Manjak language

Manjak
Manjáku
Native toGuinea-Bissau, Senegal, and the Gambia
EthnicityManjack
Native speakers
320,000 (2021–2022)
Dialects
  • Bok
  • Ulekes
  • Ucur
  • Ulund
  • Uyu
  • Unuab
  • Uteer
  • Uyool
  • Uyanga
  • Undin
  • Ubuey
  • Uguejan
  • Utimats
  • Uroongaan
Latin
Language codes
ISO 639-3mfv
Glottologmand1419

Manjak or Manjack (French: Manjak, Manjaque; Portuguese: Manjaco) or Njak is a Bak language of Guinea-Bissau and Senegal. The language is also known as Kanyop.

In 2006, the total number of speakers was estimated at 315,300, including 184,000 in Guinea-Bissau, 105,000 in Senegal and 26,300 in The Gambia.

Dialects

The Manjak dialects below are distinct enough that some might be considered separate languages.[citation needed]

The Manjak dialects listed by Wilson (2007) are

Phonology

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Post-
alveolar		 (Alveolo-)
palatal		 Velar
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Plosive/
Affricate		 voiceless p t t̠͡ɹ̠̊˔ t͡ɕ k
voiced b d d͡ʑ ɡ
prenasal vl. ᵐp ⁿt ⁿt̠͡ɹ̠̊˔ ᶮt͡ɕ ᵑk
prenasal vd. ᵐb ⁿd ᶮd͡ʑ ᵑɡ
Fricative voiceless f s (ɕ)
voiced (ʑ)
Lateral l
Approximant w j

Vowels

Front Central Back
Close i u
Close-mid ɪ ~ e ə ʊ ~ o
Open-mid ɛ ɐ ɔ
Open a

Only vowels /u/ and /a/ may also have lengthened equivalents; /uː/ and /aː/.

Diphthongs
Front Back
Close-mid iə uə
Open-mid iɐ uɐ

Writing system

The official spelling system for Manjak established by the Senegalese government is regulated by Decree No. 2005-983 of 21 October 2005.

Manjak alphabet (Senegal)
ABCDE ËFGHI JKLMN ÑŊOPR SŜT[illegible]U WYZ
abcde ëfghi jklmn ñŋopr sŝt[illegible]u wyz

References

  1. ↑ Manjak at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) Closed access icon
  2. ↑ Wilson, William André Auquier. 2007. Guinea Languages of the Atlantic group: description and internal classification. (Schriften zur Afrikanistik, 12.) Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang.
  3. ↑ Karlik, Jan (1972). A Manjako grammar with special reference to the nominal group. University of London.

Further reading