Alternate Names: Temen, Temne, Timene, Timmannee, Timne
Dialects: Banta, Bombali, Kholifa, Konike, Koya, Malal, Masingbi, Ribia, Sanda, Western Temne (Pil), Yoni. People claim to understand all dialects. Lexical similarity: 74% with Masingbi and Malal dialects, 70% with Konike dialect and western varieties.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 1,230,000 (2006). L2 users: 240,000 (1981 D. Cranmer).
Language Use: Primary language of central Sierra Leone. Also use English [eng], Krio [kri]. Used as L2 by Bullom So [buy].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 6%. Taught as an elective from primary to college level. NT: 1868–1992.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Sierra Leone
Other Comments: Traditional religion, Christian, Muslim.