Saafi-Saafi

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A language of Senegal

ISO 639-3
sav
Alternate Names
Saafi, Safen, Safi, Safi-Safi, Sereer Saafen, Serere-Saafen, Serer-Safen
Population

200,000 (2012), increasing.

Location

Triangle southwest of and near Thiès, between Diamniadio, Popenguine, and Thiès. 60 villages: 43 are over 80% Saafi, 8 are under 50%.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing). Recognized language (2005, Decree No. 989 of 21 October).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Cangin
Dialects

Boukhou, Diobass, Hasab, Sebikotane, Sindia. Dialects named after villages and a zone (Diobass). Lexical similarity: 74% with Noon [snf], Lehar [cae], and Palor [fap]; 68% with Ndut [ndv]; 22% with Serer-Sine [srr].

Typology

SVO; nontonal

Language Use

Vigorous. Most domains. Children initially monolingual. Positive attitudes. Also use Wolof [wol], Ndoola [ndr], French [fra], Serer-Sine [srr], English [eng], Spanish [spa], Pulaar [fuc], Palor [fap].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 40% French, 10% Arabic. Desire for Saafi-Saafi literature. 85 literacy classes of various types. Radio programs.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Saafi-Saafi
Writing
Arabic script. Latin script.
Other Comments

Ethnonym: Saafi; Saafen is the area name, Families in Dakar may lose L1; the next generation will no longer consider itself Saafi. Often identified by themselves and the majority population as Serer, which is a widely used name for a cultural or linguistic group which includes the Serer-Sine language and the 5 Cangin languages. Muslim, traditional religion, Christian.