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Ethnologue: Languages of the World
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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Africa > Senegal > Maninkakan, Western

Maninkakan, Western

A language of Senegal

ISO 639-3: mlq

Population  422,000 in Senegal (2006). Population total all countries: 525,300.
Region  East. Also in Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali.
Language map  Senegal and the Gambia, reference number 31
Alternate names   Malinka, Malinke, Maninga, Maninka-Western, Western Malinke
Dialects  Jahanka (Jahanque, Jahonque, Diakkanke, Diakhanke, Kyakanke). Trace their origins to Soninke, but now speak a dialect of Malinke in Senegal (Western Maninkakan [mlq]). Vocabulary and grammar differences with Mandinka [mnk]. Lexical similarity: 59% with Mandinka.
Classification  Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Manding-Jogo, Manding-Vai, Manding-Mokole, Manding, Manding-West
A member of macrolanguage Mandingo [man] (Guinea).
Language development  Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Grammar. Bible portions: 1997–2003.
Writing system  Arabic script. Latin script.
Comments  Muslim, traditional religion.

Also spoken in:

Gambia

Language name   Maninkakan, Western
Population  3,300 in Gambia (2006).
Region  East.
Language map  Senegal and the Gambia, reference number 31
Alternate names  Malinka, Malinke, Northwestern Maninka
Dialects  Jahanka.
Comments  Jahanka in Gambia may be a dialect of Western Maninkakan, or a separate language. Muslim.
 

Mali

Language name   Maninkakan, Western
Population  100,000 in Mali (Vanderaa 1991).
Region  West of Tambaoura cliff range at Mali-Guinea border.
Language map  Mali, Enlarged Area
Alternate names  Malinka, Malinke, Northwestern Maninka, Western Malinke
Dialects  Kenieba Maninka, Nyoxolonkan.
Comments  Muslim, traditional religion, Christian.
 

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

LIEBRECHT, Matthias; TILLINGHAST, Tim, authors. 1999. "Report of a linguistic survey on the Malinké of Western Mali and Senegal with special regard to the Malinké of Kita."  Available online