The Aghem Language

The Aghem language is spoken by the people living in and around the villages of Wum.  Wum is found in the Northwest Province of Cameroon.  Aghem is part of the West Ring, or Momo cluster of the Bantu languages of Cameroon , which encompasses nine languages:  Busam, Fungom, Laimbue, Oso, Ambele, Atong, Isu, and Weh for a total of 75,000 speakers.  Aghem is the only group in those nine that is actively seeking to develop their language.

The speakers of Aghem have encountered no challenge to move forward with their quest to translate the Scriptures.  Under the umbrella of ACADA, the Aghem Language Development Committee (ALDEC), chaired by HRH Raymond Kangnsen Buhmbi, was formed and have endeavored to maintain regular work in the community.  The basic linguistic research in phonology and syntax was done by SIL Cameroon members, Dave and Henny Thormoset, in conjunction with ALDEC and several noted linguists.

  Recently Aghem is being taught in at least four schools in Wum, in addition to English.  A transitional reader and primer were written by an Nelson Tschonghongei .  The greatest hindrance has been funding for the primers and reading and writing books. Nelson Tschonghongei, a linguistics student at Yaounde I, works with other ALDEC members in Wum.  They are in the process of  compiling a 2000-word list in both Aghem and English for the lexicon, using Shoebox software, with the goal of a 10,000-word dictionary.