Minyanka language

Minyanka (also known as Mamara, Miniyanka, Minya, Mianka, Minianka, or Tupiire) is a northern Senufo language spoken by about 750,000 people in southeastern Mali. It is closely related to Supyire. Minyanka is one of the national languages of Mali.

Phonology

Consonants

• A pharyngeal fricative [ʕ] is also typically heard when in between vowels, or as an allophone of /É¡/ when in intervocalic position.
• Glottal sounds [h, ɦ] are only heard in the Bla dialect, instead of labio-velar sounds /kÍ¡p, É¡Í¡b, ŋ͡m/.
• Sounds /k, É¡/ can also be heard as fricatives [x, É£] when in intervocalic positions.

Vowels

• /u/ can also be heard as [y] when in the position of /j/.
• /o/ can also be heard as [œ] when before a glottal /ʔ/.

See also

• Senufo language

References

Further reading

• Dombrowsky-Hahn, Klaudia (ed. by Miehe, Gudrun; Reineke, Brigitte; Roncador, Manfred von) (1999) Phénomènes de contact entre les langues Minyanka et Bambara (Sud du Mali). Köln: Rüdiger Köppe.
• Prost, André (1964) Contributrion à l'étude des langues Voltaiques. Dakar: Institut Francophone de l'Afrique Noire.

External links

• Minyanka-French-Bambara-English Dictionary to view online or download, from the Association for the Promotion of the Mamara language, Koutiala, Mali.
• Resources in Mamara from SIL Mali
• PanAfrican L10n page on Suppire/Minianka