Tchaman (Caman)

Tchaman is a member of the Kwa branch of the Niger-Congo language family. It is spoken by about 152,000 people in southern Ivory Coast / Côte d’Ivoire, particularly in the Bingerville and Dabou subprefectures of the Lagunes District, and in Abidjan.

Tchaman is also known as Cama, Caman, Kyama, Tsama, Tyama or Ebrié. The last name is considered pejorative. It is written with the Latin alphabet, and is used on the radio, on TV and in literature.

Tchaman Alphabet

Notes

A high tone is indicated with an acute accent (á), a falling tone is marked with a circumflex accent (â), and a low tone is not marked.
The apostrophe (') is used to mark the habitual form of the verb.

Download an Tchaman alphabet chart (Excel)

Sample text (The Lord's Prayer - Luke 11: 2-4)

Ló Jezwi kranman nkɔn sa: – Lóka hɔ́n éla Yankan, ɔ́n tɔlé: “Nthe, tɛmɛ oyɛ́n salé hɛ hɛ́n li yíbɛn atɛ Créncré, hɛ Bhringbilí obhá.
Tɛmɛ ɛsé lo ácí brɛ brɛ nɛnlí.
Tɛmɛ ɛyɔ́ lo ne phɔ́ lo, átɛsalé lo nbrɛn lɔ, lo yɔ́phɔ́ néphan atɛ́ lo yíléle. Ló ɛle yɔ́ lo kálé sé ásúwú.”

Source: Bible.com

Translation

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Source: Bible.com

Sample video in Tchaman

Links

Information about Tchaman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebrié_language
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/ebr
https://www.sil.org/resources/search/language/ebr

Kwa languages

Abidji, Adele, Ahanta, Akan, Anii, Anyin, Avatime, Baoulé, Chakosi, Chumburung, Dangme, Fante, Foodo, Ga, Gonja, Krache, Kyode, Logba, Mbato, Nkonya, Nzema, Siwu, Tchaman, Twi

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 31.01.23. Last modified: 21.10.23

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