Jola (french: Diola; Jola: ''Joola''), also called Jola-Fonyi (french: Diola-Fogny) and Kujamataak, is a language spoken by half a million people in the
Casamance
, settlement_type = Geographical region
, image_skyline = Senegal Casamance.png
, image_caption = Casamance in Senegal
, image_flag = Flag of Casamance.svg
, image_shield =
, motto ...
region of
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤠(Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤠...
, and neighboring countries. Jola-Fonyi is one of several closely related
Jola languages
Jola (Joola) or Diola is a dialect continuum spoken in Senegal, the Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau. It belongs to the Bak branch of the Niger–Congo language family.
Name
The name ''Jola'' is an exonym, and may be from the Mandinka word ''jool ...
spoken in the area.
Phonology
Consonants
Vowels
Vowel length is also phonemic.
Writing System
In Senegal
In Senegal, the decree 2005-981 created the official orthography of Jola.
Long vowels are indicated by doubling the letter:
. The acute accent over a vowel <á é à ó ú> indicates that the advanced and retracted tongue root
In phonetics, advanced tongue root (ATR) and retracted tongue root (RTR) are contrasting states of the root of the tongue during the pronunciation of vowels in some languages, especially in Western and Eastern Africa, but also in Kazakh and ...
for that vowel and the other vowels of the words by vowel harmony.
References
Bibliography
* Hopkins, Bradley L. 1995. Contribution à une etude de la syntaxe Diola-Fogny. ''Cahiers de Recherche Linguistique'', 4. Dakar: Société Internationale de Linguistique.
* Hopkins, Bradley and Elizabeth Hopkins. 1992. ''Apprentissage de la langue Diola-Fogny: Un cours pratique''. Dakar: Société Internationale de Linguistique.
See also
* :Diola-language films
External links
* J. David Sapir
Linguistic and Folklore materials from the Kujamaat Jóola
Languages of Senegal
Jola languages
{{Senegal-stub