Dagaare, Southern

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A language of Ghana

ISO 639-3
dga
Alternate Names
Dagara, Dagare, Dagari, Dagati, Degati, Dogaari, Southern Dagari
Autonym
Dagaare
User Population

924,000 (2013 UNSD), increasing.

Location

Upper West region: northwest corner.

Language Maps
Language Status

4 (Educational). Recognized language (1951, Laws of the Gold Coast, Vernacular Literature Board Ordinance, as amended by Ordinance No. 44).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Northern, Oti-Volta, Western, Northwest, Dagaari-Birifor, Dagaari
Dialects

None known. Southern Dagaare and Southern Birifor [biv] are partially intelligible. Distinct from Northern Dagara [dgi] in Burkina Faso.

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains. Used by all. Also use English [eng].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 5%–10%. Literacy rate in L2: 5%–15%. Taught in primary and secondary schools through grade 3 and as subject thereafter. Literature. Radio. Grammar. NT: 2014.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Dagaare, Southern
Writing

Latin script [Latn], used since 1966.

Other Comments

Dagaare is more prominent politically and socially than Birifor. Different from Northern Dagara [dgi] in Burkina Faso. Christian, traditional religion.