Kassonke
Language · official in 1 country
Xaasongaxanŋo is how Mali's 1996 language law spells Kassonke, the Manding speech of the Khassonké and Malinke of western Mali, also called Western Maninka. It is spoken in the Kayes region and in eastern Senegal, and is one of Mali's official languages.
The language on record
- Script
- Not recorded
- Family
- Mande
- Official in
- 1 country
Where Kassonke is official
Mali alone holds Kassonke as official. Senegal, where the Malinke of the east also speak it, has no such entry.
Official beside Kassonke
About Kassonke
How close Kassonke is to Maninka
Kassonke is a Manding language of the Mande family, one of two close relatives of Bambara on Mali's national list. Western Maninka, which is Kassonke, and Eastern Maninka are 90% mutually intelligible. It is not the same as Mandinka, the Malinke language of southern Senegal, which holds national language status in Senegal.
Where the name comes from
The names Kassonke and Khassonké refer to the Khassonké people; Xasonga is a shorter form of Xaasongaxango. The language is centred on the region of Kayes, in western Mali, where Soninke is also spoken.
When Mali listed it
Law 96-049 of 1996 recognised thirteen national languages and wrote Kassonke as Xaasongaxanŋo. It superseded Decree 159 PG-RM of 19 July 1982.
Common questions
Questions about Kassonke
Is Kassonke the same as Mandinka?
No. Kassonke is Western Maninka, and although it is close to Eastern Maninka, it is distinct from the Mandinka of southern Senegal.
Where is Kassonke spoken?
In western Mali, around Kayes, by the Khassonké and Malinke, and by the Malinke of eastern Senegal. Mali lists it among its official languages under the name Xaasongaxanŋo.