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In many instances of Gabonese media, "Teke" seems to be regarded as a single language, however there are several varieties that are distinct enough to be considered as separate languages. The most common varieties within Gabon are Teke-Tsaayi (sometimes referred to as West Teke which is actually a broader classification including a few other lesser-spoken varieties) and North Teke (often simply referred to as Tɛgɛ). Both of these are spoken mainly in the Haut-Ogooué province. However the vitality of Teke as a written language appears to be very low and I am unable to understand which variety forms the basis of written Teke in Gabon.

Where can I find an extensive report about the usage and vitality of Teke in southeastern Gabon and how can I understand which variety with the Teke dialect continuum is being used as the basis of the written language in rural education and other forms of local media?

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  • Why not go to the source? Find the domaine name and check out websites and ask there.
    – Lambie
    Sep 22, 2022 at 20:59

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Teke is a language sub-family within Bantu, not a single language, and is spoken in Gabon and Congo. There is no detailed sociolinguistics information available, but you could follow the bibliographic information here, looking for anything sociolinguistic in nature. There may be some documents available within the reach of the Ministry of Education.

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    Teke is a group of languages but it is often identified to be a single language within common public understanding in both Gabon and the Republic of Congo. People often simply say they speak "Teke" as their mother tongue when asked. For example, North Teke for example is often designated with the endonym "Tɛgɛ" but "Tɛgɛ" can also mean any of the other languages within the Teke continuum when speaking North Teke. There appears to be a "standard" variety of Teke in Gabon but I am unable to identify which variety it is based on.
    – sriganesh
    Dec 26, 2021 at 18:43

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