Bari

Print

A language of South Sudan

ISO 639-3
bfa
Alternate Names
Beri
Population

420,000 in South Sudan (2000). 26,400 in Kuku, 18,000 in Nyangbara, 3,400 in Nyepu, 25,000 in Pojulu. Population total all countries: 480,000.

Location

Central Equatoria State, Juba, Kajo Keji, and Lainya counties; both banks of the Nile, south of Terakeka on west bank, Mongalla on east bank, to Kajo Kaji escarpment. Also in Uganda.

Language Maps
Language Status

3 (Wider communication).

Classification
Nilo-Saharan, Eastern Sudanic, Nilotic, Eastern, Bari
Dialects

Bari, Kuku, Ligo (Liggo), Nyangbara (Nyambara, Nyangwara), Nyepu (Ngyepu, Nyefu, Nyepo, Nypho), Pöjulu (Fadjulu, Fajelu, Madi, Pajulu). Lexical similarity: 86% with Bari and Nyepu dialects, 85% with Bari and Pöjulu, 81% with Bari and Kuku, 80% with Bari and Nyangbara, 71% with Mundari [mqu], 73% with Kakwa [keo].

Language Use

All domains. All ages. Positive attitudes.

Language Development
Taught in primary schools. Grammar. Bible: 1979.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Bari
Writing
Latin script, used since 1927.
Other Comments

Ethnic Bari in Democratic Republic of the Congo now speak a dialect of Logo [log] and not Bari.

Also spoken in:

Expand All Collapse All