Marka

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A language of Burkina Faso

ISO 639-3
rkm
Alternate Names
Marka Dafing
Population

200,000 in Burkina Faso (1992 CMA). Population total all countries: 225,000.

Location

Kossi and Mouhoun provinces, Nouna and Dedougou areas. Also in Mali.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Manding-Jogo, Manding-Vai, Manding-Mokole, Manding, Manding-East, Marka-Dafin
Dialects

Gassan, Nouna, Safané. More than 80% inherent intelligibility of southeastern dialect around Safané; however, northwestern dialect region is 70%. The central dialect around Dembo village is well understood. Reportedly similar to Bambara [bam] or a variant of Jula [dyu].

Typology

SOV; postpositions; genitives, articles, adjectives, numerals, relatives after noun heads; question word final; word order distinguishes subject, object, indirect object; CV

Language Use

All ages. Men who travel also speak Jula [dyu], but women and children do not. Comprehension of Jula ranges from 45% in a southeastern village to 85% in the northwest.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 5% haltingly in French, some in Jula. Radio programs. Grammar. Bible portions: 1987.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Marka
Other Comments

Marka is used for followers of the traditional religion, Dafing for Muslim speakers. Different from the Marka dialect of Soninke. Muslim, traditional religion, Christian.

Also spoken in:

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