Ménik is a member of the Senegambian branch of the Atlantic-Congo languages. It is spoken by the Bedik people in the Kédougou region in the southeast of Senegal on the border with Guinea. In 2017 there were about 5,200 speakers of Ménik, which is also known as Bande, Basari du Bandemba, Bedik, Budik, Manik, Münik, Onik, Tandanke, Tenda or Tendanke. There are three dialects: Banapas, Biwol and Bëñolo.
Ways to write Ménik with the Latin alphabet were first developed by missionaries. A new orthography for Ménik was in devised in 2004 and became the official way to write Ménik in 2005. Ménik is officially recognised as a national language of Senegal.
Download an alphabet chart for Ménik (Excel)
Onenod ngë maheca e, asém ale gen ufat orom koyèdé. Han fayër utéb le mayekoye ocëc ufat od. Gon sëcë ko on akokumad bacëc ban ubar bitin-bitin. Bot bon ngë mayamb man ubar bacëc bingum. Ngë ayër oye odëkënhan omël. Awa, ngë akënëla ulad bindab en kenan ocëla gétéb ën.
Towards the end of the dry season, the farmer thinks in his field. Before the rains, he's going to cut the leaves of shrubs which have grown back. Then these leaves and stems of millet from the previous harvest, he heaps. When everything is dry, he burns them until the whole field is clean. Finally, after the cleaning, he sows millet and expect the rains.
Details of Ménik supplied by Michael Peter Füstumum
Information about the Ménik language
http://www.sorosoro.org/en/2010/09/the-menik-language-by-adjaratou-o-sall/
http://www.ethnologue.com/language/tnr
http://www.jo.gouv.sn/spip.php?article4795
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedik_language
Adamaua Fulfulde, Bassari, Fula(ni), Ménik, Serer, Wolof
Languages written with the Latin alphabet
Page last modified: 12.05.21
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