Languages ​​of Niger

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Map of Niger with the linguistic areas of the ten national languages

The languages ​​of Niger are between 11 and 24 individual languages , depending on their classification .

The official language of French is a legacy of French rule in Niger . It plays an important role in the public life of the country, but is only spoken by about a tenth of the population. Ten of the languages ​​spoken in Niger are national languages ( spoken by a nationality in the sense of an ethnically defined people group). Of these, Hausa and Songhai-Zarma have the highest numbers of speakers. They are also the most important vehicle languages (used as a second language ) in the country. The other national languages ​​are Arabic , Buduma , Fulfulde , Gourmanchéma , Kanuri , Tamascheq , Tasawaq and Tubu .

The distribution of the individual languages ​​varies from region to region, with the language areas often overlapping. Multilingualism is common. The classification of the national language Tasawaq and two other individual languages ​​as endangered is controversial.

Legal status

The Niger constitution defines French as the only official language in the country. Even if other languages ​​such as Hausa and Zarma are tolerated in the parliamentary debates , the legal texts published in the Journal officiel are exclusively in French. Also in the constitution, the national languages ​​( langues nationales ) are defined as the languages ​​of those communities which are to be treated according to the principle of equality, which make up the Nigerien nation. The state is responsible for promoting and developing the national languages. A law from 2001 regulates which these languages ​​are. These are Arabic, Buduma, Fulfulde, Gourmanchéma, Hausa, Kanuri, Songhai-Zarma, Tamascheq, Tasawaq and Tubu. The same law also lays down the modalities under which the national languages ​​are to be promoted and developed. Their use is central in education, which aims at the social and economic development of the population.

French is the official language

Signs in Kouré (2008) with the French inscription ATTENTION PASSAGE GIRAFES ("Attention Transition Giraffes")

The importance of the French language in Niger is revealed through its official status as the only official language, and also through its practical function as a vehicle language both in the national and international context. The Republic of Niger is a member of the Organization Internationale de la Francophonie . In 1966, six years after the country gained independence from France, the Africanist Pierre-Francis Lacroix estimated the proportion of the total population using French as a second language at just 3%. Lacroix could not fall back on statistical data. In the 1977 census, Niger collected official data on the spoken language of its residents for the first time . In the 1988 census, the respective mother tongue was recorded. The question revealed the linguistic diversity of the country typical of sub-Saharan Africa , but did not allow any conclusions to be drawn about the clear presence of vehicular languages, especially French. There are different statements about its distribution. The French government organization Délégation générale à la langue française et aux langues de France stated the proportion of French speakers in Niger in 2006 as 9%. In 2012, it listed Niger among those states with a proportion of French speakers of 5% to 15%, based on information from the Organization Internationale de la Francophonie. In the 2012 edition of the Historical Dictionary of Niger by Idrissa and Decalo, over 5% of Nigerians are classified as proficient French speakers and up to 10% are said to have at least a partial command of the language. The French language in Niger is closely tied to the limited penetration of the educational system in which it is taught. Depending on its evaluation, there are also higher estimates of the speaker share.

A term specific to the French language in Niger is called nigérisme ("Nigerism"). This is the case when individual words or phrases from a national language are taken over into French usage (example: Tazartché , Hausa for "it must go on") or are apparently inadequately translated literally (example: attacher le mariage , "attach the marriage" for "getting married").

National languages

Arabic

Arabic language area in Niger

On the one hand, the Arabic language is taught as the standard Arabic of the Koran in Islamic and religious education throughout the country . On the other hand, it is in four varieties - Algerian Sahara Arabic ( ISO 639-3 aao), Hassania Arabic (ISO 639-3 mey), Libyan Arabic (ISO 639-3 ayl) and Chadian Arabic (ISO 639-3 shu) - the first language of the Arabs living in Niger . In the 2001 census, 40,085 inhabitants, equivalent to 0.4% of the total population, identified themselves as Arabs.

Algerian Sahara Arabic

The variety comes from Algeria , where around 100,000 (1996) of the total of around 131,000 speakers live. In Niger, around 10,000 people (1998) speak Algerian Sahara Arabic. The Nigerien-speaking area does not directly border Algeria, but is located around Dabaga in the south of the Aïr Mountains . It is a language island in a zone dominated by Tamascheq, which serves as the second language of the Arabs living here.

Hassania Arabic

The use of Hassania Arabic is part of Mauritania's national identity and anchored in its constitution. Around 2,770,000 (2006) of the total of around 3,278,000 speakers live there. There are significant minorities in Mali and Morocco . In Niger, around 10,000 people (1998) speak Hassania Arabic. They mainly inhabit the municipal areas of Tassara and Tchintabaraden . Tamascheq is also often used there as a second language.

Libyan Arabic

Libyan Arabic is de facto the national working language of Libya , where around 4,000,000 (2006) of their total of around 4,321,000 speakers live. In Egypt , the variety is spoken by about 316,000 people (2002). In Niger there are only about 5000 people. There, Libyan Arabic is common in a corridor between Libya and Nigeria in the east of the country , which corresponds to a route of the Sahara salt caravans . The corridor extends from the oases of Bilma , Dirkou and Séguédine in the north via Tesker , Foulatari and N'Guelbély to Diffa , Chétimari and Gueskérou in the south. A local dominant language is Libyan Arabic in Niger only in N'Gourti .

Chadian Arabic

With around 896,000 people (2006), Chadian Arabic has most of its approximately 1,139,000 speakers in Chad , where it is only a minority language. There are around 5,000 Chadian Arabic speakers in Niger (1998). They mainly settle in the communities on the former shores of Lake Chad in the south-east of the country: in Bosso , Kabléwa and N'Guigmi .

Buduma language area in Niger

Buduma

The Hausa as to the Chadian languages scoring Buduma (ISO 639-3 bdm) is the language of the people of the same Buduma , which traditionally lived on the islands of Lake Chad and operates fishing. Buduma is probably still the least spoken national language in Niger after Tasawaq, if it is still represented there because of the shrinking Lake Chad. In the 13th edition of the Ethnologue by SIL International , published in 1996, 4000 speakers in Niger are named. As of the 14th edition from 2000, Buduma is no longer listed as a language spoken in Niger; only the number of speakers is given for the other countries bordering Lake Chad: 51,600 in Chad (1998), 3,000 in Nigeria and 200 in Cameroon .

Fulfulde

Language area of ​​the Fulfulde in Niger
Fulbe marabouts in Say deciphering manuscripts (1912)

Fulfulde , the Fulbe language belonging to the Niger-Congo languages , is widespread in a large area in northern Africa that extends from Senegal to Sudan . In Niger the varieties West-Niger-Fulfulde (ISO 639-3 fuh) and Central-East-Niger-Fulfulde (ISO 639-3 fuq) are spoken. The Nigerien Fulfulde speakers form language islands of different sizes in other language areas. They make up the relative majority in the areas around the towns of Say and Maïné-Soroa . In the 2001 census, 935,517 inhabitants, which corresponds to 8.5% of the total population, described themselves as Fulbe.

West Niger Fulfulde

Approximately 450,000 people (2007) speak in Niger West-Niger-Fulfulde. In Burkina Faso , the variety is referred to as Northeast Burkina Faso Fulfulde and has around 750,000 speakers (1999). In Benin it is usually called Gorgal-Fulfulde and is spoken by around 30,000 people. This results in a total number of speakers of around 1,230,000. The language area in Niger completely overlaps with that of Songhai-Zarma. It comprises the central part of the Tillabéri region , on the edges of which there are overlaps or language borders with Gourmanchéma, Tamascheq and Central-East Niger-Fulfulde, as well as the Dosso region with the exception of the Dogondoutchi department and the north of the Gaya department to the place Yélou . The dialects used are Bitinkoore (dialect of Bitinkodji ), Dallol (dialect of Dallol Bosso ) and Téra (dialect of Téra ). Most West Niger Fulfulde speakers are bilingual and also use the Songhai-Zarma language. In general, West Niger-Fulfulde is more the language of the rural areas and Songhai-Zarma is more the language of the cities.

Central East Niger Fulfulde

Central East Niger Fulfulde also has about 450,000 speakers (1998) in Niger. The language area roughly includes the regions of Maradi and Tahoua , the south of the Diffa and Zinder regions , the northeast of the Dosso region and an area around Sanam in the Tillabéri region. In this extensive area there are overlaps with several other languages, among which Hausa, which is often used as a second language, should be emphasized. The dialect of the nomadic Fulbe subgroup Wodaabe now differs from that of the Fulbe, who became sedentary and semi-sedentary due to the famine of the 1970s and 1980s . The latter settled in the immediate vicinity of Hausa speakers, which influenced their own language so much that it can be referred to as "Fulfulde-Hausa".

Language area of ​​gourmanchéma in Niger

Gourmanchéma

Gourmanchéma (ISO 639-3 gux), a Gur language , is the language of the Gourmantché ethnic group . In the 2001 census, 39,797 inhabitants of Niger, which corresponds to 0.4% of the total population, described themselves as gourmantché. The Nigerian part of their settlement and language area is located in the far west of the country on the state border with Burkina Faso, more precisely in the west of the municipalities of Ouro Guélédjo , Tamou and Torodi . Most of the approximately 813,000 gourmand speakers, around 600,000 (1999), live in Burkina Faso. In Niger there are around 30,000 people (1998). They often use Songhai Zarma as a second language.

Hausa

Language area of ​​the Hausa in Niger

The Chadian language Hausa (ISO 639-3 hau), which belongs to the Hausa ethnic group of the same name, has a total of around 24,988,000 speakers. Most of them, around 18,500,000 people (1991), live in Nigeria, followed by Niger. Hausa is as a first language, and above all as a major lingua franca in other areas of West Africa widespread. In Niger it is the language understood by the largest proportion of the population. In the 2001 census, 6,069,731 inhabitants, which corresponds to 55.4% of the total population, referred to themselves as Hausa. In this case, the members of the ethnic group and the first speakers of their language are to be equated. A Hausa is fundamentally defined as a person who speaks Hausa. The additional proportion of Nigerians who use Hausa as a second language is around 25%.

Standard Hausa is based on the dialect of the city of Kano in Nigeria. The Hausa dialects spoken in Niger are Aderawa (dialect of Ader ), Arewa (dialect of Aréoua ), Damagaram (dialect of Zinder ), Dawra (dialect of Daura ), Gaya (dialect of Gaya ), Gobirawa (dialect of Gobir ), Katsina (dialect of Katsina ) and Kourfey (dialect of Kourfey ). The Nigerian Hausa took several loan words from French into their language, but less than the Nigerian Hausa in the former British sphere of influence from English.

The Hausa language area in Niger occupies the southern center of the country and overlaps with the language areas of several other national languages. The largest cities in the Hausa area of ​​Niger are Zinder, Maradi , Tessaoua , Kornaka and Aguié . The capital Niamey , which lies in the middle of a traditional Zarma-speaking area, developed into a bilingual city from the middle of the 20th century. Passive bilingualism can be observed on their streets and markets , in which Hausa and Zarma speakers express themselves in their preferred language and understand their interlocutor, who answers in the other language. After the increased immigration of other groups who spoke neither Hausa nor Zarma, a disruption of this system of passive bilingualism could be observed in the 1990s, which was partially remedied by the use of French as a vehicle language. The increasing importance of Hausa as a vehicle language in the urban centers of the country was already evident in the 1960s. The proportion of first-time speakers has also risen since then: Lacroix (1966) estimated the proportion of Hausa in the total Nigerian population at 45%.

Kanuri

Kanuri language area in Niger

The Saharan language Kanuri is related to the Kanuri ethnic group of the same name . In the 2001 census, 513,116 residents of Niger, equivalent to 4.7% of the total population, called themselves Kanuri. Ethnic and linguistic classifications can often not be clearly made with the Kanuri. Some people who speak Kanuri refer to themselves as Kanuri, although obviously and admittedly they are not descended from Kanuri. This has to do with the historical, political and cultural dominance that the Kanuri people and language enjoyed in the Kanem-Bornu Empire . However, in the 20th century the language lost its function as a regional vehicle language to Hausa. The systematic dialectology of language is still in its infancy. While Ethnologue defines Kanuri as a cluster of four individual languages, the few Kanuri experts tend to view the language as a dialect cluster or dialect continuum . The Kanuri languages ​​or dialects spoken in Niger are Bilma-Kanuri (ISO 639-3 bms), Manga-Kanuri (ISO 639-3 kby), Tumari-Kanuri (ISO 639-3 krt) and Central Kanuri (ISO 639-3 knc).

Bilma Kanuri

Bilma-Kanuri is spoken by around 20,000 people (2003) in two language areas around the Bilma and Fachi oases in northeast Niger. According to the geographical division there are two (sub) dialects, Bilma-Kanuri and Fachi-Kanuri . When trading in salt, the oasis Kanuri primarily encounter Tuaregs , who speak Tamascheq as their first language. However, Kanuri-Tamascheq bilingualism is rather the exception. The communication usually takes place on Hausa.

Manga Kanuri

Manga-Kanuri, named after the Manga landscape , is the most common variety of Kanuri in Niger. Of the total of 480,000 Manga Kanuri speakers, around 280,000 (1998) live in Niger and around 200,000 (1993) in Nigeria. In both countries the (sub) dialects Dagara and Manga are used, whereby Dagara may be classified as a separate language. Manga is also dominated by the speakers of other Kanuri dialects. In 1966 Lacroix mentions a third dialect, Dictko , which was spoken by around 2000 people in two areas, west of the city of Gouré and east of the city of Maïné-Soroa. Dagara is located in Niger in the Koutous massif in the municipality of Kellé , in the east of the Tahoua department and in the north of the Mirriah department . The traditional language area of Manga is in the Maïné-Soroa department , in the west of the Diffa department , in the south of the Gouré department, in the south-east of the Mirriah department and in individual villages in the N'Guigmi department .

Tumari Kanuri

Tumari-Kanuri has around 40,000 speakers (1998) in Niger, about half of whom speak only Tumari-Kanuri. Dazaga and Hausa serve as second languages . Tumari-Kanuri can be divided into three (sub) dialects: Kubari , Sugurti and Tumari , which is also called Kanembu , but should not be confused with the Kanembu spoken in Chad . Kubari is the (sub) dialect of the descendants of immigrants who came to the N'Guigmi department from Rig Rig in Chad in 1920 . The Sugurti language area is located between the town of N'Guigmi and the former estuary of the Komadougou Yobé . The (sub) dialect Tumari is native to the city of N'Guigmi within a radius of 50 kilometers.

Central Kanuri

About 3,000,000 (1985) of the total of 3,241,000 Central Kanuri speakers live in Nigeria. The variety is also used in Eritrea , Cameroon, Sudan, and Chad. In Niger there are around 80,000 speakers (1998). There the (sub) dialect Movar is used along the river valley and at the former mouth of the Komadougou Yobé , which may be classified as a separate language. In 1966, on the basis of documents, Lacroix also mentions speakers of the (sub) dialect Kwayam in Niger, particularly in the small village of Kouloun Fardou, which belongs to Goudoumaria .

Songhai Zarma

Songhai-Zarma language area in Niger

The term Songhai-Zarma summarizes the varieties of the southern Songhai languages spoken in Niger , whose language area is congruent with that of West Niger-Fulfulde. Songhai-Zarma is also an ethnic collective term. In the 2001 census, 2,300,874 residents of Niger, or 21% of the total population, referred to themselves as Songhai-Zarma. Linguistically and ethnically, this includes several population groups in western Niger, whose members differ from the other Songhai-Zarma groups. The ethnic groups are Songhai and Zarma as well as Dendi , Kurtey and Wogo . Until 1996 these groups were assigned to three individual languages in the Ethnologue regarding Niger: firstly Songhai (then ISO 639-3 son) as the language of the Songhai, Kurtey and Wogo as well as the Nigerien speakers of northern Songhai languages, secondly Zarma (ISO 639-3 dje) as the language of Zarma and thirdly Dendi (ISO 639-3 ddn) as the language of Dendi. Since 2000, these three individual languages ​​have been combined in the Ethnologue to form the single language Zarma - but without the northern Songhai languages ​​and only with regard to Niger. The ethnologue's Zarma language is therefore synonymous with Songhai-Zarma as the Nigerien national language. In the ethnologue in Benin and Nigeria, Dendi is still regarded as a single language, in Niger it is now the dialect of Zarma. The single language Zarma is also spoken by around 87,800 people (2000) in Nigeria and a few hundred people each in Burkina Faso and Mali.

The dialectology of Songhai-Zarma is correspondingly complex and historically grown. Harrison, Harrison and Rueck calculated the following numbers of speakers in the dialects of the southern Songhai languages ​​in Niger for 1996: 1,427,000 native speakers for the dialect Zarma , 489,000 native speakers for the dialect Kaado and an eastern dialect of the southern Songhai languages, 53,100 native speakers for the dialect Dendi , 44,100 native speakers for the dialect Kurtey and 28,800 native speakers for the dialect Wogo . The geographical distribution is as follows: The language area of ​​the dialect Zarma lies in the center of the Songhai-Zarma zone and includes in particular the cities of Niamey and Dosso . Kaado is spoken in the northwest of the Songhai Zarma area. These are parts of the departments of Téra and Tillabéri . The language area of ​​the dialect Dendi is located in the extreme south of the country, more precisely in the southern parts of the departments of Gaya and Dosso . Kurtey and Wogo are spoken on certain sections of the Niger River : Kurtey in Kourteye , Dessa and Ayérou , Wogo in Sinder . The linguist Robert Nicolaï, on the other hand, included the Kurtey and Wogo languages ​​in the Kaado dialect in 1979 . Kaado speakers prefer to call their dialect Songhai . It can also be found under this name in the research literature.

Tasawaq

Language areas of Tasawaq and Tagdal in Niger

Tasawaq (ISO 639-3 twq) represents the northern Songhai languages ​​in Niger. The small language area is surrounded by that of the mixed language Tagdal (ISO 639-3 tda). The Tasawaq-Tagdal Zone in the center of the country is geographically separated from the Songhai-Zarma Zone.

Tasawaq

Tasawaq is spoken by about 8,000 people (1998) in the Ingall Oasis area. Some of their first speakers use Hausa or Tawallammat as a second language. Due to the pressure of the stronger languages ​​in the area, Batibo (2005) classifies Tasawaq as highly endangered. Ethnologue (2013), on the other hand, lists the language among the non-endangered, sustainable languages ​​that are used by all generations in personal communication.

Tagdal

The Songhai- Berber mixed language Tagdal is spoken by around 27,000 people (2000) in Niger. There are two dialects, the northern Tagdal and the southern Tabarog . Nicolaï combines the dialects Tagdal and Tabarog under the name Tihishit . Tagdal is the dialect of the fair-skinned Igdalen and the dark-skinned descendants of their former slaves. The centers of the Igdalen are the municipality of Tamaya and the villages of Mazababou and Tiguirwit, which are part of the municipality of Ingall. Tabarog is spoken by the dark-skinned Iberogan , whose centers represent nine villages southeast of the city of Abalak .

Tamascheq

Tamascheq language area in Niger

Tamascheq is the national language of the Tuareg ethnic group. In the 2001 census, 1,016,883 residents of Niger, equivalent to 9.3% of the total population, identified themselves as Tuareg. Three Tamascheq varieties are spoken in Niger: Tahaggart (ISO 639-3 thv) in the north, Tawallammat (ISO 639-3 ttq) in the northwest and Tayart (ISO 639-3 thz) in the center of the country.

Tahaggart

The Tahaggart variety is distributed across three countries. About 40,000 speakers live in Algeria, about 17,000 speakers (2006) in Libya and about 20,000 speakers (1998) in Niger. This gives a total of approximately 77,000 speakers. The language area in Niger is limited to a narrow desert zone along the state border with Algeria. The dialects of Ghat (Libya) and Hoggar (Algeria) are widespread . Tahaggart is the only one of the 21 Nigerian languages ​​listed in the Ethnologue that is classified as endangered. Tahaggart would be used by all generations in personal communication, but the number of speakers was falling.

Tawallammat

About 450,000 (1998) of the total of 640,000 Tawallammat speakers live in Niger, the rest mainly in Mali and to a small extent in Nigeria. Tawallammat is used by the Tuareg faction Ullemmeden . There are two dialects. The western dialect Tawallammat Tan Ataram is spoken in Niger in the north of the Filingué , Ouallam , Téra and Tillabéri departments. To the south, the dialect area changes into the Songhai-Zarma and West-Niger-Fulfulde zones. The Nigerien centers of the eastern dialect Tawallammat Tan Dannag are the departments of Abalak , Illéla , Tahoua and Tchintabaraden . The dialect area extends to Ingall in the east. Except for the sparsely populated far north, speakers of Hausa, Central-East-Niger-Fulfulde and other languages ​​also live here.

Tayart

The variety is spoken by about 250,000 people (1998) in Niger. The language area covers the entire Aïr mountains including the city of Agadez and extends in the south to the Dakoro department . A distinction is made between the Aïr dialect and the Tamagarast dialect , which is common in the southern Tuareg fraction Kel Gress . Apart from the sparsely populated north, there is overlap with zones in which Arabic, Fulfulde, Hausa and southern Songhai languages ​​are also spoken. Hausa in particular serves the Tayart speakers as a second language.

Tubu

Language area of ​​the Tubu in Niger

Tubu is usually not classified as a single language, but as a language family of the two individual languages Dazaga (ISO 639-3 dzg) and Tedaga (ISO 639-3 tuq). The linguistic documentation is poor and largely out of date. The most important sources on Dazaga and Tedaga come from the 1930s and 1950s. The language family is one of the Saharan languages ​​and belongs to the Tubu ethnic group of the same name . Dazaga is the language of the Tubu subgroup Daza and Tedaga is the language of the Tubu subgroup Teda . In the 2001 census, 42,172 inhabitants, equivalent to 0.4% of the total population, referred to themselves as Tubu. Tubu speakers can only partially be assigned to the Tubu ethnically.

Dazaga

Dazaga is the southern of the two Tubu languages. In Niger it is spoken by around 50,000 people (2007), of whom around 30% are ethnic Tubu. The language area is around N'Gourti and Tesker in the southeast of Niger. Of the total of around 381,000 Dazaga speakers, 331,000 (2006) live in neighboring Chad. The Dazaga dialects common in Niger are Azzaga and Kashirda . Nigerien Dazaga speakers use Hausa, Arabic, Manga-Kanuri or Tumari-Kanuri as second languages, but far more men than women are bilingual.

Tedaga

Tedaga is the northern of the two Tubu languages. It has around 10,000 speakers in Niger (1998), most of whom live semi-nomadically in the Bilma and Séguédine oases and in the Termit massif . Arabic is mostly used as a second language, and Dazaga is also widespread. Around 29,000 (1993) of the approximately 43,000 speakers live in Chad. According to Batibo (2005), Tedaga is, alongside Tasawaq, one of two Nigerian languages ​​that is highly endangered due to the pressure of stronger languages. As in the case of Tasawaq, Ethnologue (2013) contradicts this assessment by classifying Tedaga as a sustainable language.

Language practice

education

Billboard in Niger (2006) with the French inscription Toutes les filles à l'école ("All girls in school")

With its independence in 1960, the Nigerien state took over an underdeveloped education system that was geared towards centers such as Dakar and Paris for the purpose of elite training and almost exclusively allowed French as the language of instruction. Only one madrasa , where Arabic was taught, was founded in Say by the Djibo Bakary government in 1957 . In 1966, the Nigerien state ordered the Madrasa von Say to strengthen secular subjects and the French language. This was the hour of birth of the Franco-Arabe school type, which extended to all school levels and which soon spread rapidly. Also in 1966, local Nigerian mother tongues found their way into state adult education, especially in literacy programs.

In 1973, with the opening of the first école expérimentale (“experimental school”), a school trial began in primary schools , in which selected national languages ​​were to be used in lessons. These were Fulfulde, Hausa, Kanuri, Songhai-Zarma and Tamascheq. The écoles expérimentales are geared towards bilingual instruction: From the 1st to 3rd grade, a national language is the language of instruction and a subject. From the 2nd grade onwards, French is added as a subject. From the 4th to 6th grade, French is the language of instruction and a subject, the respective national language is only one subject. By 1993 the number of écoles expérimentales rose to 42 nationwide. Niger thus took on a pioneering role in the bilingual primary school system in Africa. Evaluations showed that the écoles expérimentales were superior to the purely French-speaking écoles traditionalnelles (“traditional schools”) in terms of general learning success. The “experimental” status should be transferred to regular operation by écoles bilingues (“bilingual schools”). The national assembly created the legal basis for this in 1998 when it determined French and the national languages ​​as the languages ​​of instruction to be used throughout the entire educational system. The same law also determined the distribution in the écoles bilingues : From the 1st to the 3rd grade, the mother or first language is the language of instruction, and French is a subject of instruction from the 1st grade. From the 4th to the 6th grade, French is the language of instruction and the mother tongue or first language is a subject. In 2001 the écoles expérimentales opened the first 16 pilot schools for the same five national languages ​​as before . The historically grown school types in the state primary school sector with their different languages ​​of instruction continue to exist side by side: école traditionnelle , Franco-Arabe , école expérimentale , école bilingue as well as specialized types such as schools for the deaf and dumb and the blind.

In private schools with an Islamic orientation, the standard Arabic of the Koran plays an important role in teaching. Practically all Muslim preschool children in Niger attend the informally organized Koran schools, where reading and reciting the Koran is taught in Arabic. Influenced by the increasing Islamization in the Hausa areas in northern Nigeria, numerous schools called Islamiya were established for religious instruction in the Hausa areas of southern Nigeria in the 1990s . The founders were mostly business people, an important center of this movement was the city of Maradi. As early as the late 1990s, many of these schools could no longer survive and applied for state support. As a result, they were converted into state-controlled Franco-Arabe schools.

The Abdou Moumouni University in Niamey has its own department for national languages ​​and linguistics. The Islamic University in Niger in Say is particularly dedicated to teaching and disseminating the Arabic language.

Media and language art

A griot in Diffa, East Niger (2006)

In the mass media of Niger find the official language and all national languages used, albeit to varying degrees. According to the constitution, the state media are obliged to promote the national languages. In terms of reach, radio is the most important mass medium in Niger. Print media play a far less important role, especially since most newspapers reach the parts of the country outside the capital with a delay, if at all. Until radio liberalization in the early 1990s, radio and television were exclusively in the hands of the state-run Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Niger (ORTN). Since the Voix du Sahel radio station (as Radio Niger ) was founded in 1958, 70% of its programming has been reserved for the national languages. At first it was only about Hausa and Songhai-Zarma, until the government in 1978 ordered that other national languages ​​be taken into account. Since then Voix du Sahel has also been broadcasting in Arabic, Gourmanchéma, Kanuri, Fulfulde, Tamascheq and Tubu. The program directorate of the national television channel Télé Sahel consists of two offices, one responsible for productions in French and the other for productions in the national languages. Among the foreign television channels popular in Niger, most, like TV5 Monde , are French-speaking. The state daily newspaper Le Sahel , the state weekly newspaper Sahel Dimanche and their online edition www.lesahel.org appear only in French. In the 1970s and 1980s, numerous state-sponsored local newspapers for rural areas appeared in the national languages, but almost all of them disappeared from the scene with the end of the funding.

The literature of Niger, which appears in print form, mainly uses the French language. Its representatives include Mahamane Dan Dobi (1923–1981), Alfred Dogbé (1962–2012), Boubou Hama (1906–1982), Ibrahim Issa (1929–1986), Hélène Kaziendé (* 1967), Abdoulaye Mamani (1932–1993 ), Idé Oumarou (1937–2002), André Salifou (* 1942) and Boubé Zoumé (1951–1997). Authors who publish in a national language, such as the Zarma writer Djado Sékou (1930–1988), are exceptional. The country's oral literature , which is multilingual, is based on social structures that are changing due to a modern lifestyle and Islamization. Traditional stories in the national languages ​​are collected by the Center d'études linguistiques et historiques par tradition orale (CELHTO-OUA) in Niamey and put into writing. Epic tales on Songhai-Zarma have maintained their great popularity. Lyrical forms are especially developed in the Tamascheq and Fulfulde languages. Griots practice traditional artistic communication with the outside world. The Nigerien theater is particularly rooted in the Hausa language. It is also being adapted for radio and television broadcasts.

Administration, jurisprudence and economics

French advertisement at the Petit Marché in Niamey (2011)

In public administration it is common, but not regulated by law, that the respective national languages ​​understood are used when communicating orally with public officials. Written documents from ministries can also be issued in certain national languages ​​in addition to the official language. Only French and, in exceptional cases, Arabic are allowed in court, provided that written copies are involved. The court judgments are always given in the official language or, albeit rarely, in Arabic. At the same time, the majority of the national languages ​​are always permitted in oral communication. If necessary, the court may call in translators.

The main commercial languages are Hausa and Zarma, and French in the capital. In business life, as long as oral communication is concerned, the national languages ​​are generally preferred. As soon as written communication is used, French dominates. This applies to advertising as well as labeling and operating instructions.

literature

  • Abdourahmane Idrissa, Samuel Decalo: Historical Dictionary of Niger . 4th edition. Scarecrow, Plymouth 2012, ISBN 978-0-8108-6094-0 , entry LANGUAGES , p. 297-298 .
  • Pierre-Francis Lacroix: Report on the transcription des languages ​​nationales pour l'alphabetisation des adultes au Niger . Organization des Nations Unies pour l'éducation, la science et la culture, Paris 1966 ( unesco.org [PDF; 3,3 MB ; accessed on April 25, 2013]).
  • Maman Mallam Garba: Education bilingue au Niger: entre convivialité et conflits linguistiques . In: Penser la francophonie: concepts, actions et outils linguistiques. Actes des Premières Journées scientifiques communes des Réseaux de Chercheurs concernant la langue . Éditions des Archives Contemporaines, Paris 2004, ISBN 2-914610-25-4 , pp. 455-472 .

Web links

  • Niger. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Constitution du 25 November 2010. (PDF file; 148 kB) Assemblée nationale, 25 November 2010, accessed on 25 April 2013 (French).
  2. ↑ a b c d Jacques Leclerc: Niger. In: L'aménagement linguistique dans le monde. Université Laval, April 28, 2010, accessed April 25, 2013 (French).
  3. ↑ a b c Maman Mallam Garba: Education bilingue au Niger: entre convivialité et conflits linguistiques . In: Penser la francophonie: concepts, actions et outils linguistiques. Actes des Premières Journées scientifiques communes des Réseaux de Chercheurs concernant la langue . Éditions des Archives Contemporaines, Paris 2004, ISBN 2-914610-25-4 , pp. 456 .
  4. ↑ Maman Mallam Garba: Education bilingue au Niger: entre convivialité et conflits linguistiques . In: Penser la francophonie: concepts, actions et outils linguistiques. Actes des Premières Journées scientifiques communes des Réseaux de Chercheurs concernant la langue . Éditions des Archives Contemporaines, Paris 2004, ISBN 2-914610-25-4 , pp. 463 .
  5. ↑ États et gouvernements. Organization Internationale de la Francophonie, accessed April 25, 2013 (French).
  6. ↑ Pierre-Francis Lacroix: Report on the transcription of national languages ​​for literacy for adults in Niger . Organization des Nations Unies pour l'éducation, la science et la culture, Paris 1966, p. 1 ( PDF file; 3.3 MB [accessed April 25, 2013]).
  7. ^ Actes du Séminaire international sur la méthodologie d'observation de la langue française, Paris, on 12/14 June 2008. Contributions écrites. (PDF file; 10.3 MB) - therein: Richard Marcoux, Mamadou Kani Konate: Les sources de données démolinguistiques en Afrique francophone . Organization Internationale de la Francophonie, 2006, p. 355 , accessed on April 25, 2013 (French).
  8. ^ Actes du Séminaire international sur la méthodologie d'observation de la langue française, Paris, on 12/14 June 2008. Contributions écrites. (PDF file; 10.3 MB) - in it: Auguste Moussirou Mouyama: Faut-il introduire a variable «mode» in the grilles d'analysis of the situations linguistiques de l'espace francophone? Essai de lecture de la grille “LAFDEF 2004” face aux enjeux africains . Organization Internationale de la Francophonie, 2006, p. 317 , accessed on April 25, 2013 (French).
  9. ↑ La langue française dans le monde. Références 2006 . Délégation générale à la langue française et aux langues de France, Paris 2006, p. 3 ( PDF file; 231 kB [accessed April 25, 2013]).
  10. ↑ La langue française dans le monde. Références 2012 . Délégation générale à la langue française et aux langues de France, Paris 2012, p. 2 ( PDF file; 819 kB [accessed April 25, 2013]).
  11. ↑ Abdourahmane Idrissa, Samuel Decalo: Historical Dictionary of Niger . 4th edition. Scarecrow, Plymouth 2012, ISBN 978-0-8108-6094-0 , pp. 297 .
  12. ↑ Jolijn Geels: Niger . Bradt, Chalfont St Peter 2006, ISBN 1-84162-152-8 , p. 30 .
  13. ↑ Le français comme on le parle au Niger. In: 13th Congrès mondial de la FIPF: Le monde en marche. L'enseignement du français entre mondialisation et contextualisation. Fédération internationale des professeurs de français, accessed on April 25, 2013 (French).
  14. ^ A b Abdourahmane Idrissa, Samuel Decalo: Historical Dictionary of Niger . 4th edition. Scarecrow, Plymouth 2012, ISBN 978-0-8108-6094-0 , pp. 290 .
  15. ↑ a b c d e f g h Annuaire statistique des cinquante ans d'indépendance du Niger. (PDF file; 3.1 MB) Institut Nationale de la Statistique du Niger, 2010, p. 63 , accessed on April 25, 2013 (French).
  16. ^ Arabic, Algerian Saharan Spoken. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  17. ↑ Hassaniyya. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  18. ↑ Pierre-Francis Lacroix: Report on the transcription of national languages ​​for literacy for adults in Niger . Organization des Nations Unies pour l'éducation, la science et la culture, Paris 1966, p. 14 ( PDF file; 3.3 MB [accessed April 25, 2013]).
  19. ↑ a b Arabic, Libyan Spoken. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  20. ↑ Hans Ritter: Salt caravans in the Sahara . Atlantis, Zurich 1980, ISBN 3-7611-0580-0 , p. 213 .
  21. ↑ Arabic, Chadian Spoken. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  22. ↑ Abdourahmane Idrissa, Samuel Decalo: Historical Dictionary of Niger . 4th edition. Scarecrow, Plymouth 2012, ISBN 978-0-8108-6094-0 , pp. 104 .
  23. ↑ a b Barbara F. Grimes (Ed.): Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World . 13th edition. Summer Institute of Linguistics, Dallas 1996, ISBN 1-55671-026-7 , chap. Niger ( online [accessed April 25, 2013]). online ( Memento of the original from September 23, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.christusrex.org
  24. ↑ Buduma. (No longer available online.) In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Fourteenth edition. SIL International, 2000, archived from the original on December 3, 2013 ; accessed on April 25, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / archive.ethnologue.com
  25. ↑ Pierre-Francis Lacroix: Report on the transcription of national languages ​​for literacy for adults in Niger . Organization des Nations Unies pour l'éducation, la science et la culture, Paris 1966, p. 9 ( PDF file; 3.3 MB [accessed April 25, 2013]).
  26. ^ A b Fulfulde, Western Niger. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  27. ↑ Salamatou Alhassoumi Sow: Problèmes de dialectologie peule: la désignation des parlers . In: Garba Kawu Daudu (Ed.): Papers on Fulfulde Language, Literature and Culture . Bayero University Kano, Center for the Study of Nigerian Languages, Kano 1989, p. 68 .
  28. ^ Fulfulde, Central-Eastern Niger. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  29. ^ Annette R. Harrison, Byron L. Harrison, Michael J. Rueck, Kendall Isaac: A Study of Fulfulde Varieties of Eastern Niger: Dialect Intelligibility and Language Attitudes. (PDF file; 1 MB) (No longer available online.) In: PNG Language Resources. SIL International, January 2012, p. 10 , archived from the original on April 19, 2014 ; accessed on April 25, 2013 .
  30. ↑ Gourmanchéma. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  31. ↑ Pierre-Francis Lacroix: Report on the transcription of national languages ​​for literacy for adults in Niger . Organization des Nations Unies pour l'éducation, la science et la culture, Paris 1966, p. 14 ( PDF file; 3.3 MB [accessed April 25, 2013]).
  32. ↑ a b c d e Hausa. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  33. ↑ a b c Ari Awagana, H. Ekkehard Wolff: loanwords in Hausa, a Chadic Language in West Africa . In: Martin Haspelmath, Uri Tadmor (Hrsg.): Loanwords in the world's languages. A comparative handbook . Walter de Gruyter, Berlin 2009, ISBN 978-3-11-021843-5 , p. 147-148 .
  34. ↑ a b c Pierre-Francis Lacroix: Report sur la transcription des langues nationales pour l'alphabetisation des adultes au Niger . Organization des Nations Unies pour l'éducation, la science et la culture, Paris 1966, p. 8 ( PDF file; 3.3 MB [accessed April 25, 2013]).
  35. ^ A b Fiona Mc Laughlin: Introduction to the languages ​​of urban Africa . In: Fiona Mc Laughlin (Ed.): The languages ​​of urban Africa . Continuum International, London 2009, ISBN 978-1-84706-116-4 , pp. 12 .
  36. ↑ Pierre-Francis Lacroix: Report on the transcription of national languages ​​for literacy for adults in Niger . Organization des Nations Unies pour l'éducation, la science et la culture, Paris 1966, p. 7 ( PDF file; 3.3 MB [accessed April 25, 2013]).
  37. ↑ a b c Doris Löhr, H. Ekkehard Wolff: Loanwords in Kanuri, a Saharan language . In: Martin Haspelmath, Uri Tadmor (Hrsg.): Loanwords in the world's languages. A comparative handbook . Walter de Gruyter, Berlin 2009, ISBN 978-3-11-021843-5 , p. 167-168 .
  38. ^ Doris Löhr, H. Ekkehard Wolff: Loanwords in Kanuri, a Saharan language . In: Martin Haspelmath, Uri Tadmor (Hrsg.): Loanwords in the world's languages. A comparative handbook . Walter de Gruyter, Berlin 2009, ISBN 978-3-11-021843-5 , p. 169 .
  39. ↑ Kanuri, Bilma. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  40. ^ Doris Löhr, H. Ekkehard Wolff: Loanwords in Kanuri, a Saharan language . In: Martin Haspelmath, Uri Tadmor (Hrsg.): Loanwords in the world's languages. A comparative handbook . Walter de Gruyter, Berlin 2009, ISBN 978-3-11-021843-5 , p. 175 .
  41. ↑ Kanuri, Manga. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  42. ↑ Pierre-Francis Lacroix: Report on the transcription of national languages ​​for literacy for adults in Niger . Organization des Nations Unies pour l'éducation, la science et la culture, Paris 1966, p. 13 ( PDF file; 3.3 MB [accessed April 25, 2013]).
  43. ^ A b c d Pierre-Francis Lacroix: Report on the transcription des langues nationales pour l'alphabetisation des adultes au Niger . Organization des Nations Unies pour l'éducation, la science et la culture, Paris 1966, p. 11–12 ( PDF file; 3.3 MB [accessed April 25, 2013]).
  44. ↑ Kanuri, Tumari. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  45. ↑ a b Kanuri, Central. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  46. ↑ a b c Byron Harrison, Annette Harrison, Michael J. Rueck: Southern Songhay Speech Varieties In Niger. A Sociolinguistic Survey of the Zarma, Songhay, Kurtey, Wogo, and Dendi Peoples of Niger . Summer Institute of Linguistics, Niamey 1997, p. 2-4 .
  47. ↑ Zarma. (No longer available online.) In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Fourteenth edition. SIL International, 2000, archived from the original on January 5, 2016 ; accessed on April 25, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / archive.ethnologue.com
  48. ↑ Dendi. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  49. ↑ Zarma. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  50. ^ Robert Nicolaï: Les dialectes du songhay. Contribution à l'étude des changements linguistiques . Dissertation. University of Nice, Nice 1979, p. 13 .
  51. ↑ Tasawaq. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  52. ^ A b Herman M. Batibo: Language Decline and Death in Africa. Causes, Consequences and Challenges . Multilingual Matters, Clevedon 2005, ISBN 1-85359-809-7 , pp. 63 and 79 .
  53. ↑ a b c Language status. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  54. ↑ Tagdal. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  55. ^ Robert Nicolaï: Le songhay septentrional (études phonématiques) . (Excerpt from: Bulletin de l'Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire , Volume 41 (1979), Series B, Nos. 2, 3 and 4). Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire, Dakar 1981, p. 306 .
  56. ↑ Michael J. Rueck, Niels Christiansen: Northern Songhay Languages ​​in Mali and Niger. A Sociolinguistic Survey. (No longer available online.) SIL International, 1999, archived from the original on December 3, 2013 ; accessed on April 25, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www-01.sil.org
  57. ↑ Tamahaq, Tahaggart. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  58. ↑ Niger. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  59. ↑ Tamajaq, Tawallammat. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  60. ↑ a b Tamajeq, Tayart. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  61. ↑ Edmond Bernus: Touaregs Nigeriens. Unité culturelle et diversité régionale d'un peuple pasteur . ORSTOM, Paris 1981, p. 72 .
  62. ↑ Dazaga. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  63. ↑ Tedaga. In: Ethnologue: Languages ​​of the World. Seventeenth edition. SIL International, 2013, accessed April 25, 2013 .
  64. ↑ Abdourahmane Idrissa, Samuel Decalo: Historical Dictionary of Niger . 4th edition. Scarecrow, Plymouth 2012, ISBN 978-0-8108-6094-0 , pp. 203 .
  65. ↑ Abdourahmane Idrissa, Samuel Decalo: Historical Dictionary of Niger . 4th edition. Scarecrow, Plymouth 2012, ISBN 978-0-8108-6094-0 , pp. 236 .
  66. ↑ Maman Mallam Garba: Education bilingue au Niger: entre convivialité et conflits linguistiques . In: Penser la francophonie: concepts, actions et outils linguistiques. Actes des Premières Journées scientifiques communes des Réseaux de Chercheurs concernant la langue . Éditions des Archives Contemporaines, Paris 2004, ISBN 2-914610-25-4 , pp. 457-458 .
  67. ↑ a b Maman Mallam Garba: Éducation bilingue au Niger: entre convivialité et conflits linguistiques . In: Penser la francophonie: concepts, actions et outils linguistiques. Actes des Premières Journées scientifiques communes des Réseaux de Chercheurs concernant la langue . Éditions des Archives Contemporaines, Paris 2004, ISBN 2-914610-25-4 , pp. 464-465 .
  68. ↑ Loi n ° 98-12 du 1er juin 1998, portant orientation du système éducatif nigérien. Ministère des Enseignements Secondaire, Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique, archived from the original on July 3, 2013 ; Retrieved December 14, 2017 (French).
  69. ^ Annuaire statistique des cinquante ans d'indépendance du Niger. (PDF file; 3.1 MB) Institut Nationale de la Statistique du Niger, 2010, p. 122 , accessed on April 25, 2013 (French).
  70. ↑ Abdourahmane Idrissa, Samuel Decalo: Historical Dictionary of Niger . 4th edition. Scarecrow, Plymouth 2012, ISBN 978-0-8108-6094-0 , pp. 237 .
  71. ↑ Presentation IRSH. (No longer available online.) Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, September 24, 2008, archived from the original on March 2, 2014 ; Retrieved April 25, 2013 (French). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / uam.refer.ne
  72. ^ Aspect structural. Université Islamique au Niger, archived from the original on June 18, 2012 ; Retrieved December 14, 2017 (French).
  73. ↑ Jolijn Geels: Niger . Bradt, Chalfont St Peter 2006, ISBN 1-84162-152-8 , p. 82 .
  74. ↑ Abdourahmane Idrissa, Samuel Decalo: Historical Dictionary of Niger . 4th edition. Scarecrow, Plymouth 2012, ISBN 978-0-8108-6094-0 , pp. 345 .
  75. ↑ http: // ftp: //ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/006/Y4957F/Y4957F00.pdf (link not available)
  76. ↑ http: // ftp: //ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/006/Y4957F/Y4957F00.pdf (link not available)
  77. ↑ Jolijn Geels: Niger . Bradt, Chalfont St Peter 2006, ISBN 1-84162-152-8 , p. 83 .
  78. ↑ http: // ftp: //ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/006/Y4957F/Y4957F00.pdf (link not available)
  79. ^ A b Abdourahmane Idrissa, Samuel Decalo: Historical Dictionary of Niger . 4th edition. Scarecrow, Plymouth 2012, ISBN 978-0-8108-6094-0 , pp. 302-303 .
  80. ↑ http: // ftp: //ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/006/Y4957F/Y4957F00.pdf (link not available)
  81. ↑ http: // ftp: //ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/006/Y4957F/Y4957F00.pdf (link not available)
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