Tikar language explained

Tikar
States:	Cameroon
Ethnicity:	Tikar, Bedzan
Speakers:	110,000
Date:	2005
Ref:	e18
Familycolor:	Niger-Congo
Fam2:	Atlantic–Congo
Fam3:	Volta-Congo
Fam4:	Benue–Congo
Fam5:	Bantoid
Fam6:	Northern Bantoid
Dia1:	Ndobo
Dia2:	Bedzan (Medzan)
Iso3:	tik
Glotto:	tika1246
Glottorefname:	Tikar

Tikar (also called Tigé, Tigré or Tikari) is a Northern Bantoid, semi-Bantu language that is spoken in Cameroon by the Tikar people, as well as by the Bedzan Pygmies, who speak their own dialect of the language. A recent hypothesis by Roger Blench suggests that the Tikar language could be a divergent language in the Niger-Congo language family with an uncertain origin.

Classification

The little evidence available suggests that it is most closely related to the Mambiloid and Dakoid languages.^[1]

Dialects

The Tikar language has four dialects, including Tikari, Tigé, and Túmú.^{[2] [3]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: 'The membership and internal structure of Bantoid and the border with Bantu. Blench. Roger. 2011. Humboldt University. Berlin. 16.
2. Stanley, Carol. 1991. Description morphosyntaxique de la langue Tikar (parlée au Cameroun). Ph.D. Sorbonne. SIL International.
3. PRICE . DAVID . Who Are the Tikar Now? . Paideuma . 1979 . 25 . 89–98 . 23076439 .