Languages of Sierra Leone
See language map.[See also SIL publications on the languages of Sierra Leone.]
Republic of Sierra Leone. 5,586,000. National or official language: English. Literacy rate: 15%. Immigrant languages: Greek (700), Yoruba (3,800). Also includes languages of Lebanon, India, Pakistan, Liberia. Information mainly from D. Dalby 1962; TISSL 1995. Blind population: 28,000 (1982 WCE). Deaf institutions: 5. The number of individual languages listed for Sierra Leone is 25. Of those, 24 are living languages and 1 is a second language without mother-tongue speakers.
| Bassa | [bsq]
5,730 in Sierra Leone (2006). Freetown.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kru, Western, Bassa
|
| Bom | [bmf]
5,580 (2006), decreasing. Along Bome River.
Alternate names: Bome, Bomo, Bum.
Dialects: Lexical similarity: 66%–69% with Sherbro [bun] dialects, 34% with Krim [krm].
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Southern, Mel, Bullom-Kissi, Bullom, Northern
|
| Bullom So | [buy]
8,350 in Sierra Leone (2006). Coast from Guinea border to Sierra Leone River. Also in Guinea.
Alternate names: Bolom, Bulem, Bullin, Bullun, Mandenyi, Mandingi, Mmani, Northern Bullom.
Dialects: Mmani, Kafu. Bom is closely related. Little intelligibility with Sherbro, none with Krim.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Southern, Mel, Bullom-Kissi, Bullom, Northern
|
| English | [eng]
Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
|
| Gola | [gol]
8,000 in Sierra Leone (1989 TISLL). Along the border and inland.
Alternate names: Gula.
Dialects: De (Deng), Managobla (Gobla), Kongbaa, Kpo, Senje (Sene), Tee (Tege), Toldil (Toodii).
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Southern, Mel, Gola
|
| Kisi, Southern | [kss]
85,000 in Sierra Leone (1995).
Alternate names: Gissi, Kisi, Kissien.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Southern, Mel, Bullom-Kissi, Kissi
|
| Kissi, Northern | [kqs]
40,000 in Sierra Leone (1991 LBT).
Alternate names: Gizi, Kisi, Kisie, Kissien.
Dialects: Liaro, Kama, Teng, Tung.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Southern, Mel, Bullom-Kissi, Kissi
|
| Klao | [klu]
9,620 in Sierra Leone (2006). Freetown. Originally from Liberia.
Alternate names: Klaoh, Klau, Kroo, Kru.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kru, Western, Klao
|
| Kono | [kno]
205,000 (2006). Northeast.
Alternate names: Konnoh.
Dialects: Northern Kono (Sando), Central Kono (Fiama, Gbane, Gbane Kando, Gbense, Gorama Kono, Kamara, Lei, Mafindo, Nimi Koro, Nimi Yama, Penguia, Soa, Tankoro, Toli). Not intelligible with Vai [vai]. Dialects have minor differences.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Manding-Jogo, Manding-Vai, Vai-Kono
|
| Krim | [krm]
500 (Vanderaa 1991). Ethnic population: 11,700 (2006). Coast between Sherbro [bun] and Vai [vai], along Krim River.
Alternate names: Kim, Kimi, Kirim, Kittim.
Dialects: Lexical similarity: 44%–45% with Sherbro, 34% with Northern Bullom [bum].
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Southern, Mel, Bullom-Kissi, Bullom, Southern
|
| Krio | [kri]
473,000 in Sierra Leone (1993). Population total all countries: 493,470. Freetown communities; on the Peninsula; Banana Islands, York Island; Bonthe. Also in Gambia, Guinea, Senegal, United States.
Alternate names: Creole, Patois.
Dialects: Aku. Krio and Jamaican Creole [jam], and Krio and Sea Islands Creole [gul] may have some interintelligibility.
Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Krio
|
| Kuranko | [knk]
268,000 in Sierra Leone (2006). Population total all countries: 323,200. Northern Province, Kabala area. Also in Guinea.
Alternate names: Koranko.
Dialects: Barrawa, Nieni, Mankaliya, Sambaya, Ney, Sengbe, Mongo. The dialect near the Guinea border is similar to Eastern Maninkakan [emk], so some have called Kuranko a dialect of Eastern Maninkakan. Farther south, dialects are more different from Eastern Maninkakan.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Manding-Jogo, Manding-Vai, Manding-Mokole, Mokole
|
| Limba, East | [lma]
600 in Sierra Leone (2006). North central.
Alternate names: Yimba, Yumba.
Dialects: Northern Limba (Warawara, Ke-Woya-Yaka), Southern Limba (Biriwa-Saroko-Kalantuba-Sunko).
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Southern, Limba
|
| Limba, West-Central | [lia]
335,000 (1989 J. Kaiser). East Limba. North central area north of Makeni.
Alternate names: Yimba, Yumba.
Dialects: Western Limba (Tonko, Sela), Central (Tamiso, Gbongogbo).
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Southern, Limba
|
| Loko | [lok]
138,000 (2006). 2 separate areas; parts of Koya, Ribbi, and Bumpe chiefdoms; Sanda Loko chiefdom.
Alternate names: Landogo.
Dialects: Magbiambo, Gbendembu, Ngoahu, Nagbanmba, Sanda, Laia, Libisegahun, Koya, Ribbi, Buya. Similar to Mende [men].
Classification: Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Southwestern, Mende-Loma, Mende-Bandi, Mende-Loko
|
| Maninkakan, Eastern | [emk]
108,000 in Sierra Leone (2006). Kabala area and small groups throughout the country.
Alternate names: Eastern Malinke, Kankan Maninka, Madingo, Mande, Mandingo, Maninka, Maninka-Mori, Southern.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Manding-Jogo, Manding-Vai, Manding-Mokole, Manding, Manding-East, Southeastern Manding
|
| Mende | [men]
1,480,000 in Sierra Leone (2006). Population total all countries: 1,499,700. South central. Expanding along the coast and south and east. Also in Liberia.
Alternate names: Boumpe, Hulo, Kossa, Kosso.
Dialects: Kpa, Ko, Waanjama, Sewawa. Bandi [bza], mainly in Liberia, is considered a separate language. Lexical similarity: 92%–98% among dialects.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Southwestern, Mende-Loma, Mende-Bandi, Mende-Loko
|
| N’ko | [nqo]
Classification: Mixed language
|
| Pular | [fuf]
178,000 in Sierra Leone (1991). Widespread but especially north.
Alternate names: Fouta Dyalon, Fula, Fulbe, Fullo Fuuta, Futa, Futa Jallon, Fuuta Jalon.
Dialects: Krio Fula, Kebu Fula.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Senegambian, Fulani-Wolof, Fula, West Central
|
| Sherbro | [bun]
135,000 (1989 Kaiser). Southern Province adjoining Western Area; western peninsula, York District, Ribbi Shenge, Dima, Sicie, Timdel, Benducha, Nongoba.
Alternate names: Amampa, Mampa, Mampwa, Shiba, Southern Bullom.
Dialects: Shenge Sherbro, Sitia Sherbro, Ndema Sherbro, Peninsula Sherbro. Not intelligible with Krim [krm] or Bullom So [buy]. Shenge is the prestige dialect. Lexical similarity: 66%–69% with Bullom So, 44% to 45% with Krim, 83%–89% among dialects.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Southern, Mel, Bullom-Kissi, Bullom, Southern
|
| Sierra Leone Sign Language | [sgx]
Freetown.
Classification: Deaf sign language
|
| Susu | [sus]
122,000 in Sierra Leone (2006). Northern Province, interspersed throughout western sections.
Alternate names: Sose, Soso, Soussou, Susoo.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Susu-Yalunka
|
| Themne | [tem]
1,230,000 (2006). Northern Province, west of Sewa River to Little Scarcie.
Alternate names: Temen, Temne, Timene, Timmannee, Timne.
Dialects: Banta, Konike, Yoni, Bombali, Western Temne (Pil), Sanda, Ribia, Kholifa, Koya, Masingbi, Malal. The people claim to understand all dialects. Lexical similarity: 74% between the Masingbi and Malal dialects, 70% between the Konike dialect and western varieties.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Southern, Mel, Temne, Temne-Banta
|
| Vai | [vai]
15,500 in Sierra Leone (1991).
Alternate names: Gallinas, Gallines, Vei, Vy.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Manding-Jogo, Manding-Vai, Vai-Kono
|
| Yalunka | [yal]
30,000 in Sierra Leone (2002 SIL). Northern Province, Balaki Subprefecture, Yifin area, Falaba area; Balaki, Kunsi, Bouria, Solia, Foulaya, Jouloubaya villages.
Alternate names: Dialonke, Djallonke, Jalonke, Jalunga, Kjalonke, Yalunke.
Dialects: Musaia, Firia, Sulima.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Susu-Yalunka
|
Ethnologue: Web |
Ethnologue: Print |
Bibliography |
Publications Catalog |
Software |
Email Updates
Who we are |
Shopping cart |
Site search |
Site map |
Home
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | External links
Copyright © 2012 SIL International (formerly known as the Summer Institute of Linguistics)
