Alternate Names: Marka Dafing
Dialects: Gassan, Nouna, Safané. More than 80% inherent intelligibility of southeastern dialect around Safané; however, northwestern dialect region is 70%. The central dialect around Dembo village is well understood. Reportedly similar to Bambara , or a variant of Jula ,.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 200,000 in Burkina Faso (1992 CMA). Population total all countries: 225,000.
Language Use: All ages. Men who travel also speak Jula [dyu], but women and children do not. Comprehension of Jula ranges from 45% in a southeastern village to 85% in the northwest. Also use French [fra]. Used as L2 by Pana [pnq].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 5% haltingly in French, some in Jula. Radio programs. Grammar. Bible portions: 1987.
Typology: SOV; postpositions; genitives, articles, adjectives, numerals, relatives after noun heads; question word final; word order distinguishes subject, object, indirect object; CV.
Nation of Origin: Burkina Faso
Other Comments: Marka is used for followers of the traditional religion, Dafing for Muslim speakers. Different from the Marka dialect of Soninke. Muslim, traditional religion.