Benga

BNG

threatened

Alternate Names: Boumba, Ndowe

Dialects: None known. Related to Batanga ,.

Genealogy:

Niger-Congo
Atlantic-Congo
Volta-Congo
Benue-Congo
Bantoid
Southern
Narrow Bantu
Northwest
A
Bubi-Benga (A.34)

Demographics: 3,900 in Equatorial Guinea (2011 S. Smith), decreasing. 400 on Corisco Island. Population total all countries: 5,000. 0 monolinguals.

Language Use: On Corisco, all domains. Away from Corisco island used more by older generation, fewer youth. Positive attitudes. Also use French [fra] due to trade with Gabon. Almost all also use Spanish [spa].

Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: Only a few dozen read Benga (Scripture). All Ndowe groups use Benga hymnal. Literacy rate in L2: Almost 100%. Poetry. Grammar. NT: 1895.

Writing System: Latin

Nation of Origin: Equatorial Guinea

Other Comments: Together with Batanga , they are called Boumba; Ndowe with Iyassa ,, One ,, Mari ,, Bueko ,, and Kombe ,. A ‘Ndowe’, coastal people. 80% moved to Libreville, Gabon or Bata. Christian, traditional religion.