Mbum language

The Mbum language is spoken by the Mbum people who inhabit Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Chad. While their origins are unclear, some believe that the Mbum were one of the earliest ethnic groups of the Adamawa Region.

The Mbum people have such a close relationship with the Dii people, and one which has persisted for so long, that outsiders often have a hard time distinguishing them. In the early nineteenth century, both groups came under the rule of the Fulani Muslims, who they are said to have intermarried in large numbers. Despite this, the Mbum and Dii peoples still managed to hold on to their traditional spiritual beliefs until the twentieth century. The Mbum converted to Islam, while the Dii converted to Christianity.{{Cite book |last=DeLancey |first=Mark Dike |title=Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Cameroon |last2=Neh Mbuh |first2=Rebecca |last3=DeLancey |first3=Mark W. |publisher=The Scarecrow Press, Inc. |year=2010 |isbn=978-0810837751 |location=Lanham, Maryland • Toronto • Plymouth, UK |pages=283-284 |language=English}}

Mbum is a complex dialect continuum consisting of several varieties. ALCAM (2012) considers Mbum, Larang, Pana and Gbata to be four distinct but closely related languages. Pana (also spoken in Chad), Karang, Kali-dek and Kuo are eastern varieties that may be separate languages.{{cite book|editor-last=Binam Bikoi|editor-first=Charles|date=2012|title=Atlas linguistique du Cameroun (ALCAM)|trans-title=Linguistic Atlas of Cameroon|volume=1: Inventaire des langues|language=fr|location=Yaoundé|publisher=CERDOTOLA|series=Atlas linguistique de l'Afrique centrale (ALAC)|isbn=9789956796069}}

To the south, Gbata is spoken in the northern part of the arrondissement of Bélabo in Lom-et-Djerem department, Eastern Region. There, it is spoken in Woutchaba and Deng-Deng, located to the west and east of the Sanaga River, respectively. Blench (2006) considers Gbete (Gbata) to be a separate language.

The LiMbum is spoken to the South West especially in the Donga Mantung and around the Nkambe and Ndu Sub Divisions.

Mbum is spoken in:

• Adamaoua Region
• Vina department (Ngaoundéré and Mbe communes)
• Djerem department (Ngaoundal and Tibati communes)
• Faro-et-Déo department (Tignère communes)
• North Region
• Mayo-Rey department (Touboro commune)
• Faro department (Poli commune)
• North West Region*

Limbum is spoken in the Donga Mantung Particularly in Ndu and Nkambe Subdivisions.

{{Cite book |last=Hagège |first=Claude |title=Descriptions phonologique du mbum: informations |publisher=SELAF Paris: Peeters |year=1968}}

{{Reflist}}

• Roger Blench, 2004. [http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Niger-Congo/AU/Adamawa%20language%20list.pdf List of Adamawa languages] (ms)

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160914172853/http://www-01.sil.org/silesr/2002/SILESR2002-050.pdf A rapid appraisal survey of Gbete] by Jason Diller & Kari Jordan-Diller, 2002. SIL Electronic Survey Reports SILESR 2002-050.

{{Adamawa languages}}

{{Languages of Cameroon}}

{{Languages of the Central African Republic}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mbum Language}}

Category:Languages of Cameroon

Category:Mbum languages