Fon language

Spoken in

  • Niger - Congo languages Atlantic - Congo languages Volta - Congo languages Kwa left Bank Gbe Fon

Fon

Fon ( proper name Fɔngbè ) is a language from the group of Gbe - languages ​​that belong to the subfamily of Kwa languages ​​within the family of the Niger - Congo languages ​​.

It is an important lingua franca in West Africa and is mostly spoken in Nigeria and Benin, but also in the Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Niger and Togo widespread. In southern Benin Fon is the main language and is spoken by about 1.7 million speakers.

Fon is a tonal language. The internationally best-known word from the Fon is vodun ( voodoo borrowed ), meaning " god" or " deity " means.

Fon is the mother tongue of the Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo - French. In some songs she sings on Fon.

Language family Atlantic languages Gbe languages Cotonou
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