Bacama (Bachama) is an Afro-Asiatic language of the Chadic branch that is 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.
| Bacama | |
|---|---|
| Ɓwaare | |
| Native to | Nigeria |
| Region | Adamawa State, Kogi State |
Native speakers | 300,000 (2020)[1] |
| Dialects |
|
| Latin | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | bcy |
| Glottolog | baca1246 Bacamabaca1245 Bacama-Yimburu |
Numerals
editBachama has a decimal/quinary number system, with both 5 and 10 as bases:[3]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| hido | kpe | mwakin | fwot | tuf | tukoltaka | tukolukpe | fwofwot | dombi hido | bau |
8 is 4-4, 6 and 7 are based on adding to 5, and 9 means '(10) less 1'.
Example Texts in Bacama
edit- 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
editNotes
edit- ^ a b Bacama at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
- ^ Carnochan, J (1967). "The Coming of the Fulani: A Bachama Oral Tradition". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 30 (3). Cambridge University Press: 622–633. doi:10.1017/S0041977X00132082. JSTOR 612391. S2CID 144140973.
- ^ Matsushita, 'Decimal vs. Duodecimal'
- ^ LinguaBank - Bachama
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