Institute of the Estonian Language

KNAB: Place Names Database

2012-10-15
N’Ko / ߏߞߒ N’Ko
romanization: KNAB 2012

N’Ko (in Manding languages ’I say’) is a unified Manding standard language and script
created by Solomana Kante in 1949. The script is alphabetic, written from right to left. It is
used in Guinea and Ivory Coast, also in Mali. The language combines elements from Malinke,
Jula (Dyula), Bambara and other Manding languages.

I. Main characters

1 ߊ a 8 ߒ n’ 15 ߙ rF 22 ߡ mL
2 ߋ eA 9 ߓ bC 16 ߚ rr 23 ߢ nyM
3 ߌ i 10 ߔ p 17 ߛ sG 24 ߣ n
4 ߍ ɛ 11 ߕ t 18 ߜ gb H 25 ߤ h
5 ߎ uB 12 ߖ jD 19 ߝ fI 26 ߥ w
6 ߏ o 13 ߗ cE 20 ߞ kJ 27 ߦ yN
7 ߐ ɔ 14 ߘ d 21 ߟ lK
A I
With a diaeresis ߋ = ö [ə]. With a dot above ߝ = v.
B J
With a diaeresis ߎ = ü [y]. With a dot above ߞ = kh.
C K
With a dot above ߓ = bh. After a nasal tone ߠ = l̃.
D L
With a dot above ߖ = z; Classical: ߨ. With a dot above ߡ = mh.
E M
With a dot above ߗ = zh [ʒ]; Classical: ߩ. After a nasal tone ߧ = ỹ, with a dot above ߢ
F
With a dot above ߙ = ř [ʀ]; Classical: ߪ. = nh.
N
G
With a dot above ߛ = sh [ʃ]. With a dot above ߦ = yh.
H
With a dot above ߜ = g, with a diaeresis ߜ
= kp, with a macron ߜ = gh.

II. Other marks

1 ¯ ¯ (short high tone)

2 ˜ ~ (short low tone)
3 ˙ ˙ (short rising tone)
4 ˆ ^ (long falling tone)
5 ͐/ ⃑ ` (long high tone)
6 ᷈ ˇ (long low tone)
7 ᷾/ ⃐ ´ (long rising tone)
8 ߲ ŋ (nasalisation)
9 ߴ ’ (high tone apostrophe)
10 ߵ ‘ (low tone apostrophe)
11 ߶ ŏ (half-o)
12 ߑ ŭ (unpronounced vowel
word-medially)
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13 ߸ , (comma)
14 ߹ ! (exclamation mark)

III. Numbers
߀ 0, ߁ 1, ߂ 2, ߃ 3, ߄ 4, ߅ 5, ߆ 6, ߇ 7, ߈ 8, ߉ 9.

Pronunciation
c [tɕ], j [dʑ], n’ [ŋ], ny [ɲ], rr [r̈ ], y [j].

Notes
1. In Roman alphabet there may be variations: c = ch, ɛ = ẹ, è, ny = ñ, ɔ = ọ, ò, ö.
2. Partly the romanization is traditional, partly adopted for KNAB, e.g. ö, ŏ, ř, ü, ŭ, zh, tone
marks and the marking of nasalization. Tone marks are used on vowel letters, nasalization
is indicated after a vowel, e.g. ko mɛŋ k‘ã kɛ̄.

Sources
1. N’Ko alphabet. — Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org, 2012-10-14.
2. N’Ko. — Omniglot, http://www.omniglot.com/writing/nko.htm, 2012-10-14.
3. N’Ko Institute of America, http://www.nkoinstitute.com/, 2012-10-14.
4. www.kanjamadi.com.

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