Wolof is the most
widely spoken language in Senegal and Gambia. It has the most
native speakers of any language in either of these countries,
and it is used by the majority of Senegalese and Gambians as a
lingua franca, and it is the principal language of Dakar, one
of West Africa's most dynamic cities. Wolof is used in both radio
and television broadcasting in these countries, and though it
is not widely used as a language of education in schools, it is
increasingly a language of literacy, with a number of Wolof writers
writing in Wolof.
Though Wolof is spoken
only in the Senegambia region, it has reached a much larger audience
than most African languages. Most Senegalese popular musicians,
such a Yousou Ndour, Isamel Lo, and Kinne Lamm are Wolof speakers
and sing in Wolof. Likewise, Senegalese traders and artisans have
moved to many cities in Europe and North America, to the point
that many people identify Wolof cultural features as more or less
the archetype of West Africa.
For more information on Wolof see the UCLA aflang Wolof page, which includes links to many other web cites relevant to Wolof, Senegal, and the Gambia.
The UCLA Linguistics Department is offering instruction in Wolof at the introductory level during 1998-99. The focus is on spoken Wolof. Games and structured conversational activities allow students to develop skills they would need in everyday situations. The class explores various cultural topics including
and many others.
Exercise packets are passed out in class. The only required text is
Pamela Munro and Deiynaba Gaye, Ay Baati Wolof--A Wolof Dictionary, revised edition. UCLA Occasional Papers in Linguistics, Number 19, 1997.