Yalunka

A language of Guinea

Dialonke, Djallonke, Dyalonke, Jalonke, Jalunga, Jalungas, Yalunke

Jalunga xuwiina’

112,000 in Guinea (2017 census). Total users in all countries: 180,700.

Faranah region: south toward Sierra Leone border, and Dinguiraye prefecture, Bafing river, Boukaria area; Labé region: northwest Mali prefecture; north Koubia and north Tougue subprefecture, Senegal-Mali border; Dinguiraye prefecture, Bafing river, Boukaria area; Boké region: Gaouala prefecture, enclave between Guinea-Bissau border and Koumbia.

Language Maps

Guinea and Guinea-Bissau

Central Mali: Enlarged area

Western Mali

Sierra Leone

Senegal and The Gambia

Language Status

5* (Developing).

Classification

Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Susu-Yalunka

Dialects

Sulima, Firia. Reportedly similar to Susu [sus], but only marginally intelligible. Lexical similarity: 83%–92% among dialects.

Language Development

Dictionary. Bible: 2009.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Yalunka

Writing

Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab]. Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Muslim.

Also spoken in:

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Mali

Language NameJalunga

User Population

9,000 in Mali (2002 SIL).

Location

Kayes region: Kéniéba circle, 3 enclaves.

Alternate Names

Dialonke, Djallonke, Dyalonke, Jalonke, Jalunga xuwiina’, Jalunganéé, Jalungas, Yalunka, Yalunke

Dialects

Bafing, Yalunka, Jalunga, Fontofa.

Language Status

5 (Developing).

Language Use

Used by all.

Other Comments

Muslim.

View other languages of Mali

Senegal

Language NameJalunga

User Population

13,300 in Senegal (2017), increasing.

Location

Kédougou region: intersection of Mali, Guinea, and Senegal borders.

Alternate Names

Dialonké, Djallonke, Dyalonke, Jalonké, Jalunga xuwiina’, Jalungas, Yalunka, Yalunke

Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains. Used by all. Many also use Wolof [wol], as the language of commerce and interethnic communication (Sarr and Thiaw 2012). Some also use French [fra], as the language of education and government (Diouf et al 2017).

Other Comments

Muslim.

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Sierra Leone

Language NameYalunka

User Population

46,400 in Sierra Leone (2019).

Location

Northern province: Balaki subprefecture, Falaba and Yifin areas, Balaki, Bouria, Foulaya, Jouloubaya, Kunsi, and Solia villages.

Alternate Names

Dialonke, Djallonke, Jalonke, Jalunga, Jalunga xuwiina’, Jalungas, Kjalonke, Yalunke

Dialects

Musaia, Firia, Sulima.

Language Status

5* (Developing).

Language Use

Also use Eastern Maninkakan [emk]. Also use Krio [kri].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 2%.

Other Comments

Muslim, traditional religion.

View other languages of Sierra Leone

Yalunka

Primary tabs

A language of Guinea

Also spoken in:

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