Bacama language

Bachama (Bachama) is an Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Nigeria in Adamawa State principally in the Numan, Demsa and Lamurde Local Government Areas by the Bwatiye people.[2] The Dialects are Mulyen, Opalo, and Wa-Duku. Bachama-Yimburu appears to be a closely related but distinct language. Bachama is used as a trade language.[1] It is often considered the same language as Bata. There are also Egyptian, South African and Ethiopian descendants that settled and are Nigerian citizens.

Bachama
Native toNigeria
RegionAdamawa State
Native speakers
300,000 (2020)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3bcy
Glottologbaca1246  Bacama
baca1245  Bacama-Yimburu

Numerals

Bachama has a decimal/quinary number system, with both 5 and 10 as bases:[3]

12345678910
hidokpemwakinfwottuftukoltakatukolukpefwofwotdombi hidobau

8 is 4-4, 6 and 7 are based on adding to 5, and 9 means '(10) less 1'.

Example Texts in Bacama

  • Gibo ma ḅa ḍa motso da Pwa tsi ne ndso-nogi ka nji-nogi ka nogi. - Mark 3:35 (GWVS 1915) [4]

Other Resources available in Bacama

Audio Recordings in Bacama

Notes

  1. Bachama at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) closed access
  2. Carnochan, J (1967). "The Coming of the Fulani: A Bachama Oral Tradition". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Cambridge University Press. 30 (3): 622–633.
  3. Matsushita, 'Decimal vs. Duodecimal'
  4. LinguaBank - Bachama


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