Kolbila language

Language of Cameroon and Nigeria


title: "Kolbila language" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["leko-languages", "languages-of-cameroon", "languages-of-nigeria"] description: "Language of Cameroon and Nigeria" topic_path: "linguistics" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolbila_language" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Language of Cameroon and Nigeria ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox language"]

FieldValue
nameKolbila
altnameKolbilla
statesCameroon
regionAdamawa Region
speakers
date2018
refe26
scriptLatin
familycolorNiger-Congo
fam2Atlantic–Congo
fam3Leko–Nimbari
fam4Leko
iso3klc
glottokolb1240
glottorefnameKolbila
::

|name=Kolbila |altname=Kolbilla |states=Cameroon |region=Adamawa Region |speakers= |date=2018 |ref=e26 |script=Latin |familycolor=Niger-Congo |fam2=Atlantic–Congo |fam3=Leko–Nimbari |fam4=Leko |iso3=klc |glotto=kolb1240 |glottorefname=Kolbila Kolbila is an Adamawa language used in Cameroon and Nigeria.

Distribution

Kolbila is closely related to Samba Leko. It is spoken by fewer than 4,000 speakers in several settlements along the Ngaoundéré-Garoua road in Bantanjé (Bantadje) canton of northwest Cameroon (Sabine Littig 2017). There were three major waves of settlement in these locations:

  • Demsa (in 1954)
  • Mayo Boki (in 1972)
  • Mbé (in 1976)

According to ALCAM (2012), Kolbila is spoken near Faro National Park at Demsa', located about 20 kilometers north of the town of Mbe along the Ngairi-Garoua road in Demsa commune. Kolbila was originally spoken in Bantadjé of Poli commune, Bénoué department, North Region. It is separated from the Samba Leko area by Longto. It is part of the "Pape" group of languages according to linguist Lars Lode.

References

References

  1. Littig, Sabine (2017). [https://www.blogs.uni-mainz.de/fb07-adamawa/adamawa-languages/samba-duru-group/samba-duru-languages/kolbila/ Kolbila: Geography and history].
  2. (2012). "Atlas linguistique du Cameroun (ALCAM)". CERDOTOLA.

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leko-languageslanguages-of-cameroonlanguages-of-nigeria