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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Africa > Mali > Bamanankan

Bamanankan

A language of Mali

ISO 639-3: bam

Population	2,700,000 in Mali (1995). 75,000 Ganadugu (Vanderaa 1991), 41,200 Wasulu. Population total all countries: 2,772,340.
Region	Also in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea, Mauritania, Senegal.
Language map	Mali, Enlarged Area
Alternate names	Bamanakan, Bambara
Dialects	Standard Bambara, Somono, Segou, San, Beledugu, Ganadugu, Wasulu (Wasuu, Wassulunka, Wassulunke), Sikasso. There are many local dialects. The main division is Standard Bambara, influenced heavily by Western Maninkakan [mlq], and rural dialects. Bamanankan dialects are spoken in varying degrees by 80% of the population. Wasulu is a dialect of Bamanankan in Mali and of Western Maninkakan [mlq] in Guinea.
Classification	Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Manding-Jogo, Manding-Vai, Manding-Mokole, Manding, Manding-East, Northeastern Manding, Bamana
Language use	National language. Language of wider communication. Used for adult education.
Language development	Radio programs. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1961–1987.
Writing system	Latin script. N’Ko script.
Comments	Wasulu are former Fulbe. Muslim, traditional religion, Christian.

Also spoken in:

Burkina Faso

Language name	Bambara
Population	300 in Burkina Faso (Vanderaa 1991), increasing.
Region	Kénédougou Province, near N’Dorola.
Alternate names	Bamana, Bamanakan
Language use	Positive attitude.
Language development	Taught in primary schools.
Comments	Muslim.

Côte d’Ivoire

Language name	Bambara
Population	5,500 in Côte d’Ivoire (1993 SIL).
Language map	Côte d’Ivoire, reference number 13
Alternate names	Bamako, Bamana, Bamanakan
Language use	Trade language.
Comments	Traders. Muslim, Christian, traditional religion.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

Goerling, Fritz. 2001. "Translating ’sin’ into Manding languages."

Sullivan, Terrence D. 2004. "A preliminary report of existing information on the Manding languages of West Africa: summary and suggestions for future research."  

Trudell, Barbara. 2007. "Local community perspectives and language of education in sub-Saharan African communities."