Wolof (wolof)

Wolof is a member of the Senegambian branch of the Niger-Congo language family with about 7 million speakers in Senegal, France, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Mauritania. Wolof is one of the six national languages of Senegal (Senegaal /سِنِڭَالْ), along with Serer, Mandinka, Pulaar, Diola and Soninke.

Wolof was first written with a version of theArabic script known as Wolofal, which is still used by many older men in Senegal. The Wolof orthography using theLatin alphabet was standardised in 1974 and is the official script for Wolof in Senegal.

Wolof is also sometimes written with theGaray alphabet which was devised by Assane Faye, a Senegalese artist, in 1961. This alphabet is written from right to left and is modelled loosely on the Arabic script.

Latin alphabet for Wolof

Wolof (Latin) alphabet

A a	B b	C c	D d	E e	Ë ë	F f	G g	I i
J j	K k	L l	M m	N n	Ñ ñ	Ŋ ŋ	O o	P p
Q q	R r	S s	T t	U u	W w	X x	Y y

Wolof pronunciation

Doubled consonants are pronunced with long versions of the sounds above.

Wolofal (Arabic script for Wolof)

Garay alphabet

The order of the letters and their transcription is based on the Wolof alphabet chart inAfrikan Alphabets by Saki Mafundikwa. Each consonant has two forms, though how these are used is not explained.

Sample text in the Latin alphabet

Doomi aadama yépp danuy juddu, yam ci tawfeex ci sag aksañ-sañ. Nekk na it ku xam dëgg te ànd na ak xelam, te war naa jëflante ak nawleen, te teg ko ci wàllu mbokk.

A recording of this text by Wally Seye

Sample text in the Wolofal alphabet

Michael Peter Füstumum provided the Wolofal sample text and corrections to the Wolofal chart

Sample text in the Garay alphabet

Source:http://www.skyknowledge.com/garay.htm

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Sample video in Wolof

Information about Wolof |Phrases |Numbers |Tower of Babel

Links

Information about the Wolof language and alphabets
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolof_language
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolofal_script
http://wolofresources.org/language/wolof_language_guide.htm
http://paul-timothy.net/pages/
http://cvi2.org/paul-timothy/pages/ajamisenegal/wolofal_orthography_harmattan_26-aug-2015_a4.pdf
http://cvi2.org/paul-timothy/pages/wolof/wolofal/primer/je_sais_le_wolofal_8-oct-2011_a4.pdf

The Wolof people of Senegal - includes information about Wolof culture and language:http://www.bcconline.org/wolof/

Online Wolof lessons
http://www.wolofonline.com
http://www.chez.com/afroweb/wolo_frm.htm

Wolof phrases
http://jangawolof.wordpress.com/2007/12/30/some-essential-wolof-phrases/
http://quizlet.com/1645140/wolof-greetings-phrases-flash-cards/
http://www.accessgambia.com/information/traditional-phrases.html

Senegambian languages

Adamaua Fulfulde,Bassari,Fula(ni),Maasina Fulfulde,Ménik,Serer,Wolof

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 05.03.22

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