Bissa language

Bissa (Bisa) is a Mande language that is spoken by the Bissa people of Burkina Faso, Ghana and (marginally) Togo. Its dialects are Barka, Lebir and Lere.

Bissa
RegionBurkina Faso, Ghana
EthnicityBissa people
Native speakers
590,000 (1999–2003)[1]
Mande
  • Eastern
    • Bisa–Busa
      • Bissa
Language codes
ISO 639-3bib
Glottologbiss1248
Majority areas of northern dialects of Bissa, in dark blue, on a map of Burkina Faso.

Writing System

Bissa alphabet (Burkina-Faso)
ABCDE ƎƐFGH IƖJKL MNNyŊO ƆPRST UƲVWY Z
abcde ǝɛfgh iɩjkl mnnyŋo ɔprst uʋvwy z
Bissa-Barka Alphabet (Burkina-Faso)[2]
ABDEƐ ƎFGHI ƖKLMN ƝŊOƆP RSTUƲ WYZ
abdeɛ əfghi ɩklmn ɲŋoɔp rstuʋ wyz

Comparison of dialects

PhraseLereBarkaZeba
Good morningDomireh kiIdomleki
comeburiahhEyaham
waterpihi
foodforbilehobile

Lere phrases

  • Good morning: Domireh ki (Response: Domireh zain)
  • Good afternoon: Sundareh ki (Response: Sundareh zain)
  • Good evening/night: Yirbaa ki (Response: Yirbaa zain)
  • Thank you: Barka
  • Good: Minga
  • Come: Bur
  • Go: Ta
  • You're welcome: An barka boi
  • I love you: Moi wam

References

  1. Bissa at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)
  2. SIL 2016.


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