Themne

Print

A language of Sierra Leone

ISO 639-3
tem
Alternate Names
Temen, Temne, Timene, Timmannee, Timne
Population

1,230,000 (2006).

Location

Northern Province, west of Sewa river to Little Scarcie.

Language Maps
Language Status

3 (Wider communication).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Southern, Mel, Temne, Temne-Banta
Dialects

Banta, Bombali, Kholifa, Konike, Koya, Malal, Masingbi, Ribia, Sanda, Western Temne (Pil), Yoni. People claim to understand all dialects. Lexical similarity: 74% with Masingbi and Malal dialects, 70% with Konike dialect and western varieties.

Language Use

Primary language of central Sierra Leone. 240,000 L2 speakers (1981 D. Cranmer). Some also use Krio [kri] or English [eng].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 6%. Taught as an elective from primary to college level. NT: 1868–1992.
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Traditional religion, Muslim, Christian.