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{{Short description|none}} <!-- This short description is INTENTIONALLY "none" - please see WP:SDNONE before you consider changing it! -->
{{Languages of
{{Languages of
| country = Guinea
| country = Guinea
| official = [[French language|French]]
| official = [[French language|French]]
| national = [[Fula language|Fula]], [[Malinké]], [[Susu language|Susu]], [[Kissi language|Kissi]], [[Kpelle language|Kpelle]] (also known in French as ''Guerzé''), [[Loma language|Toma]]
| national = [[Fula language|Fula]], [[Maninka language|Maninka]], [[Susu language|Susu]], [[Kissi language|Kissi]], [[Kpelle language|Kpelle]] (also known in French as ''Guerzé''), [[Loma language|Loma]]
| extralabel = interethnic
| extralabel = interethnic
| extra = French, Fula
| extra = French, Fula
| sign = [[American Sign Language]] ([[Francophone African Sign Language]])
| sign = [[American Sign Language]] ([[Francophone African Sign Language]])
|caption=Sign in French and [[Arabic language|Arabic]], [[Conakry]]
| foreign = [[English language|English]]
| vernacular = [[African French]]
| keyboard = French [[AZERTY]]
| keyboard image = [[File:KB France.svg|200px]]
}}
}}
The '''[[Republic of Guinea]]''' is a [[multilingual]] country, with over 40 languages spoken. The [[official language]] is [[French language|French]], which was inherited from colonial rule.
The [[Republic of Guinea]] is a [[multilingual]] country, with over 40 languages spoken. The [[official language]] is [[French language|French]].


Several indigenous languages have been given the status of [[national language]]s: [[Fula language|Fula]] (or Pular); [[Malinké]] (or Maninka); [[Susu language|Susu]]; [[Kissi language|Kissi]]; [[Kpelle language|Kpelle]] (known in French as Guerzé) and [[Loma language|Loma]].
Several indigenous languages have been given the status of [[national language]]s: [[Fula language|Fula]] (or Pular); [[Maninka language|Malinké]] (or Maninka); [[Susu language|Susu]]; [[Kissi language|Kissi]]; [[Kpelle language|Kpelle]] (also known in French as Guerzé) and [[Loma language|Loma]].

Guinea is a [[Francophone]] country, where, as of 2024, 4,11 million (27.83%) out of 14.76 million people speak French.<ref name="ODSEF">{{cite web| url=https://www.outils-odsef-fss.ulaval.ca/francoscope/ |title=Accueil-Francoscope |department=ODSEF (Observatoire démographique et statistique de l'espace francophone de l'[[Université Laval]]) |language=fr |agency=[[Organisation internationale de la Francophonie]] |location=[[Laval, Quebec|Laval]], [[Quebec|Québec]]}}</ref>


== Government and institutions ==
== Government and institutions ==
French is the language of state and of official institutions. It is used as a first language by 15 to 25% of the population.<ref>[http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/afrique/guinee_franco.htm Linguistic situation in Guinea]</ref> At the end of the [[Ahmed Sékou Touré]] regime, French was the only language used in business and schools.
[[French language|French]] is the language of state and of official institutions. It is used as a second language by 15% to 25% of the population, and as a first language by a negligible portion of the population.<ref>[http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/afrique/guinee_franco.htm Linguistic situation in Guinea]</ref> At the end of the [[Ahmed Sékou Touré]] regime, French was the only language used in business and schools.


== By region ==
== By region ==
Fula (34.6%) is mostly spoken in [[Middle Guinea]], where the major city is [[Labé]]. It dominates in the [[Labé Region|Labé]] and [[Mamou Region|Mamou]] regions where it is spoken by 94.5% and 92.4% of the populations respectively.<ref name =recensement2014>{{cite web|url=http://www.stat-guinee.org/images/Publications/INS/RGPH3/RGPH3_etat_structure.pdf|title=Etat et Structure de la Population Recensement General de la Population et de l'habitation 2014
Fula (32%)<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gv.html</ref> is mostly spoken in [[Middle Guinea]], where the major city is [[Labé]].
|access-date=27 March 2020 |website=Direction Nationale de la Statistique de Guinée| df=dmy }}</ref>


Malinké (30%) is mostly spoken in [[Upper Guinea]], where [[Kankan]] is the major city. The Kankan variety of the language was used by [[Solomana Kante]] for the development of [[N'Ko language|N'Ko]], a standardized unified written Manding language, which is increasingly used in literacy education and publishing books and newspapers in Guinea and neighboring countries.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Manding-English Dictionary : (Maninka, Bamana)|last=Vydrin|first=Valentin|publisher=|year=1999|isbn=9780993996931|location=Lac-Beauport|pages=8|oclc=905517929|author-link=Valentin Vydrin}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Donaldson|first=Coleman|date=2019-03-01|title=Linguistic and Civic Refinement in the N'ko Movement of Manding-Speaking West Africa|journal=Signs and Society|volume=7|issue=2|pages=156–185; 181|doi=10.1086/702554|issn=2326-4489}}</ref>
Malinké (24.9%) is mostly spoken in [[Upper Guinea]], where [[Kankan]] is the major city. It dominates the [[Kankan Region]] where it is spoken by 87.1% of the population.<ref name =recensement2014>{{cite web|url=http://www.stat-guinee.org/images/Publications/INS/RGPH3/RGPH3_etat_structure.pdf|title=Etat et Structure de la Population Recensement General de la Population et de l'habitation 2014
|access-date=27 March 2020 |website=Direction Nationale de la Statistique de Guinée| df=dmy }}</ref> The Kankan variety of the language was used by [[Solomana Kante]] for the development of [[N'Ko language|N'Ko]], a standardized unified written Manding language, which is increasingly used in literacy education and publishing books and newspapers in Guinea and neighboring countries.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Manding-English Dictionary : (Maninka, Bamana)|last=Vydrin|first=Valentin|year=1999|isbn=9780993996931|location=Lac-Beauport|pages=8|oclc=905517929|author-link=Valentin Vydrin}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Donaldson|first=Coleman|date=2019-03-01|title=Linguistic and Civic Refinement in the N'ko Movement of Manding-Speaking West Africa|journal=Signs and Society|volume=7|issue=2|pages=156–185; 181|doi=10.1086/702554|s2cid=181625415 |issn=2326-4489}}</ref>


Susu (20%)<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gv.html</ref> is mostly spoken in [[Guinée maritime]], where the capital is [[Conakry]].<ref name="Dalby">{{cite book|last=Dalby|first=Andrew|title=Dictionary of Languages: The definitive reference to more than 400 languages|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7dHNCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA590|date=28 October 2015|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=9781408102145|page=590}}</ref>
Susu (17.7%) is mostly spoken in [[Guinée maritime]], where the capital is [[Conakry]].<ref name="Dalby">{{cite book|last=Dalby|first=Andrew|title=Dictionary of Languages: The definitive reference to more than 400 languages|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7dHNCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA590|date=28 October 2015|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=9781408102145|page=590}}</ref> It dominates the [[Kindia Region]] where it is spoken by 54.9% of the population and the plurality (37%) of [[Conakry]] also speaks it.<ref name =recensement2014>{{cite web|url=http://www.stat-guinee.org/images/Publications/INS/RGPH3/RGPH3_etat_structure.pdf|title=Etat et Structure de la Population Recensement General de la Population et de l'habitation 2014
|access-date=27 March 2020 |website=Direction Nationale de la Statistique de Guinée| df=dmy }}</ref>


Guerzé (6.2%), Kissi (4.7%) and Toma (2.8%) are spoken in [[Guinée Forestière]]. More specifically, Guerzé is spoken in [[Nzérékoré]] and [[Yomou]]. Kissi is spoken in [[Guéckédou]] and [[Kissidougou]]. [[Kono language (Guinea)|Kono]] is a language used in the south of Guinea, mostly in [[Lola, Guinea|Lola]].
Koniaka (4.5%), Kissi (4.1%) and Kpelle (4%) are spoken in [[Guinée Forestière]]. More specifically, Kpelle is spoken in [[Nzérékoré]] and [[Yomou]]. Kissi is spoken in [[Guéckédou]] and [[Kissidougou]]. [[Kono language (Guinea)|Kono]] is a language used in the south of Guinea, mostly in [[Lola, Guinea|Lola]].<ref name =recensement2014>{{cite web|url=http://www.stat-guinee.org/images/Publications/INS/RGPH3/RGPH3_etat_structure.pdf|title=Etat et Structure de la Population Recensement General de la Population et de l'habitation 2014
|access-date=27 March 2020 |website=Direction Nationale de la Statistique de Guinée| df=dmy }}</ref>


=== Conakry ===
=== Conakry ===
According to a report by Alpha Mamadou Diallo,<ref>''Usages et images des langues en guinée'', page 17, Alpha Mamadou Diallo, Université de Conakry.</ref> the ''[[first language]]'' of inhabitants of the city of [[Conakry]] in decreasing order was: Susu 42%, Pular (Fula) 20%, Maninka(with koniaka) 19%, Kissi 4%, Guerzé 4%, French 2% and Toma 2%.
According to a report by Alpha Mamadou Diallo,<ref>''Usages et images des langues en guinée'', page 17, Alpha Mamadou Diallo, Université de Conakry.</ref> the ''[[first language]]'' of inhabitants of the city of [[Conakry]] in decreasing order was: pular 42%, susu 20%, maninka with koniaka 19%, Kissi 4%, Guerzé 4%, French 2% and Toma 2%.


== References ==
== References ==
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{{Guinea topics}}
{{Guinea topics}}
{{Languages of Africa}}
{{Languages of Africa}}



{{DEFAULTSORT:Languages Of Guinea}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Languages Of Guinea}}
[[Category:Languages of Guinea|*]]
[[Category:Languages of Guinea| ]]

Revision as of 15:20, 14 October 2024

Languages of Guinea
OfficialFrench
NationalFula, Maninka, Susu, Kissi, Kpelle (also known in French as Guerzé), Loma
VernacularAfrican French
ForeignEnglish
SignedAmerican Sign Language (Francophone African Sign Language)
Keyboard layout
French AZERTY
interethnicFrench, Fula

The Republic of Guinea is a multilingual country, with over 40 languages spoken. The official language is French.

Several indigenous languages have been given the status of national languages: Fula (or Pular); Malinké (or Maninka); Susu; Kissi; Kpelle (also known in French as Guerzé) and Loma.

Guinea is a Francophone country, where, as of 2024, 4,11 million (27.83%) out of 14.76 million people speak French.[1]

Government and institutions

French is the language of state and of official institutions. It is used as a second language by 15% to 25% of the population, and as a first language by a negligible portion of the population.[2] At the end of the Ahmed Sékou Touré regime, French was the only language used in business and schools.

By region

Fula (34.6%) is mostly spoken in Middle Guinea, where the major city is Labé. It dominates in the Labé and Mamou regions where it is spoken by 94.5% and 92.4% of the populations respectively.[3]

Malinké (24.9%) is mostly spoken in Upper Guinea, where Kankan is the major city. It dominates the Kankan Region where it is spoken by 87.1% of the population.[3] The Kankan variety of the language was used by Solomana Kante for the development of N'Ko, a standardized unified written Manding language, which is increasingly used in literacy education and publishing books and newspapers in Guinea and neighboring countries.[4][5]

Susu (17.7%) is mostly spoken in Guinée maritime, where the capital is Conakry.[6] It dominates the Kindia Region where it is spoken by 54.9% of the population and the plurality (37%) of Conakry also speaks it.[3]

Koniaka (4.5%), Kissi (4.1%) and Kpelle (4%) are spoken in Guinée Forestière. More specifically, Kpelle is spoken in Nzérékoré and Yomou. Kissi is spoken in Guéckédou and Kissidougou. Kono is a language used in the south of Guinea, mostly in Lola.[3]

Conakry

According to a report by Alpha Mamadou Diallo,[7] the first language of inhabitants of the city of Conakry in decreasing order was: pular 42%, susu 20%, maninka with koniaka 19%, Kissi 4%, Guerzé 4%, French 2% and Toma 2%.

References

  1. ^ "Accueil-Francoscope". ODSEF (Observatoire démographique et statistique de l'espace francophone de l'Université Laval) (in French). Laval, Québec. Organisation internationale de la Francophonie.
  2. ^ Linguistic situation in Guinea
  3. ^ a b c d "Etat et Structure de la Population Recensement General de la Population et de l'habitation 2014" (PDF). Direction Nationale de la Statistique de Guinée. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  4. ^ Vydrin, Valentin (1999). Manding-English Dictionary : (Maninka, Bamana). Lac-Beauport. p. 8. ISBN 9780993996931. OCLC 905517929.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ^ Donaldson, Coleman (2019-03-01). "Linguistic and Civic Refinement in the N'ko Movement of Manding-Speaking West Africa". Signs and Society. 7 (2): 156–185, 181. doi:10.1086/702554. ISSN 2326-4489. S2CID 181625415.
  6. ^ Dalby, Andrew (28 October 2015). Dictionary of Languages: The definitive reference to more than 400 languages. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 590. ISBN 9781408102145.
  7. ^ Usages et images des langues en guinée, page 17, Alpha Mamadou Diallo, Université de Conakry.
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