Fanji language

The Fanji language, Chuufiè (chufieʼ), is a Grassfields Bantu language and the language of the Bafanji people in the Northwest Region of Cameroon.[1][2] There are approximately 17,000 speakers. The language has a rich system of tonal morphology, including reduplication involving adjectives.

Fanji
Bafanji
Chuufieʼ
RegionCameroon
EthnicityBafanji
Native speakers
17,000 (2008)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3bfj
Glottologbafa1249

Bafanji speakers, who number 8,500, call their language Chuufi. It is spoken south of Ndop in Ngoketunjia Department, Northwest Region. It is closely related to Bamali, Mengambo, and Bambalang.[3]

Phonology

Consonants
[4]
Labial Alveolar Post-
alveolar		 Palatal Velar
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Plosive Plain p t t͡ʃ c͡ç k
Aspirated pʰ tʰ t͡ʃʰ c͡çʰ kʰ
Prenasalised[decimal 1] ᵐb ⁿd ⁿd͡ʒ ᶮɟ ᵑɡ
Fricative Voiceless f s ʃ ç
Voiced z ɣ
Approximant Central j w
Lateral l ʎ
  1. The prenasalised stops may also be considered voiced with redundant prenasalisation.

References
  1. Fanji at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Silverman (1995:57)
  3. Binam Bikoi, Charles, ed. (2012). Atlas linguistique du Cameroun (ALCAM) [Linguistic Atlas of Cameroon]. Atlas linguistique de l'Afrique centrale (ALAC) (in French). Vol. 1: Inventaire des langues. Yaoundé: CERDOTOLA. ISBN 9789956796069.
  4. Silverman (1995:58)
  • Silverman, Daniel (1995), "Optional, conditional, and obligatory prenasalization in Bafanji", Journal of West African Languages, 25: 57–62


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