Bamum Letter Phase-E Ndun

Use 𖥰 for the Phase-E form in a Bamum text. It is a letter in the Bamum writing system, developed in western Cameroon for writing the Bamum language. In Phase E, its name is ndun; in Phase F, its reading is pue.

Keep the phase attached when transcribing. The source's stage tells you which form belongs there.

Why does Phase-E ndun have a Phase-F reading?

Because Bamum writing changed through successive phases. It evolved from 1896 to 1910. Its early signs acted as picture-like memory aids; King Ibrahim Njoya and his court later developed the system to represent Bamum words and syllables.

Bamum writing served histories, correspondence, calendars, legal codes, and other court knowledge. Across phases, signs could shift from representing words to representing sounds; that is why the phase label matters.

Will 𖥰 work in an ordinary document?

Yes, if the font supports the Bamum Supplement. 𖥰 is a text letter drawn by a font. If a document shows a box, the selected font lacks a glyph for it. Another font may draw the same character differently without changing the text.

For an archival transcription, keep the source's phase with the letter. In a casual message, add enough context for readers to recognize it as Bamum writing.