Maninkakan
Eastern Maninka
Niger-Congo
Eastern Maninka (autonymously Maninkakan) is a Manding language of the Mande branch of Niger-Congo, spoken by over 3 million people in Upper Guinea (Kankan, Faranah, Siguiri prefectures) and adjacent borderlands of Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Maninka is closely related to Bambara (bm) of Mali and the Mandinka of Senegambia — together forming the Manding dialect cluster. The Maninka are the modern descendants of the Mali Empire (c. 1235-1670) which dominated West Africa under emperors like Sundiata Keita and Mansa Musa. The 1949 invention of the N'Ko alphabet by Solomana Kanté specifically for Manding languages was an explicit reaction against the use of foreign scripts (Arabic and Latin) for African languages, and N'Ko has growing popular use particularly in Guinea. Maninka is one of the most-vibrant African languages with intact intergenerational transmission and major literary production.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Eastern Maninka
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Niger-Congo
| Meaning | Eastern Maninka | Kita Maninkakan | Xaasongaxango | Dyula | Bambara | Western Maninkakan | Mandinka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | jiyo /dʒijo/ | jiyo /dʒijo/ |
| Fire | ta /ta/ | tasuma /tasuma/ | ta /ta/ | tasuma /tasuma/ | tasuma /tasuma/ | ta /ta/ | dimbaa /dimbaː/ |
| Sun | tele /tele/ | tle /tle/ | tili /tili/ | tile /tile/ | tile /tile/ | tilo /tilo/ | tiloo /tiloː/ |
| Moon | karo /karo/ | kalo /kalo/ | kalo /kalo/ | kalo /kalo/ | kalo /kalo/ | xaro /xaɾo/ | karoo /karoː/ |
| Star | lolo /lolo/ | lolo /lolo/ | lolo /lolo/ | lolo /lolo/ | dolo /dòlo/ | loolo /loːlo/ | looloo /loːloː/ |
| Night | su /su/ | su /su/ | su /su/ | su /su/ | su /su/ | suwo /suwo/ | suutoo /suːtoː/ |
| Rain | sanji /saɲɟi/ | sanji /saɲɟi/ | — | sanji /ˈsandʒi/ | sanji /ˈsandʒi/ | sanjiyo /sandʒijo/ | sanjiyo /sandʒijo/ |
| Wind | fɔɲɔ /fɔɲɔ/ | fɔɲɔ /fɔɲɔ/ | — | fɔɲɔ /fɔɲɔ/ | fiɲɛ /fiɲɛ/ | hoɲo /hoɲo/ | foño /foɲo/ |
| Earth | duukolo /duːkolo/ | — | — | dugukolo /duɡukolo/ | dugukolo /duɡukolo/ | duguxulo /duɡuxulo/ | bankoo /baŋkoː/ |
| Stone | kaba /kaba/ | — | — | kabakuru /kabakuru/ | kaba /kaba/ | kuro /kuɾo/ | beroo /beroː/ |
| Mountain | kɔnkɛ /kɔŋkɛ/ | — | — | kulu /kulu/ | kulu /kulu/ | — | konkoo /koŋkoː/ |
| Sea | kɔɔji /kɔːdʒi/ | — | — | kɔgɔji /kɔɡɔdʒi/ | kɔgɔji /kɔɡɔdʒi/ | xooxojiyo /xoːxodʒijo/ | fankaasoo /faŋkaːsoː/ |
| Mother | ba /ba/ | ba /ba/ | ba /ba/ | ba /ba/ | ba /ba/ | na /na/ | baa /baː/ |
| Father | fa /fa/ | fa /fa/ | fa /fa/ | fa /fa/ | fa /fa/ | ha /ha/ | faa /faː/ |
| Daughter | denmuso /dɛnmuso/ | — | — | denmuso /denmuso/ | denmuso /dɛnmuso/ | dinmuso /dinmuso/ | dimmusoo /dimːusoː/ |
| I | ne /ne/ | ne /ne/ | ne /ne/ | n /ŋ́/ | ne /nè/ | nte /n̩te/ | nte /nte/ |
| You | i /i/ | i /i/ | i /i/ | i /í/ | i /í/ | ite /ite/ | ite /ite/ |
| We | an /án/ | an /án/ | an /án/ | an /án/ | an /án/ | ilan / ntelu /ilã / n̩telu/ | ntolu /ntolu/ |
| Name | tɔɔ /tɔː/ | tɔɔ /tɔː/ | toxo /toxo/ | tɔgɔ /tɔ́ɡɔ/ | tɔgɔ /tɔ̀ɡɔ/ | toxo /toxo/ | too /toː/ |
| Person | mɔɔ /mɔː/ | — | — | mɔgɔ /mɔ̀ɡɔ/ | mɔgɔ /mɔ̀ɡɔ/ | moxo /moxo/ | moo /moː/ |
| Head | kun /kũ/ | — | — | kunkolo /kunkolo/ | kun /kun/ | kunŋo /kũŋo/ | kuŋo /kuŋo/ |
| Eye | ɲa /ɲa/ | ña /ɲa/ | ɲa /ɲa/ | ɲɛ /ɲɛ/ | ɲɛ /ɲɛ/ | ɲa /ɲa/ | ñaa /ɲaː/ |
| Ear | tolo /tolo/ | tulo /tulo/ | tulu /tulu/ | tulo /tulo/ | tulo /tulo/ | tulo /tulo/ | tuloo /tuloː/ |
| Nose | nun /nũ/ | nun /nũ/ | nun /nũ/ | nun /nũ/ | nun /nũ/ | nunŋo /nũŋo/ | nuŋo /nuŋo/ |
| Mouth | da /da/ | — | da /da/ | da /da/ | da /da/ | da /da/ | daa /daː/ |
| Tooth | ɲin /ɲĩ/ | ɲin /ɲĩ/ | ɲin /ɲĩ/ | ɲin /ɲĩ/ | ɲin /ɲĩ/ | ɲinŋo /ɲĩŋo/ | ñiŋo /ɲiŋo/ |
| Tongue | nɛn /nɛn/ | nɛn /nɛn/ | nɛn /nɛn/ | nɛn /nɛn/ | nɛn /nɛn/ | nenŋo /nẽŋo/ | neŋo /neŋo/ |
| Hand | bolo /bolo/ | bolo /bolo/ | bulu /bulu/ | bolo /bolo/ | bolo /bolo/ | bulo /bulo/ | buloo /buloː/ |
| Foot | sen /sen/ | — | sin /sin/ | sen /sen/ | sen /sèn/ | sinŋo /sĩŋo/ | siŋo /siŋo/ |
| Heart | jusu /dʒusu/ | dusu /dusu/ | dusu /dusu/ | dusu /dusu/ | dusu /dusu/ | jusukunŋo /dʒusukũŋo/ | sondomoo /sondomoː/ |
| Bone | kolo /kolo/ | kulu /kulu/ | xulu /xulu/ | kolo /kolo/ | kolo /kolo/ | xulo /xulo/ | kuloo /kuloː/ |
| Blood | jeli /dʒeli/ | joli /dʒoli/ | jelu /dʒelu/ | joli /dʒoli/ | joli /dʒoli/ | jelo /dʒelo/ | yeloo /jeloː/ |
| Poop | bo /bo/ | — | — | bo /bo/ | bo /bo/ | — | buwo /buwo/ |
| Love | kanin /kanĩ/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanu /kanu/ |
| Tree | yiri /jiɾi/ | yiri /jiɾi/ | yiri /jiɾi/ | yiri /jiri/ | jiri /dʒiri/ | yiro /jiɾo/ | yiroo /jiroː/ |
| Dog | wulu /wulu/ | wulu /wulu/ | wulu /wulu/ | wulu /wulu/ | wulu /wulu/ | wulo /wulo/ | wuloo /wuloː/ |
| Cat | ɲaari /ɲaːri/ | ñaakuma /ɲaːkuma/ | jakuma /dʒakuma/ | jakuma /dʒakuma/ | jakuma /dʒakuma/ | ɲaaro /ɲaːɾo/ | ñankuma /ɲankuma/ |
| Fish | jɛɛ /dʒɛː/ | jɛgɛ /dʒɛɡɛ/ | ɲege /ɲeɡe/ | jɛgɛ /dʒɛɡɛ/ | jɛgɛ /dʒɛɡɛ/ | yego /jeɡo/ | ñewo /ɲewo/ |
| Bird | kɔnɔ /kɔnɔ/ | kɔnɔ /kɔnɔ/ | — | kɔnɔ /kɔnɔ/ | kɔnɔ /kɔnɔ/ | xono /xono/ | kunoo /kunoː/ |
| Butterfly | firinfirinlen /fiɾinfiɾinlen/ | — | — | firinfirin /firinfirin/ | nfirinfirin /nfirinfirin/ | — | firifiroo /firifiroː/ |
| Egg | kili /kili/ | — | — | sisɛfan /sisɛfã/ | shɛfan /ʃɛfã/ | kilo /kilo/ | kiloo /kiloː/ |
| Horse | so /so/ | — | — | so /so/ | so /so/ | — | suwoo /suwoː/ |
| House | bon /bon/ | so /so/ | so /so/ | so /so/ | so /so/ | bunŋo /bũŋo/ | buŋo /buŋo/ |
| Milk | nɔnɔ /nɔnɔ/ | nɔnɔ /nɔnɔ/ | nɔnɔ /nɔnɔ/ | nɔnɔ /nɔnɔ/ | nɔnɔ /nɔnɔ/ | nono /nono/ | nonoo /nonoː/ |
| Honey | li /li/ | — | — | li /li/ | di /di/ | liyo /lijo/ | liyo /lijo/ |
| Salt | kɔɔ /kɔː/ | kɔgɔ /kɔɡɔ/ | kɔgɔ /kɔɡɔ/ | kɔgɔ /kɔɡɔ/ | kɔgɔ /kɔɡɔ/ | xooxo /xoːxo/ | koo /koː/ |
| Rice | malo /malo/ | — | — | malo /malo/ | malo /malo/ | — | maanoo /maːnoː/ |
| Iron | nɛɛ /nɛː/ | neke /neke/ | nege /neɡe/ | nɛgɛ /nɛɡɛ/ | nɛgɛ /nɛɡɛ/ | nego /neɡo/ | nee /neː/ |
| Book | gbafe /ɡbafe/ | — | — | gafe /ɡafe/ | gafe /ɡafe/ | kitaabo /kitaːbo/ | kitaaboo /kitaːboː/ |
| Eat | domun /domũ/ | don /don/ | domu /domu/ | dun /dun/ | dun /dũ/ | domo /domo/ | domo /domo/ |
| Drink | min /min/ | min /min/ | min /min/ | min /min/ | min /min/ | min /mĩ/ | miŋ /miŋ/ |
| Sleep | sunɔɔ /sunɔː/ | — | — | sunɔgɔ /sunɔɡɔ/ | sunɔgɔ /sunɔɡɔ/ | sinnoxo /sinːoxo/ | siinoo /siːnoː/ |
| One | kelen /kelen/ | kelen /kelen/ | kilin /kilin/ | kelen /kelen/ | kelen /kelen/ | kilin /kilĩ/ | kiliŋ /kiliŋ/ |
| Two | fila /fila/ | fila /fila/ | fula /fula/ | fila /fìla/ | fila /fìla/ | hula /hula/ | fula /fula/ |
| Three | saba /saba/ | saba /saba/ | saba /saba/ | saba /saba/ | saba /saba/ | saba /saba/ | saba /saba/ |
| Four | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ | naani /naːni/ |
| Five | loolu /lóːlu/ | loolu /lóːlu/ | luulu /luːlu/ | duuru /dúːru/ | duuru /duːru/ | luulu /luːlu/ | luulu /luːlu/ |
| Hundred | kɛmɛ /kɛmɛ/ | — | keme /keme/ | kɛmɛ /kɛ̀mɛ́/ | kɛmɛ /kɛmɛ/ | keme /keme/ | keme /keme/ |
| Hello | i ni se /i ni se/ | i ni soɣoma /i ni soɣoma/ | i ni sogoma /i ni soɡoma/ | i ni sɔgɔma /i ni sɔɡɔma/ | i ni ce /i ni tʃɛ/ | — /—/ | salaam /salaːm/ |
| Thank you | i ni ce /i ni tʃe/ | i ni baara /i ni baːɾa/ | i ni baara /i ni baːɾa/ | i ni ce /i ni tʃe/ | i ni ce /i ni tʃɛ/ | — /—/ | abaraka /abaraka/ |
| Good | ka ɲi /ka ɲi/ | ñuman /ɲuman/ | nyi /ɲi/ | ɲuman /ɲuman/ | ka ɲi /ka ɲi/ | ɲima /ɲima/ | beteyaa /betejaː/ |
| New | kuda /kuda/ | — | — | kura /kura/ | kura /kura/ | kuto /kuto/ | kuta /kuta/ |
| Red | wulen /wulen/ | bilen /bileɲ/ | wuleŋ /wuleŋ/ | bilen /bilen/ | bilen /bilen/ | wulen /wulẽ/ | wuleŋ /wuleŋ/ |
| White | gbɛ /ɡbɛ/ | — | — | gwɛ /ɡwɛ/ | jɛ /dʒɛ/ | xoyi /xoji/ | koyi /koji/ |
| Black | fin /fiɲ/ | — | — | fin /fin/ | fin /fin/ | — | fiŋ /fiŋ/ |
| Green | binkɛndɛlama /binkɛndɛlama/ | — | — | binkɛnɛman /binkɛnɛman/ | binkɛnɛman /binkɛnɛman/ | — | jambakere /dʒambakere/ |
| Tea | dute /dute/ | — | — | dute /dute/ | dute /dute/ | — | — |
| Coffee | kafe /kafe/ | — | — | kafe /kafe/ | kafe /kafe/ | — | — |
| Ninety-nine | bikɔnɔndɔ ni kɔnɔndɔ /bikɔnɔndɔ ni kɔnɔndɔ/ | — | — | bikɔnɔntɔn ni kɔnɔntɔn /bikɔnɔntɔn ni kɔnɔntɔn/ | bikɔnɔntɔn ni kɔnɔntɔn /bikɔnɔntɔn ni kɔnɔntɔn/ | bixononto-nin-xononto /bixonontoninxononto/ | taŋ kononto niŋ kononto /taŋ kononto niŋ kononto/ |
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