Bulu (Cameroon) in Cameroon

2. Status

Status

Official country wide language
Official regional language
Official minority language
Recognised community language
Unrecognised community language

National language

Yes

Indigenous language

No

Administrative units of the country

Centre region: southern Upper Sanaga division, northern Nyong-and-Mfoumou division; East region: western tip Upper Nyong division;
South region: northern Mvila and Dja-and-Lobo divisions, into Océan division

3. State

Documentation: materials

4. Users

Geographical distribution

Users live and dominate in all regions of the country
Users live in one [state/...] of the country
Users live in a cross-border region [state/...] of the country
Users live in separated [states/...] of the country
Users live dispersed across one [state/...] of the country
Users live scattered all over the country

Settlements

Rural
Urban

Administrative units of the country

Centre region: southern Upper Sanaga division, northern Nyong-and-Mfoumou division; East region: western tip Upper Nyong division;
South region: northern Mvila and Dja-and-Lobo divisions, into Océan division

Size / Number of users

Number of users

1658000

Year

2007

Users within total population

8.85000

Less than 10% use the language

PROPORTION

9

Year

2007

Language competence

858,000

Understand all, speak/sign fluently

Comments

Used as first language

Year

2007

800,000

Understand well, speak/sign some

Comments

Used as second language

Literacy of users

More than 50% of users with literacy in the language

Digital use

More than 50% digital users of the language

5. Use

Socio-geographic dimension

Geographic scope

International
Supranational
Cross-border (states)
State-wide
Supra-regional cross-border
Supra-regional
Regional cross-border
Regional
Local

Comments

Gabon, Guinea equatorial

Economic dimension

Economic scope

Quinary sector
Quaternary sector
Tertiary sector
Secondary sector
Primary sector
Language not used

Comments

Used in church, commerce, and education

Functional dimension

Functional scope

Public domains
Everyday domains
Private domains

Nature

complementary

Stability

Increasing

Functional use in administration

Language use in administration

International level
National level
Regional level
Local level
Auxiliary use
No use

Types of language use

signed / spoken use
written use
digital use

Language is used for

Census data
Census surveys
Election processes
Topographical signs

Comments

Used in church, commerce, and education. Currenlty used as LWC throughout much
of the South region and some in the East. Class: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo,
Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Ewondo-Fang (A.74).
Dialects: Yelinda, Yembana, Yengono, Bene. Intelligible with Eton [eto], Ewondo [ewo], and
Fang [fan] in Beti group. Lg Use: Most also use Ewondo [ewo]. Most also use French [fra],
mostly for official purposes in the Centre, East, and South Regions. Many also use Eton [etn].
A few also use Cameroon Pidgin [wes]. A few also use English [eng]. A few also use Iyasa
[yko]. Used as L2 by Batanga [bnm], Elip [ekm], Gyele [gyi], Iyasa [yko], Kol [biw], Kwasio
[nmg], Mmaala [mmu], Swo [sox], Yangben [yav]. Lg Dev: Dictionary. Grammar. Texts.
Bible: 1940–2004. Writing: Latin script. Maps: 85, 85

Ethnoculture

No use
Informal learning
Skills and knowledge
Performing arts
Social practices
Customary law
Traditional medicine
Knowledge and practices
Traditions and expressions

Formal Education

Early childhood education

Type of language use in education

Medium of instruction
Immersion teaching
Teaching subject
Occasionally used
Symbolically used

Primary level

Type of language use in education

Medium of instruction
Immersion teaching
Teaching subject
Occasionally used
Symbolically used

Public healthcare

Language not used
Translations
Healthcare information
Nursing care (incl. elderly)
Doctor-patient communication
Generally used

Information, communication and cultural production

Information services
Broadcasting
Video, film
Sound/music recording
Publishing activities
Language not used

Information services
Broadcasting
Video, film
Sound/music recording
Publishing activities
Language not used

Information services
Broadcasting
Video, film
Sound/music recording
Publishing activities
Language not used

Information services
Broadcasting
Video, film
Sound/music recording
Publishing activities
Language not used

Information services
Broadcasting
Video, film
Sound/music recording
Publishing activities
Language not used

Digital sphere

Language not used
Texting and messaging
Social media
Blogs, web pages, e-books
Edutainment products and services
Social media have a localized interface
Localized web search and e-commerce services
Localized operating systems
Machine translation
Top level domain name

Language not used
Texting and messaging
Social media
Blogs, web pages, e-books
Edutainment products and services
Social media have a localized interface
Localized web search and e-commerce services
Localized operating systems
Machine translation
Top level domain name

Language not used
Texting and messaging
Social media
Blogs, web pages, e-books
Edutainment products and services
Social media have a localized interface
Localized web search and e-commerce services
Localized operating systems
Machine translation
Top level domain name

Legal system

Language use in the legal system

General use
Legal transactions
Court proceedings
Written submissions
Spoken/signed testimonies
Language not used

The World Atlas of Languages is a beta version while data is
being validated. Some inconsistencies may appear. The
displayed data does not commit the Organization.