The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.
SIL code: MFY
ISO 639-2: men
| Population | 1,460,000 in Sierra Leone (1987 UBS), 30.9% of the population (1989 TISLL). Population total both countries 1,480,000. |
| Region | South central. Expanding along the coast and to the south and east. Also spoken in Liberia. |
| Alternate names | BOUMPE, HULO, KOSSA, KOSSO |
| Dialects | KPA, KO, WAANJAMA, SEWAWA. |
| Classification | Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Southwestern, Mende-Loma, Mende-Bandi, Mende-Loko. |
| Comments | Bandi, mainly in Liberia, is considered to be a separate language. Dialects have 92% to 98% lexical similarity with each other. There are a number of monolinguals. Others use Krio as second language. Trade language. Dictionary. Grammar. An indigenous script called Kikakui still in use. Taught as an elective from primary to college levels. Traditional religion, Muslim, Christian. Bible 1959. |
| Liberia |
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