Babanki (Kәjòm)

Babanki is a member of the Grassfields branch of the Southern Bantoid language family. It is spoken by about 20,000 people in the North West Region of Cameroon. In particular, it is spoken in the villages of Kejom Ketinguh (a.k.a. Babanki Tungo / Small Babanki) and Kejom Keku (a.k.a. Big Babanki) in the Mezam Department in the North West Region.

Babanki is also known as Kejom, Kidzem or Finge. It is written with the Latin alphabet, and there is a translation of the Bible in Babanki.

Babanki alphabet and pronunciation

Download an Babanki alphabet chart (Excel)
Details of the Babanki alphabet (PDF) provided by Wolfram Siegel

Notes

Long vowels are doubled (aa)
In closed syllables (ending in a consonant), e is pronounced [ɛ] and o is pronounced [ɔ]
Before e or i, g = [ɡʲ], k = [kʲ], w = [ɥ]
H and P are used in loanwords from other languages, and foreign names.

Sample text

Minikagi si Jesus, “Iling kani se itawal-tawal niyo. ‘Amà, ibeg day iduyun ka te kedita te otaw. Ibeg day lomowan ka diyà te kedita te otaw.
Begayi kay te kànen botong te kelikit te aldaw.
Pegwedadi se salà ininang day diyà kamno, so egwedad kay te salà eg-inangen te doma otaw diyà kenami. Ikà egpeokit kenami diyà te peg-akal.’”

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/1243/LUK.11.MBS

Translation

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
The Lord's Prayer - Luke 11: 2-4

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/1/LUK.11.KJV

Sample videos

Links

Information about Babanki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babanki_language
https://www.endangeredlanguages.com/elp-language/10899
http://www.language-archives.org/language/bbk
https://www.sil.org/resources/search/language/bbk
https://www.101lasttribes.com/tribes/babanki.html
https://lepetitprince.eu/world/african/babanki/
https://www.elararchive.org/dk0363/

Grassfields languages

Aghem, Ambele, Awing, Baba, Babanki, Bambalang, Bamukumbit, Bamum, Bamunka, Bangolan, Feʼfeʼ, Fut, Ghomalaʼ, Kenswei Nsei, Kom, Kwaʼ, Limbum, Mfumte, Mmen, Ndemli, Ngaʼka, Ngiemboon, Ngomba, Ngombale, Nso, Oku, Vengo, Yamba, Yemba

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 13.01.26. Last modified: 14.01.26

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