Balanta language

Spoken in

Niger - Congo

• Atlantic - Congo Senegal - Guinea Bak - East Bak

Ble ( Balanta - Kentohe ) bjt ( Balanta - Ganja )

Balanta is a West Atlantic language of West Africa, which is spoken by the people of the Balanta.

Characteristics

Balanta has in prefixes and suffixes alternatively interpreted as definite article depends on the noun class. Balanta is divided into two dialects - the language Balanta - Kentohe and the Balanta - Ganja, which appear as two separate languages ​​are considered, which differ from each other.

Balanta - Kentohe

Alternative names are Alante, Balanda, Balant, Balanta, Balante, Ball Ante, Belante Brassa Bulanda, Frase, Fora, Kantohe ( Kentohe, Queuthoe ), Naga and Mane. The Naga, Mane and Kantohe dialects can be considered partly as independent languages.

The language Balanta - Kentohe is spoken by a total of 423,000 inhabitants of north-central and central coast of Guinea- Bissau, where it was spoken only in the region Oio 2006 by a total of 397,000 people. Furthermore, it is also spoken in the Gambia. Movies and parts of the Bible were published in Balanta - Kehonte.

Balanta - Ganja

Balanta - Ganja is spoken in 2006 of a total of 86,000 inhabitants of Senegal in the southwest corner and south of the country. However, the literacy in Balanta - Ganja is less than 1 %. In September 2000, the Balanta - Ganja the status of a national language in Senegal was assured, and since it can be taught in elementary school.

Alternative names for Balanta - Gonja are Alante, Balanda, Balant, Balante, Ball Ante, Belante Brassa Bulanda, Fjaa, Fraase, Fganja ( Ganja ) and Fjaalib (blip ).

Font

In Senegal, the Decree No. regulated. 2005-979 spelling of the Balanta as follows: