| Southern | |
| Also Known As: | San |
| Region: | Burkina Faso, Mali |
| Date: | 1995–1999 |
| Ref: | e18 |
| Familycolor: | Niger-Congo |
| Fam1: | Niger–Congo |
| Fam2: | Mande |
| Fam3: | Eastern Mande |
| Fam4: | Bissa–Busa |
| Fam5: | Samo–Busa |
| Lc1: | stj |
| Ld1: | Matya |
| Lc2: | sym |
| Ld2: | Maya |
| Lc3: | sbd |
| Ld3: | Southern |
| Glotto: | mand1437 |
| Glottorefname: | Mande Samo |
| Map: | Languages of Burkina Faso.png |
| Mapcaption: | Majority areas of Samo speakers, in grey, on a map of Burkina Faso |
Samo (Sane, San, Sa), also known as Mande Samo, is a dialect cluster of Mande languages spoken in Burkina Faso and Mali.
Intelligibility between Samo varieties is low. The following have been coded as separate languages:[1]
Samo dialect populations and locations:
| Dialect | Region | Population (1985) | Population (2001[3]) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maka | 61,883 | 84,996 | ||
| Matya | Northwest, to the west and north of Tougan (excluding Toéni area) | 33,675 | 46,252 | |
| Matya | Far Northwest (Toéni region) | 9,942 | 13,655 | |
| Maya | 38,393 | 52,732 | ||
| all | Total | 143,893 | 197,635 |
List of Samo villages organised by department and dialect:[4]
| Dialect | Province | Department | Villages | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maka | Mouhoun | Tchériba | Bissandérou, Orobié, Youbou | |
| Maka | Nayala | Gassan | Dieré, Djimbara, Gassan, Labara, Laré, Moara, Téri | |
| Maka | Nayala | Gossina | Bosson, Boun, Gossina, Kalabo, Koayo, Le Koun, Madamao, Massako, Naboro, Nianonkoré, Nypon, Sui, Tandou, Tarba, Zebassé | |
| Maka | Nayala | Kougny | Goin, Gougnan, Gouri, Kamba, Kibiri, Kougny, Niaré, Nimina, Sébéré, Tiouma | |
| Maka | Nayala | Toma | Goa, Goussi, Koin, Kola, Konti, Niemé, Nyon, Pankélé, Samba, Sawa, Sien, Siepa, To, Toma, Yayo, Zouma | |
| Maka | Nayala | Yaba | Biba, Bo, Bounou, Kéra, Kisson, La, Loguin, Sapala, Saran, Siena, Tiema, Tosson, Yaba | |
| Matya | Sourou | Di | Benkadi, Poura | |
| Matya | Sourou | Kassoum | Bangassi, Bao, Bassam, Bonro, Diele, Doussoula, Fialla, Fian, Fianra, Kankani, Kassoum, Koularé, Kourani, Mara-Grand, Mara-Petit, Ourkoum, P’Nare, Peni, Sorona, Soumara Boumba, Soumarani, Tianra, Tiao, Tombila, Toungourou, Wawara | |
| Matya | Sourou | Lanfiéra | Guiedougou, Lanfiéra | |
| Matya | Sourou | Tougan | Da, Dimboro, Diouroum, Dissi, Gonou, Gosson, Kassan, Kawara, Kouy, Nassan, Tougan, Tourgare, Zinzin | |
| Matya? | Sourou | Toéni | Dagale, Domoni, Dounkou, Gome, Gon, Gorguéré, Kware-Manguel, Kware-Toksel, Louta, Toéni | |
| Maya | Sourou | Gomboro | Ganagoulo, Gomboro, Konga, Sia | |
| Maya | Sourou | Kiembara | Bangassogo, Gan, Goueré, Gouyalle, Kiembara, Ouelle | |
| Maya | Sourou | Lankoué | Lankoué Samo, Rassouli, Tourouba | |
| Maya | Sourou | Toéni | Sanan, Sanga, Semé | |
| Maya | Sourou | Tougan | Bonou, Bouare, Boussoum, Daka, Guimou, Niankore, Touare, Yéguéré |
Sample basic vocabulary of Samo dialects:[4]
| Village | Dialect | eye | ear | nose | tooth | tongue | mouth | blood | bone | water | tree | eat | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toma | Maka | jǐ | to | ɲɛ̃ | sɔ | lɛwɔ | lɛ | mɑ̀ | wɛ | mú | dɑ | ɑ̀mɑ́mbíː | |
| Kouy | Matya | jɛrːɛ | toro | jiːni | sɔ̃ːnɛ | nɛnɛ | lɛ | mɪjɑ̀ | jɛrɛ | mú | dɑ́ | ɑnebɑ́rè | |
| Kassoum | Matya | ɲɑ́n | toro | ɲú | sɔ̃n | nɛnɛ | lɛ | mɪjɑ̀ | jɛr | mũ | dɑ́ | ɑ̀nèbɛrɛ | |
| Toéni | Matya | jɛ | toro | jí | sɛ | nɛn | li | mɑ̌ː | wɑ | mũ | jidɑ̀ | mɑːbɛ̀rɛ̀ | |
| Bounou | Maya | ɲoːnì; jɛrɛ | toro | ɲinijɛrɛ | so | leːnè | lɛ | mɑ̌ | jɑre | mu | dɑ | ɑfɑ́bjèrè | |
| Kiembara | Maya | ɲɛ́nɛ̀nɛ̀ | tɔrɔ | ɲìní | so | lɛ́lɑ̀ːnɑ̀ | lɛ́ | mɑ̌ː | jɛ̀rɛ̀ | mṹ | dɑ́ | ɑ̀gɑ̀bɛ̀rɛ̀ | |
| Bangassogo | Maya | jere | toro | jindì | so | lelene | le | ɲɑ̀mɑ | wɛrɛ | mú | jídɑ | ɑbɑ́brì | |
| Lankoué | Maya | jɛrɛ | toro | sinde | sɔ̀ | lemìnì | lɛ | jõ̀mɑ | wɛrɛ | mú | jidɑ̀ | ɑbɑbɛ̀rɛ̀ |
| b | c | d | e | ɛ | ə | f | i | k | kp | l | m | n | ŋ | o | ɔ | p | r | s | t | u | w | y |
| a | b | c | d | e | ɛ | f | g | h | i | ɩ | j | k | l | m | n | ɲ | o | ɔ | p | r | s | t | u | ʋ | w | y | z |