Bamum letter ree

It marks a Bamum syllable within a word. Its conventional name “ree” identifies its syllabic value, not a separate word or idea.

Bamum writing developed through successive revisions between 1896–1910. King Ibrahim Njoya’s first system used many picture-like signs as memory aids for words and ideas; later revisions shifted toward a syllabary, where signs represent syllables. In mature form, Bamum writing served administration, teaching, correspondence, and records of Bamum history.

Earlier stages could use signs for words or ideas, while later revisions changed or reassigned their values. ꚥ belongs to Phase G, the mature descendant. No significant works from 1896–1899 were believed to survive as of 2007; a Bamum history manuscript in Akauku Mfemfe, a later Bamum form, is dated ca. 1912.

Why does ꚥ show as a box?

A missing-character box usually means the font lacks Bamum coverage. Choose a font that includes Bamum letters.

In 2023, Windows 11 supported both Bamum ranges, though some Bamum diacritics could still render unevenly.

Bamum letters run left to right and do not reshape beside neighbors. The combining mark ꛰ can follow ꚥ; it usually adds a brief catch in the throat to the final vowel, so ꚥ꛰ is a different syllable, not decoration.