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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Africa > Mali > Bozo, Jenaama

Bozo, Jenaama

A language of Mali

ISO 639-3: bze

Population	197,000 in Mali (2003 SIL), increasing.
Region	Administrative circles of Djenné, Mopti, Youwarou, Tenenkou and Bandiagara. Between Bani and Niger rivers (Pondori dialect); between Diaka and Niger rivers (Kotya dialect); Niger River from Mopti to Lake Débo (Korondougou dialect), north of Kotya and around Lake Debo (Debo dialect). Some in Côte d’Ivoire around the Kosson and Ayamé dams. Also in Nigeria.
Language map	Mali, Enlarged Area
Alternate names	Boso, Corogaama, Djenaama, Nononke, Sarkanci, Sarkawa, Sorko, Sorogaama
Dialects	Pondori, Kotya (Kotyaxo), Korondougou, Débo. Lexical similarity: 53% with Tiéyaxo Bozo [boz] (most similar).
Classification	Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Northwestern, Soninke-Bobo, Soninke-Boso, Boso, Jenaama
Language use	Nononke and Somono who live in the same area speak Jenaama as L1. Positive attitude. Northern dialect speakers have some proficiency in a Songai or Fulfulde variety; southern dialects in Bambara.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%.
Writing system	Latin script.
Comments	Some call themselves ‘Sorogo’ (sg.), ‘Sorogoye’ (pl.), and their language ‘Sorogama’ which means ‘language of the Bozos’. They accept the Bambara term ‘Boso’ to refer to the entire ethnic group. Nononkes are often also called Marka or ‘dry Marka’, referring to the fact that they were originally Soninke or Malinke but no longer speak their language. Somono call themselves ‘Komuo’ (sg.), ‘Kombye’ (pl.). Fishermen (traditionally); agriculturalists: rice. Muslim.

Also spoken in:

Nigeria

Language name	Sorko
Region	Niger, Kwara, and Kebbi states, Lake Kainji.
Language map	Nigeria, Map 1, reference number 11
Alternate names	“Boso” , Bozo, Corogama, Jenaama Bozo, Jenama, Nononke, Sarkanci, Sarkawa, Sorogama
Language use	Also use Hausa [hau].
Comments	New Sorko speaking groups have been migrating down river into Nigeria. Fishermen. Muslim.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

BLÜHBERGER, Jutta, author. 2006. "Rapport d'enquête sociolinguistique des dialectes du Djenaama (aussi appelé Sorogaama)."  

LAUSCHITZKY, Christiane, author. 2007. The verb in Bozo Jenaama.