Bikya | |
Also Known As: | Furu |
States: | Cameroon |
Region: | Northwest Region, Menchum department, Furu-Awa Subdivision, Furubana village |
Extinct: | 1980s |
Ref: | e25 |
Familycolor: | Niger-Congo |
Fam2: | Atlantic–Congo |
Fam3: | Volta–Congo |
Fam4: | Benue–Congo |
Fam5: | Bantoid |
Fam6: | Southern Bantoid |
Fam7: | Beboid |
Fam8: | Furu or Eastern Beboid |
Iso3: | byb |
Glotto: | biky1238 |
Glottorefname: | Bikya |
Bikya (also known as Furu) is a potentially extinct Southern Bantoid language spoken in Cameroon. It is one of the three, or four, Furu languages. In 1986 four surviving speakers were identified, although only one (a man in his seventies) spoke the language fluently.
English linguist Dr. David Dalby filmed an 87-year-old African woman who spoke Bikya as her native tongue. At the time, it was believed that she was the last Bikya speaker.[1]
It, and presumably all of Furu, is perhaps a Beboid language.[2]