The Bullom So language, also called Mmani or Mandingi, is an endangered language spoken near the border between Guinea and Sierra Leone. It belongs to the Atlantic branch of the Niger-Congo language family and is particularly closely related to the Bom language. The people have intermarried with Temne and Susu speakers. As the few remaining speakers of Bullom So are all over 60, the language is considered moribund. This page attempts to present a list of languages by total native speakers. ... Human Language Families Most languages are known to belong to language families (families hereforth). ... Map showing the distribution of Niger-Congo languages The Niger-Congo languages are probably the largest group of the world in terms of different languages. ... The (West) Atlantic languages1 of West Africa are a subgroup of Niger-Congo language family. ... ISO 639 is one of several international standards that lists short codes for language names. ... SIL International is a non-profit, faith-based, scientific organization with the main purpose to study, develop and document lesser-known languages for the purpose of expanding linguistic knowledge, promoting world literacy and aiding minority language development. ... This list of languages is alphabetical by English name. ... An endangered language is a language with so few surviving speakers that it is in danger of falling out of use. ... The (West) Atlantic languages1 of West Africa are a subgroup of Niger-Congo language family. ... Map showing the distribution of Niger-Congo languages The Niger-Congo languages are probably the largest group of the world in terms of different languages. ... The Bom language is an endangered language of Sierra Leone. ... Temne (also known as Themne or Timne) is a Southern Atlantic language spoken in Sierra Leone by about one million first language speakers, or some 30% of the country’s population. ...
External links
Fieldwork on Mmani (Atlantic, Niger-Congo), a dying language of coastal Guinea-Conakry (http://www.ling.yale.edu:16080/~elf/Childs.html) - a project funded by the Endangered Language Fund
Ethnologue entry for Bullom So (http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=BUY)
Ehret, Rebecca, "Language Attitudes and the Linguistic Construction of Ethnic Identity: The Case of Krio in Sierra Leone." In Languages Choices: Conditions, Constraints and Consequences," edited by Martin Pütz, J. Benjamins [Amsterdam, Philadelphia] 1997.
Kilham, Hannah, "Specimens of African languages, Spoken in the Colony of Sierra Leone," P. White, for a Committee of the Society of Friends [London], 1828.
Sumner, A. [Rev.], "A Hand-Book of the Sherbro Language," Crown Agents for the Colonies for the Government of Sierra Leone [London], 1921.
Feeds |
Contact