Kuk language
{{Short description|Grassfields Bantu language of Cameroon}}
{{Infobox language
|name=Kuk
|nativename=
|states=Cameroon
|region=
|ethnicity=
|speakers=3,000
|date=1993
|ref=e18
|familycolor=Niger-Congo
|fam2=Atlantic–Congo
|fam3=Benue–Congo
|fam4=Southern Bantoid
|fam5=Grassfields
|fam6=Ring
|fam7=Center
|iso3=kfn
|glotto=kukk1239
|glottorefname=Kuk
}}
Kuk is a Grassfields Bantu language of Cameroon.
Proposed Kumfutu language
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, some people from the village of Kumfutu (traditionally an ethnic Kuk village) were discontent with Kuk leadership and founded the Kumfutu Student Association as a result. The peopole of Kumfutu wanted to become independent from the Kuk, and thus proposed a new "Kumfutu" language. However, by 2010, the people of Kumfutu were no longer in conflict with the Kuk leadership.Good, Jeff. 2021. [https://www.iaaw.hu-berlin.de/de/region/afrika/veranstaltung/archiv/4-6-11-diedrich-westermann-workshop/4-6-11-diedrich-westermann-workshop-powerpoint-und-pdf/2021-11-westermann-berlin-2-8-good-bantu-homeland-lexicon.pdf Individual-level lexical variation in the Bantu homeland and its implications for the development of Benue-Congo]. [https://www.iaaw.hu-berlin.de/en/region/africa/events/archives/4-6-11-2021-diedrich-westermann-workshop/ Diedrich Westermann-Workshop] (West-central African linguistic history between Macro-Sudan Belt and Niger-Congo: commemorating Diedrich Westermann’s legacy and the 100th anniversary of the Berlin professorship for African languages), 4-6 November 2021, Humboldt University of Berlin.
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Gloss !! Kumfutu !! Kuk | ||
| fufu | kə́bál/kə́bán/kə́bánə́ | kə́bá |
| corn beer | zə̀-kə́n-dzɔ̄ŋ | káŋ |
| raffia wine | ndzéí-sə̀ fə́bə́-sə́ (white urine) | lə̀-m fə̀bə̂-m (white wine) |
| book | kə̀màʼlə̀ | kə́ŋwàlə̀ |
| mother | nôː | nə̂ː |
| child | wéí | wāī |
| market | bə́kə́wɛ́í | bə́kə́wə́n |
| let's go | á nwô | á ŋwô |
| you (in greetings) | gha (plural) | wu (singular) |
| sleep (in greetings) | bilə | bei |
The case of Kumfutu serves as an example of how language change in Africa often closely linked to the need for ethnic differentation.