Sierra Leone

English

[eng] 1 (National). De facto national language. 1,172,800 in Sierra Leone, all users. L1 users: 2,800 in Sierra Leone (2019). L2 users: 1,170,000 (Leclerc 2017g).

2 (Provincial)

Limba, West-Central

[lia] 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial working language in Northern province (2004, Local Government Act, Article 16(1)), may be used in local council deliberations. 516,000 (2019).

Mende

[men] 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial working language in Eastern and Northern provinces; also in Southern province interior (2004, Local Government Act, Article 16(1)). 2,470,000 in Sierra Leone (2019). Total users in all countries: 2,511,600.

Themne

[tem] 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial working language in Northern province (3 districts), Southern province and Western Area (1 district each) (2004, Local Government Act, Article 16(1)). 2,070,000, all users. L1 users: 1,830,000 (2019). L2 users: 240,000 (1981 D. Cranmer).

3 (Wider communication)

Krio

[kri] 3 (Wider communication). Brought to western part of Freetown, Sierra Leone in 1787 by early settlers from England. Used as trade language and for social interaction among all sixteen ethnic groups in Sierra Leone. 8,200,000 in Sierra Leone, all users. L1 users: 780,000 in Sierra Leone (2019). L2 users: 7,420,000 (2019). Total users in all countries: 8,237,900 (as L1: 817,900; as L2: 7,420,000).

Maninkakan, Eastern

[emk] 3 (Wider communication). 161,000 in Sierra Leone (2019).

5 (Developing)

Bassa

[bsq] 5* (Developing). 8,500 in Sierra Leone (2019).

Kisi, Southern

[kss] 5* (Developing). 131,000 in Sierra Leone (2019).

Kissi, Northern

[kqs] 5* (Developing). 61,500 in Sierra Leone (2019).

Klao

[klu] 5* (Developing). 14,000 in Sierra Leone (2019).

Kono

[kno] 5* (Developing). 341,000, all users. L1 users: 316,000 (2019). L2 users: 25,000 (1981 D. Cranmer).

Kuranko

[knk] 5* (Developing). 415,000 in Sierra Leone (2019). Total users in all countries: 651,000.

Loko

[lok] 5* (Developing). 208,000 (2019).

Susu

[sus] 5* (Developing). 184,000 in Sierra Leone (2019).

Vai

[vai] 5* (Developing). 23,200 in Sierra Leone (2019).

Yalunka

[yal] 5* (Developing). 46,400 in Sierra Leone (2019).

5 (Dispersed)

Pular

[fuf] 5* (Dispersed). 277,000 in Sierra Leone (2019).

6a (Vigorous)

Sherbro

[bun] 6a* (Vigorous). 208,000 (2019).

Sierra Leone Sign Language

[sgx] 6a (Vigorous). 39,000 (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 23,000–46,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.3%–0.6% of total population. Another estimate: 200 deaf signers out of 3,000–5,000 total deaf (2008 WFD).

6b (Threatened)

Bullom So

[buy] 6b (Threatened). 7,700 in Sierra Leone (2019).

Gola

[gol] 6b* (Threatened). 15,000 in Sierra Leone (2019).

Limba, East

[lma] 6b (Threatened). 800 in Sierra Leone (2019).

8b (Nearly extinct)

Bom-Kim

[bmf] 8b (Nearly extinct). Bom: a few hundred speakers; Kim: less than 15 speakers (2014 T. Childs).

9 (Second language only)

N’ko

[nqo] 9 (Second language only). No known L1 speakers in Sierra Leone. Ethnic population: No ethnic community.

Unestablished

Arabic, North Levantine Spoken

[apc] Unestablished. 46,400 in Sierra Leone (2019).

Greek

[ell] Unestablished. 1,200 in Sierra Leone (2019).

Hindi

[hin] Unestablished. 15,000 in Sierra Leone (2019).

Yoruba

[yor] Unestablished. 6,300 in Sierra Leone (2019).

Sierra Leone

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