The Kassonke (Khassonké) language, Xaasongaxango (Xasonga), or Western Maninka (Malinke), is a Manding language spoken by the Khassonké and Malinke of western Mali and by the Malinke of eastern Senegal. Kassonke is an official language in Mali. Western and Eastern Maninka are 90% mutually intelligible, though distinct from the Mandinka (Malinke) of southern Senegal, which is a national language there.

Kassonke
Western Maninka
Xaasongaxango
Native toMali
EthnicityKassonke, Malinke
Native speakers
2.5 million (2009–2022)[1]
Niger–Congo ?
Official status
Recognised minority
language in
Mali
Language codes
ISO 639-3Either:
kao – Kassonke
mlq – Western Malinke (Malinka)
Glottologxaas1235  Xaasongaxango
west2500  Western Maninkakan

Phonology

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Consonants

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Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Uvular Glottal
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Stop voiceless p t c k q
voiced b d ɟ ɡ
Fricative f s x h
Trill r
Lateral l
Approximant j w

Vowels

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Front Central Back
Close i u
Mid e o
Open a

[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Kassonke at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)  
    Western Malinke (Malinka) at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)  
  2. ^ Koite-Herschel, Ute (1982). Le systeme phonologique du Xasonga. In Bulletin de l'Institut de phonétique de Grenoble, vol. 10-11, 1981-1982: Institut de phonétique de Grenoble. pp. 201–249.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)

Further reading

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