Mende

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A language of Sierra Leone

ISO 639-3
men
Alternate Names
Boumpe, Hulo, Kossa, Kosso
Population

1,480,000 in Sierra Leone (2006). Population total all countries: 1,499,700.

Location

South central. Expanding along the coast and south and east. Also in Liberia.

Language Maps
Language Status

3 (Wider communication).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Southwestern, Mende-Loma, Mende-Bandi, Mende-Loko
Dialects

Ko, Kpa, Sewawa, Waanjama. Lexical similarity: 92%–98% among dialects.

Language Use

Also use Krio [kri].

Language Development
Taught as an elective from primary to college levels. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1959.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Mende
Writing
Latin script. Mende script, limited usage except for correspondence and record keeping, especially accounting.
Other Comments

Traditional religion, Muslim, Christian.

Also spoken in:

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