Central African Republic and neighboring areas. It includes Pygmy languages such as Baka and Gundi...
, or to Ngbaka, whose classification is also uncertain.