Bari

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A language of South Sudan

ISO 639-3
bfa
Autonym
Bari
User Population

941,000, all users. L1 users: 766,000 (2017). L2 users: 175,000 (2013 SIL).

Location

Central Equatoria state: Juba and Lainya counties; both banks of the Nile, south of Terakeka on west bank, Mongalla on east bank.

Language Maps
Language Status

3 (Wider communication). Regional language chosen for development by Rejaf Conference 1928.

Classification
Nilo-Saharan, Satellite-Core, Core, Eastern Sudanic, Southern (n languages), Nilotic, Eastern, Bari
Dialects

Bari, Nyangbara (Nyambara, Nyangwara), Nyepu (Ngyepu, Nyefu, Nyepo, Nypho), Pöjulu (Fadjulu, Fajelu, Madi, Pajulu), Ligo (Liggo). Lexical similarity: 86% with Bari and Nyepu dialects, 85% with Bari and Pöjulu, 80% with Bari and Nyangbara, 81% with Kuku [ukv], 71% with Mundari [mqu], 73% with Kakwa [keo].

Language Use

All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Used as L2 by Kakwa [keo], Keliko [kbo], Ma’di [mhi], Mandari [mqu], Olu’bo [lul].

Language Development

Taught in some primary schools through grade 3; the Ministry of Education, supported by donors, has started a pilot project to develop the materials for teaching Bari in schools. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1979.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Bari
Writing

Latin script [Latn], used since 1927.

Other Comments

Ethnic Bari in Democratic Republic of the Congo now speak a dialect of Logo [log] and not Bari.