Nzime language

Nzime
Koonzime, Koozime
Native to	Cameroon
Ethnicity	Nzime, Dwe'e
Native speakers	40,000 (2011)[1]
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Volta–Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Southern Bantoid Bantu (Zone A) Makaa–Njem + Kako (A.80–90) Makaa–Njem Mpoic Njemic Nzime
Dialects	Koonzime Bajue (Badwee)
Language codes
ISO 639-3	ozm
Glottolog	koon1245
Guthrie code	A.841,842[2]

Nzime (Koonzime) is a Bantu language of Cameroon, spoken by the Nzime and Dwe'e (Bajwe'e) people. Maho (2009) lists these as two languages.

It is closely related to Mpo.^[3]

Demographics

Koonzime is spoken in most of the southern part of the Haut-Nyong region (Eastern Region). The Nzime are located mainly around and east of Lomié, and the closely related Njem in Ngoïla commune.^[3]

Koonzime is spoken by about 30,000 speakers.^[3]

References

1. Nzime at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
2. Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
3. Binam Bikoi, Charles, ed. (2012). Atlas linguistique du Cameroun (ALCAM) [Linguistic Atlas of Cameroon]. Atlas linguistique de l'Afrique centrale (ALAC) (in French). Vol. 1: Inventaire des langues. Yaoundé: CERDOTOLA. ISBN 9789956796069.