Bambara people
Bambara, also known as Bamana (N’ko: ߓߡߊߣߊ߲ ) or Bamanankan (N’ko: ߓߡߊߣߊ߲ߞߊ߲) is a lingua franca and national language of Mali spoken by perhaps 15 million people, natively by 5 million Bambara people and about 10 million second-language users. It is estimated that about 80 percent of the population of Mali speak Bambara as a first or second language. It has a subject–object–verb clause structure and two lexical tones. The native name bamanankan means "the language () of greats (), people who respect the religion of Islam", as opposed to speakers of Dyula, who are Muslim.