Shanga (Shangawa, Shonga, Shongawa) is a

Mande language The Mande languages are spoken in several countries in West Africa by the Mandé peoples and include Maninka, Mandinka, Soninke, Bambara, Kpelle, Dioula, Bozo, Mende, Susu, and Vai. There are "60 to 75 languages spoken by 30 to 40 millio ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

Location and status

Shanga is a town situated in

Sokoto State Sokoto State (Hausa: Jihar Sokoto Fula: Leydi Sokoto 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤧𞤮𞥅𞤳𞤮𞥅𞤼𞤮𞥅) is one of the 36 states of Nigeria, located in the extreme northwest of the country on the national border with the Republic of the N ...

, Nigeria. The Shanga language is an endangered language and the Shanga people also speak the Hausa language. The language is only used at home. Outside home people speak Hausa. The Hausa name for the language is Shanganci or Shanganchi.

Classification

Shanga is a Mande language. It is related to the Kyanga language, also known as Tyenga, spoken in

Benin Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the nort ...

and Nigeria, and it form a group known as the Shanga–Tyenga languages.

References

Mande languages Languages of Nigeria {{Mande-lang-stub