Languages ​​of Senegal

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Knowledge of the French language in Senegal. In 2005, 10% of Senegalese were real French speakers and 21% spoke some French, according to estimates by the Organization Internationale de la Francophonie

Senegal is a multilingual ("multilingual") country - Ethnologue lists 39 languages ​​for Senegal.

French is the official language

The French language was introduced during the country's colonial days. Today it is the official language of Senegal and therefore the language of secondary schools, parliament and the courts. Most of the country's literature, music and cinema also use French. Overall, around 10% of the population now speak French fluently, while 21% partially understand and speak it.

National languages

Some Senegalese languages ​​have the status of a “national language”: Balanta-Ganja ; Hassaniyya Arabic ; Diola ; Mandinka ; Mandjak ; Mankanja ; Noon (Serer Noon); Fulfulde ; Seereer-Siin ; Soninke and Wolof . More will be added: The first article of the Senegalese constitution of January 7, 2001 states this: “The official language of the Republic of Senegal is French. The national languages ​​are Diola , Mandinka , Fulfulde, Seereer , Soninke , Wolof and any other national language that is codified ”. Codification means that the languages ​​are given a standardized spelling and are thus made suitable for school education. A ministry for literacy in the national languages ​​had already been created in the early 1990s. To date, 19 Senegalese languages ​​have been codified and an Academy of National Languages ​​was founded in 2008.

Currently, Wolof, Serer, Fulfulde, Mandinka, Soninke and Diola are used alongside French in primary schools. Soninke and Mandinka belong to the Mande family . Diola is the main language of the Casamance region . The Center de linguistique appliquée de Dakar advocates the regulation of the West Atlantic languages.

The lingua franca of Wolof

Wolof is the most widely used language of Senegal and the actual lingua franca of Senegal. It is the mother tongue for around 50% of the country's population , another 20 to 30% speak it as a second language, and many non-Wolof speak this language at a native level. An estimated 95% of the population understand Wolof.

Wolof is also widespread in neighboring Gambia and thus serves to facilitate cross-border communication. Wolof is closely related to both the also very common Fulfulde and the Serer. In 2010, the Senegalese constitution was officially translated from French into Wolof for the first time.

Languages ​​in Senegal

The following numbers of speakers of the languages ​​in Senegal relate to years between 2006 and 2015, depending on the language. The figures only refer to the speakers within the country, there are also alternative names for many of the 39 languages:

language Spokesman number
2006/2007 /
2013/2015
Badyara 2,100
Bainouk-Gunyaamolo 30,000
Bainouk Samik 1,850
Balanta ganja 96,000
Bandial 13,000
Bayot 19,000
Ejamat 2,230
French 4,297,000
Gusilay 18,000
Hassaniyya Arabic 162,000
Jalunga 10,000
Jola-Fonyi 340,000
Jola-Kasa 45,100
Karon 9,600
Kerak 15,000
Kobiana 500
Kuwaataay 7,200
Laalaa 14,000
Mandinka 669,000
Mandjak 121,000
Mankanja 34,000
Ménik (Bedik) 2,500
Mlomp 6,200
Ndut 43,000
N'Ko only second language
Noon 32,900
Upper Guinea Kriol 30,000
Oniyan 15,000
Palor 12,000
Pulaar 3,450,000
Pulaar (Fulfulde) 2,740,000
Pular 150,000
Saafi-Saafi 200,000
Serer-Sine 1,180,000
Soninke 281,000
Wamey 21,000
Wolof 5,210,000
Xasonga 10,000

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Ute Gierczynski-Bocande: Democracy and Language Policy , Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, November 30, 2010, accessed June 7, 2011
  2. ^ Organization internationale de la francophonie: Estimation du nombre de francophones dans le monde, Population en 2005 ( Memento from January 20, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 38 kB), accessed on June 7, 2011
  3. ↑ Ethnologue: Senegal Languages , accessed on September 4, 2019 (English)