List of endangered languages in Africa
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This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
An endangered language is a language that it is at risk of falling out of use, generally because it has few surviving speakers. If it loses all of its native speakers, it becomes an extinct language.
Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent. At about 30.2 million km² (11.7 million sq mi) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area.[1] With about 922 million people (as of 2005)[2] in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.2% of the world's human population. The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. There are 53 countries, including Madagascar and all the island groups.
Contents |
[edit] Botswana
| Language | Comments | No. Speakers | Source | ISO 639-3 | Ethnologue entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ǂHõã language | 200 | Ethnologue | huc | ǂHõã language | |
| Tsoa language | Also: Sarwa language | Red Book of Endangered Languages | hio | Tsoa language |
[edit] Cameroon
| Language | Comments | Speakers | Source | 639-3 | Ethnologue entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baldemu language | North Cameroon. Shifting to Fulfulde. | 3 to 6 (2003 SIL) | Ethnologue | bdn | Baldemu language |
| Bikya language | Speaker is a man in his seventies. | 1 (1986 R Breton) | Ethnologue | byb | Bikya language |
| Bishuo language | 1 (1986 R Breton) | Ethnologue | bwh | Bishuo language | |
| Bung language | 3 (1995 Connell) | Ethnologue | bqd | Bung language | |
| Busuu language | 8 (1986 Breton) | Ethnologue | bju | Busuu language | |
| Dama language | 50 | Ethnologue | dmm | Dama language | |
| Luo Language | 1 | Ethnologue | luw | Luo Language | |
| Ndai language | 5 | Ethnologue | gke | Ndai language | |
| Ngong language | 2 (1983 Atlas Linguistique du Cameroun) | Ethnologue | nnx | Ngong language | |
| Oblo language | Ethnologue | obl | Oblo language | ||
| Pam language | 30 (2003 SIL) | Ethnologue | pmn | Pam language | |
| Twendi language | 30 (2000 Connell) | Ethnologue | twn | Twendi language | |
| Zumaya language | 25 (1987 SIL) | Ethnologue | zuy | Zumaya language | |
| Bassa language | 230,000 (1987 SIL) | Ethnologue | zuy | Zumaya language |
[edit] Central African Republic
| Language | Comments | No. Speakers | Source | ISO 639-3 | Ethnologue entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bodo language | 15 (1996) | Ethnologue | boy | Bodo language |
[edit] Chad
| Language | Comments | No. Speakers | Source | ISO 639-3 | Ethnologue entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berakou language | 2 (1995 Djarangar). | Ethnologue | bxv | Berakou | |
| Buso language | 40 (1971 Welmers). | Ethnologue | bso | Buso language | |
| Goundo language | 30 (1998). | Ethnologue | goy | Goundo language | |
| Mabire language | 3 (2001 SIL). | Ethnologue | muj | Mabire language | |
| Massalat language | 10 (1991 R Blench) | Ethnologue | mdg | Massalat language | |
| Noy language | 36 (1993 census). | Ethnologue | noy | Noy language |
[edit] Ethiopia
| Language | Comments | No. Speakers | Source | ISO 639-3 | Ethnologue entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anfillo language | 500 | Ethnologue | myo | Anfillo language | |
| Birale language | 19 (2000 M Brenzinger) | Ethnologue | bxe | Birale language | |
| Shabo language | 400-500 | Red Book of Endangered Languages | sbf | Shabo language |
[edit] Ghana
| Language | Comments | No. Speakers | Source | ISO 639-3 | Ethnologue entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animere language | about 250 | Ethnologue | anf | Animere language |
[edit] Guinea
| Language | Comments | No. Speakers | Source | ISO 639-3 | Ethnologue entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baga Koga language | Ethnologue | bgo | Baga Koga | ||
| Baga Mboteni language | Ethnologue | bgm | Baga Mboteni |
[edit] Kenya
| Language | Comments | No. Speakers | Source | ISO 639-3 | Ethnologue entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Molo language | Also: Elmolo language, Fura-Pawa language, Ldes language, Dehes language | 8 (1994 Larsen) 400 (2000 M Brenzinger). | Ethnologue | elo | El Molo |
| Ogiek language | Also: Akie language; Kinare language, Okiek language | Red Book of Endangered Languages | oki | Okiek language | |
| Omotik language | 50 (1980) | Ethnologue | omt | Omotik | |
| Yaaku language | 50 (1983) | Ethnologue | muu | Yaaku | |
| Suba language | 100,000 (1992) | [1] |
[edit] Mauritania
| Language | Comments | No. Speakers | Source | ISO 639-3 | Ethnologue entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zenaga language | Ethnologue | zen | Zenaga language |
[edit] Namibia
| Language | Comments | No. Speakers | Source | ISO 639-3 | Ethnologue entry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| !Kung language | AQlso spoken in Angola. Alternate names: Kung-Ekoka language; Ekoka-!Xû language; Kung language; !Xu language; !Ku language; !Xu language; !Hu language; Qxü language; !Xun language; !Khung language; !Xung language; | 1,000 in Namibia | Red Book of Endangered Languages | isocode | !Xu language | |
| Namibian Black German | German Pidgen spoken by Africans loyal to the German colonies. | Only several. Nearly Extinct. | Red Book of Endangered Languages | isocode | !Xu language |
[edit] Nigeria
| Language | Comments | No. Speakers | Source | ISO 639-3 | Ethnologue entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bassa-Kontagora language | 10 (1987) | Ethnologue | bsr | Bassa-Kontagora | |
| Bete language | 50 (1992) | Ethnologue | Bete | ||
| Fali of Baissa language | Ethnologue | fah | Fali of Baissa | ||
| Defaka language | Ethnologue | afn | Defaka language | ||
| Kiong language | 100 (2004) | Ethnologue | kkm | Kiong | |
| Kudu-Camo language | 42 (1990 Michael Bross) | Ethnologue | kov | Kudu-Camo | |
| Labir language | Ethnologue | jku | Labir | ||
| Lere language | Ethnologue | gnh | Lere | ||
| Lufu language | Ethnologue | ldq | Lufu | ||
| Luri language (Nigeria) | 30 (1973 SIL) | Ethnologue | ldd | Luri | |
| Njerep language | 6 (2000 B Connell) | Ethnologue | njr | Njerep | |
| Odut language | 20 (1980s, from Blench 2000) | Ethnologue | oda | Odut | |
| Putai language | 50 | Ethnologue | mfl | Putai | |
| Shau language | Ethnologue | sqh | Shau | ||
| Somyev language | 15 to 20 (2000 Connell) | Ethnologue | kgt | Somyev | |
| Vono language | Also: Kiballo language, Kiwollo language | Red Book of Endangered Languages | kch | Vono language | |
| Ziriya language | Ethnologue | zir | Ziriya |
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[edit] Senegal
| Language | Comments | No. Speakers | Source | ISO 639-3 | Ethnologue entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karon language | Also spoken in Gambia. | Over 10,000 | Red Book of Endangered Languages | krx | Karon language |
[edit] Sierra Leone
| Language | Comments | No. Speakers | Source | ISO 639-3 | Ethnologue entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bom language | Ethnologue | bmf | Bom language | ||
| Bullom So language | Also spoken in Guinea | Ethnologue | buy | Bullom So language |
[edit] Somalia
| Language | Comments | No. Speakers | Source | ISO 639-3 | Ethnologue entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boon language | 59 (2000 WCD) | Ethnologue | bnl | Boon |
[edit] South Africa
| Language | Comments | No. Speakers | Source | ISO 639-3 | Ethnologue entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nǁng language | 10 (2003 Crawhall); 500 (1998 Nigel Crawhall, South African San Institute). | Ethnologue | ngh | Nu | |
| Tsotsitaal language | Ethnologue | fly | Tsotsitaal | ||
| Xiri language | 87 (2000 WCD) | Ethnologue | xii | Xiri |
[edit] Tanzania
| Language | Comments | No. Speakers | Source | ISO 639-3 | Ethnologue entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gweno language | Few (2000 M Brenzinger) 2,000 or more. | Ethnologue | gwe | Gweno | |
| Ongamo language | Also: Ngasa language | Red Book of Endangered Languages | isocode | Ngasa language |
[edit] Notes
- ^ Sayre, April Pulley. (1999) Africa, Twenty-First Century Books. ISBN 0-7613-1367-2.
- ^ "World Population Prospects: The 2006 Revision" United Nations (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, population division)
