Cerma | Ethnologue

A language of Burkina Faso

ISO 639: cme
Alternate Names: Goin, Gouin, Gwe, Gwen, Kirma
Autonym: Cerma
Population: 51,900 in Burkina Faso (2009 UNSD). Total users in all countries: 53,600.
Location:: Cascades region: Comoe province.
Language Status: 5 (Developing).
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Southern, Kirma-Tyurama
Dialects: Banfora-Sienena, Niangoloko-Diarabakoko, Soubakanedougou, Gouindougouba. The Gouindougouba dialect is spoken in 1 or 2 villages. Turka [tuz] is reportedly the most similar language, but not inherently intelligible.
Typology: SVO; postpositions, articles, numerals, relatives after noun heads; question word final; no more than one affix per word; word order distinguishes objects and indirect objects; verb changes with tense and aspect; causatives by sentence order; comparatives; CV, CVC, CVV, VV, V; tonal.
Language Use: Used by all. Also use French [fra]. Also use Jula [dyu].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 12%. Literacy rate in L2: 15% Jula [dyu] or French [fra]. Taught in primary schools. Literature. Radio. Dictionary. Texts. NT: 2011.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Cerma
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Traditional religion, Christian, Muslim.

Côte d’Ivoire

Location: Savanes district: Ouangolodougou area, north of Ferkessedougou. 5 villages along main road to Banfora.
Language Status: 5 (Developing)
Other Comments: Traditional religion.

Location: Cascades region: Comoe province.