Dendi

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A language of Benin

ISO 639-3
ddn
Alternate Names
Dandawa
Autonym
Songhay
User Population

268,000 in Benin (2018). Total users in all countries: 270,050.

Location

Alibori and Atacora departments: Djougou, Parakou, and other towns north along Medru and Niger rivers down to Kandi.

Language Maps
Language Status

3 (Wider communication). The Dendi ethnic group came from Mali in 16th century and settled in north-central Benin. Now used as trade language across northern Benin.

Classification
Nilo-Saharan, Songhai, Southern
Dialects

Closely related to Zarma [dje] and Songhay [hmb]. They form a dialect subgroup.

Language Use

Market. Also use French [fra]. Also use Yom [pil]. Used as L2 by Mokole [mkl], Yom [pil].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 1%–30%. Taught as subject in primary schools in grades 1 and 2, in 5 schools (2014 SIL). Radio. Dictionary. NT: 1995.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Dendi
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Djougou and Parakou speech varieties reportedly different from that in the northeast. Different from Dendi [deq] in Central African Republic. Muslim.

Also spoken in:

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