| Mande | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | West Africa |
| Ethnicity | Mandé peoples |
| Linguistic classification | Niger–Congo?
|
| Proto-language | Proto-Mande |
| Subdivisions |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-5 | dmn |
| ISO 639-3 | – |
| Linguasphere | 00- (phylozone) |
| Glottolog | mand1469 |
 | |
TheMande languages are a family of languages spoken in several countries inWest Africa by theMandé peoples. They includeManinka (Malinke),Mandinka,Soninke,Bambara,Kpelle,Jula (Dioula),Bozo,Mende,Susu, andVai. There are around 60 to 75 languages spoken by 30 to 40 million people,[1] chiefly inBurkina Faso,Mali,Senegal,the Gambia,Guinea,Guinea-Bissau,Sierra Leone,Liberia,Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) and also in southernMauritania, northernGhana, northwesternNigeria and northernBenin.
The Mande languages show a few lexical similarities with theAtlantic–Congo language family, so together they have been proposed as parts of a largerNiger–Congo language family since the 1950s. However, the Mande languages lack the noun-class morphology that is the primary identifying feature of the Atlantic–Congo languages. Accordingly, linguists increasingly treat Mande and Atlantic–Congo as independent language families.[2][3]
Various opinions exist as to the age of the Mande languages.
Valentin Vydrin concluded that "the Mandehomeland at the second half of the 4th millennium BC was located in SouthernSahara, somewhere to the North of 16° or even 18° of Northern latitude and between 3° and 12° of Western longitude.".[4] That is nowMauritania and southernWestern Sahara.
If Mande's linguistic affiliation were clearer that would help inform its history. For example,Joseph Greenberg suggested that the Niger-Congo group, which in his view includes the Mande language family, began to break up at around7000 yearsBP. Its speakers would have practised aNeolithic culture, as indicated by the Proto-Niger-Congo words for "cow", "goat" and "cultivate".[5]
The group was first recognized in 1854 bySigismund Wilhelm Koelle, in hisPolyglotta Africana. He mentioned 13 languages under the headingNorth-Western High-Sudan Family, or Mandéga Family of Languages. In 1901,Maurice Delafosse made a distinction of two groups.[6] He speaks of a northern groupmandé-tan and a southern groupmandé-fu. The distinction was basically done only because the languages in the north use the expressiontan for ten, and the southern languages usefu. In 1924, Louis Tauxier noted that the distinction is not well founded and there is at least a third subgroup he calledmandé-bu. It was not until 1950 thatAndré Prost supported that view and gave further details.
In 1958, Welmers published an article called "The Mande Languages," where he divided the languages into three subgroups: North-West, South and East.[7] His conclusion was based onlexicostatistic research.Joseph Greenberg followed that distinction in hisThe Languages of Africa (1963). Long (1971) and Gérard Galtier (1980) follow the distinction into three groups but with notable differences.
Mande does not share themorphology characteristic of most of the Niger–Congo family, such as thenoun-class system. Nor are there many recognized cognates in core vocabulary between Mande and Niger-Congo. Accordingly, Dimmendaal (2008) argues that the evidence for inclusion is slim, and that for now Mande is best considered an independent family.[2][8] The same view is held by Güldemann (2018).[3]
Without definitively concluding that Mande is or is not a member of Niger–Congo, Vydrin (2016) notes that proto-Mande basic vocabulary fits relatively well with Niger–Congo, and that typological criteria such as the absence of a noun-class system should not be taken as probative; he notes that "If the position of Mande within Niger-Congo is confirmed... Mande will certainly represent the most ancient branching of the phylum".[9] Blench regards it as an early branch that diverged before the noun-class morphology developed. Dwyer (1998) compared it with other branches of Niger–Congo and finds that they form a coherent family, with Mande being the most divergent of the branches he considered.
The diversity and depth of the Mande family is comparable to that of Indo-European. Eleven low-level branches of Mande are nearly universally accepted:Southern Mande (Dan etc.),Eastern Mande (Bisa, Boko etc.),Samogo,Bobo,Soninke–Bozo,Southwestern Mande (Mende, Kpelle, Loma etc.),Soso–Jalonke,Jogo,Vai–Kono,Mokole andManding (Bambara, Djula etc.). It is also widely accepted that these form two primary branches, the first two as Southeastern Mande and the rest as Western Mande.[1]
Most internal Mande classifications are based onlexicostatistics, for example, that based on theSwadesh list.[10] An alternative classification from Kastenholz (1996) is based onlexical innovations and comparative linguistics. Kastenholz warns however that this is not based on objective criteria and thus is not a genealogical classification in the narrow sense.[11] The following classification is acompilation of both.
Vydrin (2009) differs somewhat from this: he places Soso-Jalonke with Southwestern (a return to André Prost 1953); Soninke-Bozo, Samogho and Bobo as independent branches of Western Mande, and Mokole with Vai-Kono. Most classifications place Jo within Samogo.
Mande languages do not have thenoun-class system or verbal extensions of theAtlantic–Congo languages and for which theBantu languages are so famous, butBobo hascausative andintransitive forms of the verb. Southwestern Mande languages and Soninke have initialconsonant mutation. Plurality is most often marked with a clitic; in some languages, withtone, as for example inSembla. Pronouns often havealienable–inalienable andinclusive–exclusive distinctions.Word order in transitive clauses issubject–auxiliary–object–verb–adverb. Mainlypostpositions are used. Within noun phrases, possessives come before the noun, and adjectives and plural markers after the verb;demonstratives are found with both orders.[12]
Below is a sample basic vocabulary of reconstructed proto-forms:
| Language | eye | ear | nose | tooth | tongue | mouth | blood | bone | tree | water | eat | name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proto-Mande[9] | *ɲíŋ | *lɛɓ̰́ Ṽ | *yíti | |||||||||
| Proto-West Mande[11] | *túli | *sʸúN | *ɲíN | **nɛ̌N | *dá ~ ɗá | *jío ~ yío | *gúri ~ wúri | *jío ~ yío | *tɔ́ko | |||
| Proto-Manding (Mandekan)[13] | *nya | *tulo | *nun | *nyin | *nɛn(e) | *da | *joli | *kolo | *yiri | *ji | *domo(n) | *tɔgɔ |
| Proto-East Mande (Niger-Volta)[14] | *jɛN (< *gɛN) | *toro | *N-jẽ | *soN(-ka) | *N-lɛ | *lɛ | *(N-)wa(-ru) | *(N-)gero | *li/*da | *jiN | *be(-le) | *tɔ |
| Proto-South Mande[15] | *yũ̀ã́ | *tɔ́lɔ́ŋ | *yṹã̄ | *sɔ̃̀ɛ̃́ | *nã̄nɛ̃́ | *ɗé | *yɔ̃̀mũ̄ | *wɔ̃́nɛ̃́ | *yílí | *yí | *ɓɪ̀lɪ̀ | *tɔ́ |
Below are some cognates from D. J. Dwyer (1988) (⟨j⟩ is[dʲ] or[d͡ʒ]):[16]
| GLOSS | PROTO- MANDÉ | Manding | Kono-Vai | Susu | Mandé (SW) | Soninké | Sembla | Bobo | San | Busa | Mano | Dan | Guro | Mwa |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 'mouth' | *da | da | da | dɛ | la | laqqe | jo | do | le | le | le | Di | le | le, di |
| 'saliva' | *da-yi | da-ji | da- | sɛ-ye | la-yi | laxan-ji | jon-fago | dibe | se | le-i | le-yi | Di-li | leri | liri |
| 'water' | *yi | je | yi | yi | ya | ji | jo | ji, zio | mun | i | yi | yi | yi | yi |
| 'breast' | *n-koŋ | sin | susu | sisi | ŋeni | konbe | kye | ɲiŋi | ɲo | ɲo | ɲoŋ | ɲoŋ | ɲoŋ | ɲoŋ |
| 'milk' | *n-kon-yi | nɔnɔ | susu-ji | xin-yɛ | gen-iya | -xatti | kye-n-dyo | n-yan-niŋi | n-yo- | n-yoŋ-yi | n-yoŋ-yi | |||
| 'goat' | *bo(re) | ba | ba | ɓoli | sugo | bi | gwa | bwe | ble | bɔ | bɔ | bori | bɔ | |
| 'buck' | *bore-guren | ba-koro | diggeh | gu-gura | ble-sa | bɔ-gon | bɔ-gon | gyagya | bɔ-guren | |||||
| 'sheep' | *saga | saga | bara-wa | yexe | ɓara | jaxe | sega | sɛge | sere | sa | baa | bla | bera | bla |
| 'ram' | *saga-guren | saga-koro | jaxampade | kekyere | si-gula | da-gu | bla-gon | bra-gon | bla-gure | |||||
| 'head' | * | Koun-kolo | yin-kola |
Note that in these cognates:
Comparison of numerals in individual languages:[17]
| Classification | Language | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bissa | Bissa (Bisa) | díí | píjà | kakʊ́ | sɪ̀ | sɔ́ɔ̀ | sòàtɪ (5 + 1) | sáápra (5 + 2) | síɲe (2 x 4) ? | nɛfʊ̀ (10 -1) ? | bʊ̀ |
| Busa | Boko | do | pla | ʔààɔ̃ | sííɔ̃ | sɔ́o | soolo (5 + 1) | sopla (5 + 2) | swaàɔ̃ (5 + 3) | kɛ̃̀okwi [ litː tear away 1 (from) 10 ] | kwi |
| Busa | Bokobaru (Zogbẽ) | do | pláa | ʔààɡɔ̃ | sííɡɔ̃ | sɔ́ɔ́ro | swɛ́ɛ̀do (5 + 1) | swɛ́ɛ̀pláa (5 + 2) | sɔ́rààɡɔ̃ (5 + 3) | kɛ̃́ndo (10–1) | kurì |
| Busa | Illo Busa | do | pia | ʔààkɔ̃ | ʃííkɔ̃ | sɔ́o | sóodo (5 + 1) | soopia (5 + 2) | swààkɔ̃ (5 + 3) | kĩ́ṇdokwi [litː tear away 1 (from) 10] | kwi |
| Busa | Busa | do | pla | ʔààkɔ̃ | sííkɔ̃ | sɔ́ɔ́ro | súddo (5 + 1) | súppla (5 + 2) | sɔ́rààkɔ̃ (5 + 3) | kɛ̃́ndo (10–1) | kurì |
| Kyanga | Kyanga (Kyenga) (1) | dúú | fʸáā | ˀāàː | ʃíí | sɔ́ɔ́rū | sɔ̄ɔ̄dū (5 + 1) | sʷāhʸáā (5 + 2) | sōōwà (5 + 3) | sòòʃí (5 + 4) | kōōrì |
| Kyanga | Kyanga (Kyenga) (2) | dūː | fʲâː | ʔàː | ʃíː | sɔ̂ːwû | sɔ̂ːdū (5 + 1) | sɔ̂ːfʲá (5 + 2) | sōːuwà (5 + 3) | sōwēʃíː (5 + 4) | kōːlì |
| Kyanga | Kyenga (3) | do | hia / fia | ʔà | ʃí | sɔɔlu | sɔɔdu (5 + 1) | sɔɔhia (5 + 2) | soowà (5 + 3) | sooʃí (5 + 4) | korì |
| Kyanga | Shanga | do | ʍa | ʔà | ʃí | sɔ́ɔ | sɔbodo (5 + 1) | sɔhia (5 + 2) | sɔboʔà (5 + 3) | sɔdoʃí (5 + 4) | wókòì |
| Samo | Matya Samo | ɡɔ̀rɔ́ | prá | tjɔwɔ | sí | sɔ́rɔ́ | sɛ̀rɛ́ (5 + 1) | tjʊ́sʊ́ (5 + 2) | tjisí (2 x 4) | ménaŋɡɔrɔ (10–1) | flè / fʊ̀ |
| Samo | Maya Samo | dɛ́nɛ́ | fúrá | kàakú | síirí | sɔ́ɔrɔ́ | sɔ̀rɔ̀ (5 + 1) | sɔ̀frá (5 + 2) | cíɡísí (2 x 4 ) ? | sóosí (5 + 4) ? | bù |
| Guro-Tura | Guro | dʊ | fíé | yaá | zĩ̀ɛ̃́ | sólú | sʊɛdʊ / sʊɛlʊ (5 + 1) | sʊlàyíé (5 + 2) | sʊlaá (5 + 3) | sʊlàzĩ̀ɛ̃́ (5 + 4) | vu |
| Guro-Tura | Yaouré | tʊ̀ | fli̋ | yaaɡa | sĩjɛ̃ = sĩɟɛ̃ or sĩd͡ʒɛ̃ | sóolu | ʃɛ́dʊ (5 + 1) | sɔ́ravli (5 + 2) | sɔ́ra (5 + 3) | sɔ́rasiɛ̃ (5 + 4) | fù |
| Guro-Tura | Mann (Mano) | doó | pèèlɛ | yààka | yììsɛ | sɔ́ɔ́li | sáláádo (5 + 1) | sálápèèlɛ (5 + 2) | sálàka (5 + 3) | sɛ́lɛ̀ìsɛ (5 + 4) | vũ̀ |
| Nwa-Ben | Beng | do | plaŋ | ŋaŋ | siéŋ | sɔ́ŋ | sɔ́do (5 + 1) | sɔ́pla (5 + 2) | sɔ́wa (5 + 3) | sisi (5 + 4) | ebu |
| Nwa-Ben | Gagu | dò | fɪ́n | yía | zié | súu | sɛ́dò (5 + 1) | sɛ́fɪ́n (5 + 2) | sɛà (5 + 3) | tízie (5 + 4) | vù |
| Nwa-Ben | Mwan (Muan) | do | plɛ | yaɡa | yiziɛ | sóó | srɔádo (5 + 1) | srɔáplɛ (5 + 2) | srɔ́a (5 + 3) | srɔáyiziɛ (5 + 4) | vu |
| Nwa-Ben | Wan | do | pilɔŋ | ʔã́ | sijá | sɔ̀lú | wáŋ́ | séaʔã́ (5 + 2) | séjãŋ́ (5 + 3) | sɔlásijá (5 + 4) | sɔ́jɔlú |
| Jogo-Jeri | Jalkunan | dúlì | fìlɑ̀ | siɡ͡bù | nɑ̄ːnī | sōːlō | mìːlù | mɑ̀ɑ́lɑ̀ | mɑ̀sīɡ͡bū (5 + 3) | mɑ́nɑ̄nì (5 + 4) | tɑ̄ |
| Jogo-Jeri | Ligbi | díén / díyé | fàlà / fàlá | sèɡ͡bá / siɡ͡bá | náánè / náani | sóólò / sóolo | mɔ̀ɔ̀dó / mooró (5 + 1) | màúlà / mafála (5 + 2) | másèɡ͡bá / masiɡ͡bá (5 + 3) | màdááné / maráni (5 + 4) | táàn / táa |
| Manding | Marka (Dafing) | kyen / kyeren | fila / fila | saba / saba | nɛi / naani | luu / luuru[check spelling] | wɔɔ / wɔɔrɔ | wəna / wonla | sii / siɡi | konon / kondon | tan / tan |
| Manding | Bambara | kélen [kélẽ́] | fìla [fìlá] | sàba [sàbá] | náani [náːní] | dúuru [dúːrú] | wɔ́ɔrɔ [wɔ́ːrɔ́] | wólonwula [wólṍwulá] | sèɡin [sèɡĩ́] | kɔ̀nɔntɔn [kɔ̀nɔ̃̀tɔ̃́] | tán [tã́] |
| Manding | Jula (1) | kelen [ké.lẽ́] | filà [fì.là] ~ [flà] | sàbà [sà.bà] | nàànìn [nàːnĩ̀] | dùùrù [dù.ɾù] | wɔ̀ɔ̀rɔ̀ [wɔ̀ːɾɔ́] | wolon fìlà [wò.lṍ.fi.̀là] | sieɡi [sí.é.ɡí] | kɔ̀nɔ̀ndon [kɔ.̀nɔ̃.ⁿdṍ] | tan [tã́] |
| Manding | Jula (2) | kelen [kélẽ́] | fila [fìlá] / fla [flá] | saba [sàbá] | naani [náːní] | looru [lóːrú] | wɔɔrɔ [wɔ́ːrɔ́] | wolonfila [wólṍfìlá] / wolonfla | seɡin [sèɡĩ́] / seeɡi [sèːɡí] | kɔnɔntɔn [kɔ̀nɔ̃̀tɔ̃́] | tan [tã́] |
| Manding | Sankaran Maninka | kɛlɛn | fila | sawa | naani | loolu / looli | wɔɔrɔn | wɔɔrɔn (fi)la | sen | konondo | tan |
| Manding | Mahou | kéléŋ | fyàà | sàwà | náání | lóó | wɔ́ɔ́lɔ́ | wóóŋvyàà | sɛ́ɲíŋ | kɔ̀ɔ̀nŋdɔ́ŋ | táŋ |
| Manding | Mandinka | kíliŋ | fula | saba | náani | lúulu | wóoro | wórówula | sáyi | konónto | táŋ |
| Manding | Xaasonga | kilin | fula | saba | naani | luulu | wooro | woorowula | saɡi | xononto | tan |
| Mokole | Kakabe | kélen | fìla | sàba | náani | lɔ́ɔlu | wɔ́ɔrɔ | wɔ́rɔwila (6 + 1) | sáɡin | kɔ̀nɔntɔ | tán |
| Mokole | Kuranko | kelen | fila | sawa / saba | nani | loli | wɔrɔ | wɔrɔnfila (6 + 1) ? | seɡin | kɔnɔnt | tan |
| Mokole | Lele | kelɛŋ | fela | sawa | nani | luuli | wɔɔrɔ | wɔrɔŋ kela (6 + 1) | seŋ | kɔnɔndɔ | taŋ |
| Vai-Kono | Kono | ncélen / ncéle, dɔ́ndo | fèa | sàwa | náani | dúʔu | wɔ́ɔlɔ | wɔ́nfèa / ɔ́ɱfèa | séi / séin | kɔ̀nɔ́ntɔn | tán |
| Vai-Kono | Vai | lɔ̀ndɔ́ | fɛ̀(ʔ)á | sàk͡pá | náánì | sóó(ʔ)ú | sɔ̂ŋ lɔ̀ndɔ́ (5 + 1) | sɔ̂ŋ fɛ̀(ʔ)á (5 + 2) | sɔ̂ŋ sàk͡pá (5 + 3) | sɔ̂ŋ náánì (5 + 4) | tâŋ |
| Susu-Yalunka | Susu | kérén [kɛ́rɛ̃́] | fìrín [fìrĩ́] | sàxán [sàxã́] | náání | súlí | sénní [sẽní] (5 + 1) | sólófèré (5 + 2) | sólómásàxán (5 + 3) | sólómánáání (5 + 4) | fuú |
| Susu-Yalunka | Yalunka (1) | kèdé | fìríŋ | sàkáŋ | nànì | sùlù | sènì (5 + 1) | fòlófɛ̀rɛ́ (5 + 2) | fòlòmàsàkáŋ (5 + 3) | fòlòmànànì (5 + 4) | fù |
| Susu-Yalunka | Yalunka (Jalonke) (2) | keden | fidin | saxan | naani | suuli | sɛnni (5 + 1) | solofɛdɛ (5 + 2) | solomasɛɡɛ (5 + 3) | solomanaani (5 + 4) | fuu |
| Kpelle | Guinea Kpelle | tááŋ | hvèèlɛ̌ / hvèèlɛ́ | hààbǎ / hààbá | nááŋ́ | lɔ́ɔ́lí | mɛ̀í dà (5 + 1) | mɛ̀ì hvéélɛ̀ (5 + 2) | mɛ̀ì háábà (5 + 3) | mɛ̀ì nááŋ́ (5 + 4) | pòǔ |
| Kpelle | Liberia Kpelle | taaŋ / tɔnɔ / dɔnɔ | feerɛ | saaɓa | náaŋ | nɔ́ɔlu / lɔ́ɔlu | mɛi da (5 + 1) | mɛi feerɛ (5 + 2) | mɛi saaɓa (5 + 3) | mɛi náaŋ (5 + 4) | puu |
| Mende-Loma | Looma (Toma) (1) | ɡílàɡ | félé(ɡɔ̀) | sáwà(ɡɔ̀) | náánĩ̀(ɡɔ̀) | dɔ́ɔ́lù̀(ɡɔ̀) | dòzìtà (5 + 1) | dɔ́fèlà (5 + 2) | dɔ́sáwà (5 + 3) | tàwù̀(ɡɔ̀) (10–1) ? | pù̀(ɡɔ̀) |
| Mende-Loma | Loma (2) | ɡila | feleɡɔ | saaɡɔ | naaɡɔ | dooluo | dɔzita (5 + 1) | dɔfela (5 + 2) | dɔsava (5 + 3) | taawu (10–1) ? | puu |
| Mende-Loma | Bandi (1) | ìtá(ŋ), hítà(ŋ) | fèlé(ŋ) | sàwá(ŋ), sàá(ŋ) | náánì(ŋ) | ndɔ̀ɔ́lú(ŋ) | nɡɔ̀hítá(ŋ) (5 + 1) | ŋɡɔ̀félà(ŋ) (5 + 2) | ŋɡɔ̀hák͡pá(ŋ), ŋɡwahák͡pá(ŋ) (5+ 4) | tààwú(ŋ), tààvú(ŋ) (10–1) ? | pû(ŋ), púù(ŋ) |
| Mende-Loma | Bandi (2) | iitá | feelé | saawá | naáni | ndɔɔ́lu | nɡɔhíta (5 + 1) | nɡɔféla (5 + 2) | nɡwahák͡pa (5 + 3) | taávu (10–1) ? | púu |
| Mende-Loma | Loko (1) | íla(ŋ) | félé(ŋ), féé(ŋ) | sáwá(ŋ), cáwá(ŋ) | nááí(ŋ) | ńdɔu(ŋ) | ŋɡɔhita (5 + 1) | ŋɡɔfɛla (5 + 2) | ŋɡɔsaak͡pa | karaabu, raabu | puu(ŋ), kapuu(ŋ) |
| Mende-Loma | Loko (2) | ila | fele | itʃawa | naiŋ | ndɔu | nɡɔita (5 + 1) | nɡɔfla (5 + 2) | nɡɔsaɡ͡ba (5 + 3) | karabu (10–1) ? | kapu |
| Mende-Loma | Mende | yilá / itáá | felé | sawá | nááni | lɔ́ɔ́lu | wɔ́íta (5 + 1) | wɔ́fíla (5 + 2) | wáyák͡pá (5 + 3) | táálú (10–1) ? | puú |
| Samogo | Duungooma | sɔʔi | fíʔi | ʒiʔi | naai | nũ | tũmɛ̃ | ɲɛ̃ːnũ | ŋaai | kleːlo | ceũ |
| Samogo | Dzùùngoo | sōː ́ / sōːrē | fíː / fíːkí | ʒìːɡī ́ | nàːlẽ́ | nũ̀ | tsũ̀mɛ̃̄ ́ | ɲɛ̃̀ːnṹ | ŋáːlõ̀ | kjèːrṍ | tsjéù |
| Samogo | Jowulu (Jo) | tẽẽna | fuuli | bʒei | pʃɪrɛᶦ | tãã | tãmãnɪ (5 + 1) | dʒɔ̃mpʊn (3 + 4) | fulpʊn (2 x 4) | tẽmpʊn (5 + 4) | bʒĩĩ |
| Samogo | Seeku | swɛ̃̄ | fĩ́ | ʃwɛ̀ | nàà | nɔ̄ | tsìì | ɲɛ̀ɛ̀ | kàà | kùòmɛ̀ | tó |
| Soninke-Bobo | Konabéré | tálɪ̄ | pálà | sǎ | nìã̄ | kʊ̄ | kʊ̀tã́nɪ̀ (5 + 1) | kʊ̀rʊ̀párá (5 + 2) | kʊ̀rʊ̀sɔ̄ʊ̀ (5 + 3) | kʊ̀rʊ̀nɔ̂ŋ (5 + 4) | m̥ḿ̩ |
| Soninke-Bobo | Southern Bobo Madare | tèlé | plá | sáà | náà | kóò | kònálá (5 + 1) | kòk͡pùrá (5 + 2) | kórósɔ̃̌ (5 + 3) | kórónɔ̃̌ (5 + 4) | fʊ̃̀ |
| Soninke-Bobo | Hainyaxo Bozo (Kelenga) | sâ:nà | fíenù | sí:yù | ná:nà | kɔ́lɔ́hɔ̀ | tú:mì | dʒíenì | sɛ́kì | káfì | tã̄ |
| Soninke-Bobo | Tièmà-Cièwè Bozo | sàn:á | pẽ̀ːndé | sì:yé | nà:rá | kɔ̀lɔ́ | tù:mì | dʒiènĩ́ | tʃèkí | kìáwí | tá |
| Soninke-Bobo | Tiéyaxo Bozo (Tigemaxo) (1) | sáná | fẽ́:ndè | sí:yò | kɔ́lɔ̀ | kɔ́lɔ̀ | tú:mĩ̀ | dʒê:nì | sɛ̄kī | kìáwì | tã́ |
| Soninke-Bobo | Tiéyaxo Bozo (2) | sanna / kuɔn | fendeen / pendeen | siiyon | naaran | kɔlɔn | tuumi | jeeni | sekiin | kiawi | tan |
| Soninke-Bobo | Jenaama Bozo (1) | sànːá | pẽ̀ndéː | síkɛ̃̀ũ | nàtã́ | kɔ̀ːɡṍ | tǔːmí | yíèní | sèkːí | kàpːí | tʃɛ́mí |
| Soninke-Bobo | Jenaama Bozo (2) | sanna | pende | sikɛũ / siɡɛũ | nataũ | kɔɡõ | tuumi | yeeni | seki | kapi | tʃɛmi / tʃami |
| Soninke-Bobo | Soninke | bàanè | fíllò / filːi | síkkò / sikːi | náɣátò / naɣati | káráɡò / karaɡi | tṹmù / tũmi | ɲérù / ɲeri | séɡù / seɡi | kábù / kabi | tã́mú / tãmi |
Overall, unless more robust and systematic evidence is brought forward, the long-standing but vague idea that Mande is distant from the rest of Niger-Kordofanian as one of its earliest offshoots should give way to the neutral assessment that it is a family without a proven genealogical affiliation (p. 192).
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