Wolof

## Overview

**Wolof** is a language of Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania, and the native language of the Wolof people. Like the neighbouring languages Serer and Fula, it belongs to the Senegambian branch of the Niger–Congo language family. Unlike most other languages of the Niger-Congo family, Wolof is not a tonal language.

Wolof originated as the language of the Lebu people. It is the most widely spoken language in Senegal, spoken natively by the Wolof people (40% of the population) but also by most other Senegalese as a second language.[5]

Wolof dialects vary geographically and between rural and urban areas. "Dakar-Wolof", for instance, is an urban mixture of Wolof, French, and Arabic.

"Wolof" is the standard spelling and may refer to the Wolof people or to Wolof culture. Variants include the older French *Ouolof* and the principally Gambian *Wollof*, *Jolof*, *jollof*, etc., which now typically refers either to the Jolof Empire or to jollof rice, a common West African rice dish. Now-archaic forms include *Volof* and *Olof*.

The English language is believed to have adopted some Wolof words, such as *banana*, via Spanish or Portuguese, and *yum/yummy*, from Wolof *nyam* "to taste"; *nyam* in several Caribbean English Creoles meaning "to eat" (compare Seychellois Creole *nyanmnyanm*, also meaning "to eat").

## Wolof excerpt from Wikipedia article "Wolof (lakk)"

Bi ñu demee ba gis jëmm ja, muy ku sew, tuuti te xaw a wow, waaye di ku ñu muure ab taar, ci anam gu woyof te loyox, di ku ñu aare kàttan, sóob ko ci ag fonk-sa-bopp doonte ag neen la, solal ko yerey yëgle ak jaral, te ma jëli loolu ca jafeem gaa jëli. Bi loolu amee, da ma ne leen xanaa kay du kii ngeen ma doon wax? ñu ne aha kay, cis lëf, cig yéemu, ak ñàkk a xalaat ne di naa sikk mukk ci moom, ma jug man, xajal leen foofa fépp.

Ma ne nag waaw ku mel nii, ci li mu làmboo ciy melo, lu ko nit di doye ? Ginaaw bi nag dégg naa ñu'y wax naan moom de bokk na ci ñi gën a jekk ci boobule gox, ànd ak jaaxle ci sama aw jëfiin, ci ba nga ma ko fa ba, ma ne leen man : moo xam! Lii mooy li am ci sunu làkk wii, walla yii di yu Afrig yi, dañu di yu am solo te man a dem ni yépp di deme, am barab ci digg barabi làkk yépp, waaye li nu dal nun waa Afrig, mooy li dal sunu lépp, dalaale ci li muy dal sunu kàllaama yii nga xam ne wii de bokk na ci yi gën a nosu, gën cee nooy, gën cee nangoo defaru, yéwénu, ruy, ci ku ko ruyal, tey way nag ca nanu bëgge mu waye ni.

Ana nag ku am janq bu mel ni bii cib taar, nangoo ni, jongee ni, jekke ni, man nee toppatoo, nangu nee jeme-kanam, waaje ni ngir lemu ci say bëgg-bëgg, ana ku am ku mel nii, looy xoolati ku sewe nii, ràgge ni, te taaroodi ni?

Li ma bëgg a wax mooy naka lanu bëgg a bàyyee sunu làkk yii, rawati na wii di wolof, ca nooyam ga, ak nangoom ga, ak gàttam ga ak noppaleem ga, taaram ba, leeram ga, manam gaa leeral ak yaatoom ga, ak ruyu gi mu nangu, naan da nga'y jëlati weneen di ci sonn ak a sonle, naan day wa gën? Ma ne ñoom ñoo gis loolu man de déet !

Wolof mooy làkk wi ñu gën a wax ci Senegaal, waaye ngir doyodig waa Afrig yi ba leegi, franse mii nga xam ne lu matul fukk cib téeméer ci doomi Senegaal yi rekk a koy wax moo fiy làkk wu njëkk, maanaam wi nguur gi di waxe di ci liggéeye.