Origin from 1949
An alphabet invented in 1949 by the Guinean scholar Solomana Kante to write Manding languages of West Africa, including Maninka, Bambara and Dyula, designed as an indigenous alternative to Latin and Arabic transliterations that Kante judged poorly suited to Manding phonology and tone. Its name means 'I say' in the Manding languages it serves. Written right to left, N'Ko marks tone with diacritics above and below its letters, a feature earlier Latin- and Arabic-based Manding orthographies generally omitted, and it has since developed a modest but active literary and journalistic tradition, along with digital-typing support.
Facts
Directionality In Use Since (Year) Directionality (class) Classification
Script StatusLiving (in Current Use) 1 Classified 'living' per this entity's own cited source and standard scholarly consensus on the script's current use; checked 2026-09-27. Connections
Associated With
Source Wikipedia: N'Ko Script
Is Of Script Type
Script Of
Source Bambara language (Wikipedia)
N'Ko is an alphabetic script devised by Solomana Kante in 1949 as a modern writing system for the Manding languages of West Africa (including Mandingo, Maninka, Bambara and Dyula), linked here to this atlas's own live Manding language-family entity.
In the Other Atlases
Originated In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: N'Ko Script
Associated With: Arabic Script, N'Ko script, History and Description sectionsQuote, Associated With: Arabic Script, N'Ko script, History and Description sections
The script has a few similarities to the Arabic script, notably its direction (right-to-left) and the letters that are connected at the base.
Bambara language (Wikipedia)
Script Of: Bambara, LeadQuote, Script Of: Bambara, Lead
Bamana (N'Ko script
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