Batanga | Ethnologue

A language of Cameroon

ISO 639: bnm
Alternate Names: Batanga-Banda, Noho, Noku
Autonym: Batanga
Population: 5,750 in Cameroon (2015 SIL), decreasing. Very few monolinguals. Ethnic population: 11,500 (2015 SIL). Total users in all countries: 13,750.
Location:: South region: Océan division, Kribi area, Bight of Biafra coast.
Language Status: 6b* (Threatened).
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Bubi-Benga (A.32)
Dialects: Banoho (Banɔhɔ, Banaka, Bano’o, Banoko, Banoo, Nohu, Noko), Bapuku (Bapoko, Bapuu, Naka, Poko, Puku), Batanga (Batanga-Banda).
Language Use: Most parents of young children now transmit French as L1 rather than Batanga. Children above age 6 speak French [fra] better than Batanga. Most also use French [fra]. Some also use Bulu [bum].
Language Development: Radio. Bible: 2010.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Batanga
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Different from Batanga [bdu] of South West Region (Oroko).

Equatorial Guinea

Location: Litoral province: Bapuku along central coast, south of Mbini to Cabo San Juan.
Dialects: None known. The Puku are an Ndowe coastal people.
Language Status: 6b (Threatened)
Other Comments: Different from Batanga [bdu] of South West Region in Cameroon (Balundu-Bima), and the Batanga dialect of Caka [ckx]. Traditionally coastal fishermen. All the Benga and Batanga consider themselves ‘Boumba’ (those who use ‘mba’ to refer to ourselves), and together with additional groups are ‘Ndowe’ (the beach peoples). Christian, traditional religion.

Location: South region: Océan division, Kribi area, Bight of Biafra coast.