Bambara_language Bambara, also known as Bamanankan in the language itself (literally "the language of the Bamanan"), is a language spoken in Mali by as many as six million people (including second language users). The differences between Bambara and Dioula are minimal. Dioula is a language spoken or understood by a lesser number of people in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and The Gambia.