Although the Mande languages are usually characterized as analytic, they demonstrate a broader spectrum of typological features. For instance, Gban (South Mande) was analyzed as having evident infl ective elements. This paper concerns the phenomenon of incorporation observed in some Mande languages (Mandinka, Tigemaxo, Soninke). It also attempts at attracting attention to the interpretation of some facts which do not suit the defi nition of incorporation but demonstrate some phenomena, to a certain extent, similar to incorporation (Gban, South Mande). The author (very tentatively) uses the term “formal incorporation” for them and offers a new variant of the typology of incorpоration, including it into the broader set of different phenomena. It is worth noting that the paper concentrates on the particular sort of incorporation, i.e., object + verb incorporation.