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Ethnologue: Languages of the World
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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Africa > Guinea > Pular

Pular

A language of Guinea

ISO 639-3: fuf

Population  2,550,000 in Guinea (Vanderaa 1991). Population total all countries: 2,929,200.
Region  Northwest, Fouta Djallon area. Also in Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone.
Language map  Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, reference number 36
Alternate names   Foula Fouta, Fouta Dyalon, Fulbe, Fulfulde Jalon, Fullo Fuuta, Futa Fula, Futa Jallon, Fuuta Jalon, Jalon
Dialects  Kebu Fula, Fula Peta. Different enough from Pulaar [fuc] in Senegal to need separate literature. In Sierra Leone, recent immigrants from Guinea speak the original Futa Jalon dialect or the Kebu dialect (Dalby 1962). A slightly modified form of Futa Jalon is known as Krio Fula with many loans from Sierra Leone languages.
Classification  Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Senegambian, Fulani-Wolof, Fula, West Central
A member of macrolanguage Fulah [ful] (Senegal).
Language use  Official regional language. Some also use Eastern Maninkakan [emk] or Susu [sus].
Language development  Grammar. Bible portions: 1929–1986.
Writing system  Arabic script. Latin script.
Comments  Heavy borrowing from Arabic. Formerly, extensive literature in Pular, but little still exists. Muslim, Christian.

Also spoken in:

Mali

Language name   Pular
Population  50,000 in Mali (1991).
Region  Western Mali from Guinea up to about Keniéba, especially in the administrative districts of Faléa and Faraba.
Language map  Mali, Enlarged Area
Alternate names  Foula Fouta, Fouta Dyalon, Fulfulde Jalon, Fullo Fuuta, Futa Fula, Futa Jallon, Fuuta Jalon
Comments  Muslim.
 

Senegal

Language name   Pular
Population  150,000 in Senegal (2006).
Alternate names  Fouta Dyalon, Fullo Fuuta, Futa Fula, Futa Jallon, Fuuta Jalon
Language use  Looked upon as outsiders.
Language development  Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%.
Comments  Large numbers from Guinea have settled or work seasonally in Casamance, eastern Senegal, and Dakar. Muslim.
 

Sierra Leone

Language name   Pular
Population  178,000 in Sierra Leone (1991).
Region  Widespread but especially north.
Alternate names  Fouta Dyalon, Fula, Fulbe, Fullo Fuuta, Futa, Futa Jallon, Fuuta Jalon
Dialects  Krio Fula, Kebu Fula.
Comments  People live in settled and migrant communities. Muslim.