Bissa (or Bisa (singular), Bisan, Bissanno (plural)), is a Mande ethnic group of south-central Burkina Faso, northeastern Ghana and the northernmost tip of Togo. Their language, Bissa,[2] is a Mande language that is related to, but not the same as, a cluster of languages in the old Borgu Kingdom area of Northeast Benin and Northwest Nigeria, including Busa, Boko, and Kyenga. An alternate name for the Bissa is Busansi which is used by the Mossi people.

Bissa
Bɩsa
Region	Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo
Ethnicity	Bissa people
Native speakers	590,000 (1999–2003)[1]
Language family	Niger–Congo? Mande Eastern Bisa–Busa Bissa
Language codes
ISO 639-3	bib
Glottolog	biss1248
Majority areas of northern dialects of Bissa, in dark blue, on a map of Burkina Faso.

Daniel McFarland's Historical Dictionary of Upper Volta refers to them as "intrusive Mande who settled the area along the White Volta below Tenkodogo by 1300. Some live across the border in modern northern Ghana and Togo. According to some traditions, Rialle, progenitor of the Nakomse line of Mossi rulers was Busansi."[3]

They are known for their cultivation of peanuts. Traditionally, a Bissa man who wants to court a Bissa girl must work in her mother's peanut field, and be able to provide the girl with her own peanut field if they get married.[4] The Bissa are divide into two major language groups, that is the Barka and Lerre. They are further divided into several clans. Each clan has a name and an appellation normally called dedaa by the Bissa. The appellation is now used as a surname in Burkina Faso.

It's dialects are Barka, Lebir and Lere. Some Bissa speakers are in Ivory Coast.

Writing System

Comparison of dialects

Lere phrases

• Good morning: Domireh ki (Response: Domireh zain)
• Good afternoon: Sundareh ki (Response: Sundareh zain)
• Good evening/night: Yirbaa ki (Response: Yirbaa zain)
• Thank you: Barka
• Good: Minga
• Come: Bur
• Go: Ta
• You're welcome: An barka boi
• I love you: Moi wam

see also

• Busa language (Mande)
• Boko language
• Kyenga language
• Shanga language

References

Sources

• "Dictionnaire Bissa-Barka". SIL International. 25 April 2016., the SIL entry direct towards "Dictionnaire Bissa-Barka". Sous-Commission de la langue Bisa.

На других языках

[de] Bissa (Sprache)

[fr] Bissa (langue)

[ru] Биса (язык)