Laʼbi language

(Redirected from Labi language)

Laʼbi is the esoteric ritual language of male initiation among the Gbaya Kara, the Mbum, and some Sara Laka, in the area of Touboro near where the CAR, Chad, and Cameroon meet. It has no native speakers, but is used by 4,400 people. It is related to Mbum, with substantial loans from one or more Sara languages.[1][2]

Laʼbi
Native toCameroon
Speakers4,400 L2 speakers (2006)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3lbi
Glottologlabi1244

A word list is given in Periquet (1915).[3]

References

edit
  1. 1 2 Laʼbi at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Yves Moñino, 1977. "Conceptions du monde et langue d'initiation laʼbi de Gbaya-Kara", Langages et cultures africaines, Paris, Maspero.
  3. Periquet, Louis. 1915. Rapport général sur la mission de délimitation Afrique Équatoriale Française-Cameroun (1912-1913-1914). Tome III, Vocabulaires. Paris: Ministère de colonies.