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

Xaasongaxango

A language of Mali

ISO 639-3: kao

Population  120,000 in Mali (1991). Population total all countries: 130,610.
Region  Bafoulabé, Kayes principal towns. Also in Gambia, Senegal.
Language map  Mali, Enlarged Area
Alternate names   Kasonke, Kasso, Kasson, Kassonke, Khasonke, Khassonka, Khassonké, Xaasonga, Xasonga, Xasonke
Dialects  Highly intelligible with Western Maninkakan [mlq] and a little less with Bamanankan [bam], but for sociolinguistic reasons they are considered separate languages. 90% inherent intelligibility with Malinke [loi] in eastern Senegal. Lexical similarity: 70% with Mandinka [mnk] of Gambia and Senegal.
Classification  Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Manding-Jogo, Manding-Vai, Manding-Mokole, Manding, Manding-West
Language use  National language. Most also use Bamanankan [bam].
Language development  Grammar. Bible portions: 1997.
Comments  The French spelling is Khassonké. Muslim, traditional religion.

Also spoken in:

Senegal

Language name   Xasonga
Population  9,010 in Senegal (2006).
Alternate names  Kasonke, Kasso, Kasson, Kassonke, Khasonke, Xaasonga, Xaasongaxango, Xasonke
Language development  Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%.
Comments  Muslim.
 

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

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