Page Type: languageBamanankan | Ethnologue

BAM ISO 639-3

Bamanankan

Bamanankan Autonym

A language of Mali

ISO 639
bam
Alternate Names
Bamanakan, Bambara
Autonym
Bamanankan
Population
14,000,000 in Mali, all users. L1 users: 4,000,000 in Mali (2012 V. Vydrin), increasing. 75,000 Ganadugu (Vanderaa 1991), 164,000 Wasulu (2009 census). L2 users: 10,000,000 (2012 V. Vydrine). Total users in all countries: 14,183,340 (as L1: 4,183,340; as L2: 10,000,000).
Location:
Widespread. Kayes, Koulikoro, and Ségou regions; Sikasso: north, middle Niger river watershed.
Language Status
3 (Wider communication). Recognized language (1982, Decree No. 159 of 19 July, Article 1). Bamanankan serves as lingua franca everywhere, except for the northeastern part of the country. Bamanankan is the form of Jula [dyu] recognized by the Malian government. Used for travel, market, and business communication.
Classification
Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Manding-Jogo, Manding-Vai, Manding-Mokole, Manding, Manding-East, Northeastern Manding, Bamana
Dialects
Standard Bambara, Somono (Kombye), Segou, San, Beledugu, Ganadugu, Sikasso, Wasulunkakan (Maninkakan, Eastern, Wassulu, Wassulunka, Wassulunke, Wasulu, Wasuu). Many local dialects. The main division is standard Bambara, influenced heavily by Eastern Maninkakan [emk], and rural dialects. Bamanankan dialects are spoken in varying degrees by 80% of the Mali population. In Mali, Wasulunkakan is shared by both Bamanankan and Eastern Maninkakan, but in Guinea it is only a dialect of Eastern Maninkakan.
Typology
SOV; postpositions; passives; tense; causatives; 21 consonant and 14 vowel phonemes; tonal (2 tones: high, low).
Language Use
Growing. All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Used as L2 by Bankagooma [bxw], Bunoge Dogon [dgb], Duungooma [dux], Jenaama Bozo [bze], Jowulu [jow], Kagoro [xkg], Kelengaxo Bozo [bzx], Konabéré [bbo], Koyra Chiini Songhay [khq], Koyraboro Senni Songhay [ses], Maasina Fulfulde [ffm], Malian Sign Language [bog], Mamara Sénoufo [myk], Soninke [snk], Supyire Sénoufo [spp], Syenara Sénoufo [shz], Tieyaxo Bozo [boz].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 15%. Taught in many adult and youth literacy classes (2021 SIL). Taught in primary schools. Literature. Newspapers. Radio. TV. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1961–1987.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Bamanankan
Writing
Latin script [Latn]. N’Ko script [Nkoo], used in Mali.
Other Comments
Wasulu are former Fulbe. Muslim, traditional religion.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Bambara
User Population
5,500 in Côte d’Ivoire (1993 SIL).
Location
Denguélé district: center and northeast; Savanes district: Tingréla department, Ségélon subprefecture; Malian diaspora in all major cities.
Language Status
3 (Wider communication)
Other Comments
Muslim.
View other languages of Côte d’Ivoire
Language Name
Bambara
User Population
20,500 in Gambia (2016).
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Gambia
Language Name
Bambara
User Population
21,100 in Mauritania (2017).
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Mauritania
Language Name
Bamanankan
User Population
50,000 in Niger (2019).
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Niger
Language Name
Bambara
User Population
84,700 in Senegal (2017).
Location
Tambacounda region: near Mali border.
Language Status
5 (Dispersed)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Senegal

Map

Location: Widespread. Kayes, Koulikoro, and Ségou regions; Sikasso: north, middle Niger river watershed.