| Dagbani | |
|---|---|
| Dagbanli | |
| Native to | Ghana, Togo |
| Region | Kingdom of Dagbon |
| Ethnicity | 5.6 million Dagbamba (2021 census)[1] |
Native speakers | 1.2 million (2013)[1] |
| Dialects |
|
| Latin, Ajami (Arabic) | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | dag |
| Glottolog | dagb1246 |
| Person | Dagbambia[2] |
|---|---|
| Language | Dagbanli |
| Country | Dagbɔŋ |
Dagbani (or Dagbane), also known as Dagbanli or Dagbanle, is a Gur language spoken in Ghana and Northern Togo. Its native speakers are estimated around 1,170,000.[1] Dagbani is the most widely spoken language in northern Ghana, specifically among the tribes that fall under the authority of the King of Dagbon, known as the Yaa-Naa. Dagbon is a traditional kingdom situated in northern Ghana, and the Yaa-Naa is the paramount chief or king who governs over the various tribes and communities within the Dagbon kingdom.
Dagbani is closely related to and mutually intelligible with Mampruli, Nabit, Talni, Kamara, Kantosi, and Hanga, also spoken in Northern, North East, Upper East, and Savannah Regions. It is also similar to the other members of the same subgroup spoken in other regions, including Dagaare and Wali, spoken in Upper West Region of Ghana, along with Frafra and Kusaal, spoken in the Upper East Region of the country.[3][4]
In Togo, Dagbani is spoken in the Savanes Region on the border with Ghana.
- ^ a b c Dagbani at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024)
- ^ Naden, Tony (2014). Dagbani dictionary. Webonary.
- ^ Naden, Tony (1989). Gur. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. pp. 141–168.
- ^ Bendor-Samuel, John T. (1989). The Niger-Congo Languages. Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
