Page Type: languageMandinka | Ethnologue

MNK ISO 639-3

Mandinka

Mandi’nka kango Autonym

A language of Senegal

ISO 639
mnk
Alternate Names
Mande, Manding, Mandingo, Mandingue, Mandinque, Socé
Autonym
Mandi’nka kango
Population
888,000 in Senegal (2017). Total users in all countries: 1,949,000.
Location:
Kolda region: Oussadou area on southeast border with Guinea; Sédhiou region: Casamance river north to The Gambia; Ziguinchor region: south of Casamance river.
Language Status
5 (Developing). Recognized language (2005, Decree No. 982 of 21 October).
Classification
Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Manding-Jogo, Manding-Vai, Manding-Mokole, Manding, Manding-West
Dialects
None known. Mandinka, Eastern Maninkakan [emk], and Western Maninkakan [mlq] are separate languages. Lexical similarity: 79% with Kalanke, 75% with Jahanka [jad], 70% with Xaasongaxango [kao], 59% with Western Maninkakan [mlq], 53% with Eastern Maninkakan [emk], 48% with Bambara [bam]. A member of macrolanguage Mandingo [man].
Language Use
Used by all. Many also use Wolof [wol], as the language of commerce and interethnic communication (Sarr and Thiaw 2012). Some also use French [fra], as the language of education and government (Diouf et al 2017). Also use Guinea-Bissau Creole [pov]. Used as L2 by Badyara [pbp], Bainouk-Gunyaamolo [bcz], Balanta-Ganja [bjt], Gusilay [gsl], Jola-Fonyi [dyo], Karon [krx], Mlomp [mlo].
Language Development
Literature. Periodicals. Grammar. Bible: 2013.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Mandinka
Writing
Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab]. Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments
Muslim.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Mandinka
User Population
879,000 in Gambia (2014).
Location
Widespread.
Language Status
3 (Wider communication)
Other Comments
Muslim.
View other languages of Gambia
Language Name
Mandinka
User Population
182,000 in Guinea-Bissau (2018).
Location
Bafata region: Contuboel, north Gamamundo, and Sonaca sectors; Cacheu region: Bigene, Cacheu, and São Domingos sectors; Gabu region: Pirada and Sonaco sectors; Oio region: Farim and north Mansaba sectors.
Language Status
6a (Vigorous)
Other Comments
Muslim.
View other languages of Guinea-Bissau

Map

Location: Kolda region: Oussadou area on southeast border with Guinea; Sédhiou region: Casamance river north to The Gambia; Ziguinchor region: south of Casamance river.