The Politics of National Languages in Postcolonial Senegal By Ibrahima Diallo

The Politics of National Languages in Postcolonial Senegal By Ib ...

Chapter 2:

Linguistic and Demographic Profile of Senegal

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from conflict-stricken countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the troubled Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).

Languages Spoken in Senegal

The official language of Senegal is French, and 14 other national
languages, or langues officielles reconnues (officially recognised languages), are currently recognised (Prinz, 1996, p. 15). According to government sources, 24 languages have been identified and are listed as being used in Senegal (Bathily, 2007, 2010; Gassama, 2001; Gueye, 2007b; Prinz, 1996; Sarry, 2002), although Ethnologue (2010)—a popular web source that catalogues languages around the world—mentions that there are more than 30 Senegalese languages in use. However, a close examination of the languages listed by Ethnologue indicates that some of the language groups may arguably be clustered into one single language because of their high degree of mutual intelligibility and their strong cultural proximity. For example, Fulfulde and Fuuta Jalon can be considered to be one single language in use in the Pulaar-speaking community.

Of the 24 languages officially listed in Senegal, 14 are codified, and the decrees establishing their status have been signed. These 14 official languages are Wolof, Serrere, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka, Soninké, Balante, Mankaan (Mankanya or Mancagne), Noon (Serrere-noon), Manjaku (Mandjai), Bassari (also known as Oniyan), Hassanya (spoken in the north, around Dagana, and coincident with the language of the Moors—similar to Arabic), Bédick (or Mbuck, spoken in Kédougou and very similar to Bassari), and Saafi-Saafi (also known as Safeen, spoken in and around the Thiès region) (see figure 1).

There are three other languages—Lehar (or Laha or Laalaa), Gunuun (also known as Bainuk, spoken in Casamance), and Badjaranké (also known as Kanjack)—that are codified but still lack the required presidential decree that will make them legally recognised national languages. Three additional languages—Dialonké (or Jalunka, spoken in Kédougou and Fongolembi), Ndut (or Ndoute, spoken in Mont Roland in the Thiès