Jola languages

Not to be confused with Dyula language.

Jola
Diola
Geographic distribution	The Gambia, Senegal (esp. Casamance) and Guinea-Bissau
Linguistic classification	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Bak–Bijago Bak proper Jola–Papel Jola
Subdivisions	Bayot Jola proper
Glottolog	nucl1345  (Nuclear Jola) bayo1255  (Bayot)

Jola 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.

Languages

The primary branches of Jola proper and to some extent Central Jola are not mutually intelligible. The main varieties are:

• Bayot
• Jola proper
  • Kwatay (Kuwaataay), spoken along the coast south of the Casamance River.
  • Karon–Mlomp
    • Karon, spoken along the coast of Casamance south of Diouloulou.
    • Mlomp
  • Central Jola
    • Jola-Fonyi (Kujamatay), spoken around Bignona. The official standard.
    • Bandial, spoken in a small area south of the Casamance River.
    • Gusilay, spoken in the village of Thionck Essyl.
    • Jola-Felupe (Ediamat), spoken in a handful of villages south of Oussouye in Oussouye Department. Kerak may be a dialect.
    • (Jola) Kasa, spoken around Oussouye.

Bayot

Bayot, spoken around Ziguinchor, is grammatically Jola apart from a non-Jola pronominal system, but maybe half its vocabulary is non-Jola and even non-Atlantic. It may therefore be a language isolate with substantial Jola borrowing (relexification). In any case it is clearly distinct from (other) Jola languages.

External links

• Kujamaat Jóola Folklore and Language materials