Baoulé

A language of Côte d’Ivoire

ISO 639-3

Alternate Names

Baoule, Baule, Baule-Ando, Bawule

Population

4,650,000 in Côte d’Ivoire (Leclerc 2017c). Total users in all countries: 4,654,060.

Location

Lacs, Lagunes, Gôh-Djiboua, Sassandra-Marahoué, Vallée du Bandama, Woroba, and Yamoussoukro regions. Widespread in the south.

Language Status

5* (Developing).

Classification

Dialects

Ando. Reportedly similar to Anyin [any]. Many subgroups, but all claim to understand the standard variety.

Language Use

Also use French [fra]. Used as L2 by Abidji [abi], Attié [ati], Beng [nhb], Krobu [kxb], Ngen [gnj], Yaouré [yre].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 10%–30%. Literacy rate in L2: 25%–50%. Radio. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1998.

Language Resources

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Largest ethnic group in Côte d’Ivoire. Traditional religion, Christian.