Koyraboro Senni

Koyraboro Senni (Koroboro Senni, Koyra Senni or Gao Senni) is a member of the Songhay languages of Mali and is spoken by some 400,000 people along the Niger River from the town of Gourma-Rharous, east of Timbuktu, through Bourem, Gao and Ansongo to the Mali–Niger border.

NativetoMali

RegionEast of Timbuktu, Gao

Ethnicity(850,000 (2007?)^[1])

Native speakers

430,000 (2007)^[2]
300,000 monolingual (2007)^[2]

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Koyraboro Senni
كࣷيْرَبࣷرࣷ سٜنِّ
Native to	Mali
Region	East of Timbuktu, Gao
Ethnicity	(850,000 (2007?)[1])
Native speakers	430,000 (2007)[2] 300,000 monolingual (2007)[2]
Language family	Nilo-Saharan? Songhay Southern Koyraboro Senni
Language codes
ISO 639-3	ses
Glottolog	koyr1242
Location of Songhay languages[3] Northwest Songhay:   Korandje   Koyra Chiini   Tadaksahak   Tasawaq   Tagdal Eastern Songhay:   Tondi Songway Kiini   Humburi Senni   Koyraboro Senni   Zarma language   Songhoyboro Ciine   Dendi

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The expression "koyra-boro senn-i" denotes "the language of the town dwellers", as opposed to nomads like the Tuareg people and other transhumant people.

Although Koyraboro Senni is associated with settled towns, it is a cosmopolitan language which has spread east and west of Gao, to the Fula people living at the Mali–Niger border and to the Bozo people of the Niger River. East of Timbuktu, Koyra Senni gives way relatively abruptly to the closely related Koyra Chiini.