GUIDE OF SÉDHIOU - Cesie
GUIDE OF SÉDHIOU - Cesie
GUIDE OF SÉDHIOU - Cesie
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LANGUAGES<br />
In the Republic of Senegal the official language is French, but it<br />
is used regularly by a minority of Senegalese, who were<br />
educated in colonial-style schools of French origin. In 2005,<br />
10% of the Senegalese people were real French speakers<br />
whereas 21% were partially French speaking. Most people<br />
speak their own<br />
ethnic language.<br />
Three-quarters of<br />
the population<br />
speak the Wolof<br />
language, thereby<br />
making it the<br />
lingua franca of the<br />
country.<br />
There are actually<br />
five other major<br />
languages: Serer,<br />
Alpuular, Mandingo, Diola (Jola), and Bassari. Senegalese<br />
languages are primarily oral rather than written, although<br />
younger Senegalese can often write in their native language<br />
using a modified form of the Latin alphabet. However,<br />
Muslims may use the Arabic alphabet to write in their native<br />
language. General literacy rate in Senegal is 39.3%, 51.1% men<br />
and 29.2% women.<br />
The native language of Wolof, of the ethnic group of the<br />
Wolof people, is also spoken in Gambia and Mauritania. Like<br />
the neighboring language Fula, it belongs to the Atlantic<br />
branch of the Niger-Congo language family. Wolof dialects<br />
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