DDN ISO 639-3
Dendi
Songhay Autonym
A language of Benin
- ISO 639
- ddn
- Alternate Names
- Dandawa
- Autonym
- Songhay
- Population
- 268,000 in Benin (2018). Total users in all countries: 270,050.
- Location:
- Alibori and Atacora departments: Djougou, Parakou, and other towns north along Medru and Niger rivers down to Kandi.
- Language Status
- 3 (Wider communication). The Dendi ethnic group came from Mali in 16th century and settled in north-central Benin. Now used as trade language across northern Benin.
- Classification
- Nilo-Saharan, Songhai, Southern
- Dialects
- Closely related to Zarma [dje] and Songhay [hmb]. They form a dialect subgroup.
- Language Use
- Market. Also use French [fra]. Also use Yom [pil]. Used as L2 by Mokole [mkl], Yom [pil].
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L1: 1%–30%. Taught in primary schools in small-scale multilingual education program since 2013. Radio. Dictionary. NT: 1995.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Dendi
- Writing
- Latin script [Latn].
- Other Comments
- Djougou and Parakou speech varieties reportedly different from that in the northeast. Different from Dendi [deq] in Central African Republic. Muslim.
Also Spoken in
- Location
- Kebbi state: Argungu and Bagudo LGAs, on upper Niger river.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Different from Dendi [deq] in Central African Republic. View other languages of Nigeria
Language Name
Dendi
User Population
2,050 in Nigeria (2000).
Map
Location: Alibori and Atacora departments: Djougou, Parakou, and other towns north along Medru and Niger rivers down to Kandi.
Size and Vitality
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