Serer language
Serer | |
---|---|
Seereerسࣹيرࣹيرْ | |
Native to | Senegal,Gambia,Mauritania |
Ethnicity | Serer |
Native speakers | 1.9 million (2021–2022)[1] |
Standard forms |
|
Arabic Latin | |
Official status | |
Regulated by | CLAD (Centre de linguistique appliquée de Dakar) |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-2 | srr |
ISO 639-3 | srr |
Glottolog | sere1260 |
Serer,often broken into differing regional dialects such asSerer-SineandSerer saloum,is a language of theSenegambian branchof theNiger–Congofamily spoken by 1.2 million people inSenegaland 30,000 inthe Gambiaas of 2009.[2]It is the principal language of theSerer people,and was the language of the early modern kingdoms ofSine,Saloum,andBaol.
Classification
[edit]Serer is one of theSenegambian languages,which are characterized byconsonant mutation.The traditional classification ofAtlantic languagesis that of Sapir (1971), which found that Serer was closest toFulani.[3]However, a widely cited misreading of the data by Wilson (1989) inadvertently exchanged Serer forWolof. Dialects of Serer are Serer Sine (theprestige dialect), Segum, Fadyut-Palmerin, Dyegueme (Gyegem), andNiominka.They aremutually intelligibleexcept for the Sereer spoken in some of the areas surrounding the city ofThiès.
Not allSerer peoplespeak Serer. About 200,000 speakCangin languages.Because the speakers are ethnically Serer, they are commonly thought to be Serer dialects. However, they are not closely related, and Serer is significantly closer to Fulani (also called Pulbe, Pulaar, or Fulbe) than it is to Cangin.[citation needed]
Phonology
[edit]Consonants
[edit]Thevoiceless implosivesare highly unusual sounds.[4]
Labial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Uvular | Glottal | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nasal | m | n | ɲ | ŋ | |||
Stop | voiceless | p | t | c | k | q | ʔ |
voiced | b | d | ɟ | ɡ | |||
prenasal | ᵐb | ⁿd | ᶮɟ | ᵑɡ | ᶰɢ | ||
Implosive | voiceless | ɓ̥ | ɗ̥ | ʄ̊ | |||
voiced | ɓ | ɗ | ʄ | ||||
Flap | ɾ | ||||||
Fricative | f | s | x | h | |||
Approximant | l | j | w | ˀj |
Vowels
[edit]Front | Back | |
---|---|---|
Close | iiː | uuː |
Mid | eeː | ooː |
Open | aaː |
Writing system
[edit]Serer today is primarily written in Latin Alpha bet. The Latin Alpha bet has been standardized in various government decrees, the latest of which was issued in 2005.[5]
However, historically, similar toWolof language,its first writing system was the adaption of the Arabic Script.[dubious–discuss]The Arabic script is used today as well, albeit in a smaller scale, and only mostly limited to Islamic school teachers and students. TheArabic-based script of Serer was set by the government as well, between 1985 and 1990, although never adopted by a decree, as the effort by the Senegalese ministry of education was to be part of a multi-national standardization effort.[6]The script is referred to as "SererAjami script"(In Serer:ajami seereer,اَجَمِ سࣹيرࣹيرْ).
Serer Latin Alpha bet
[edit]Serer Latin Alpha bet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A | B | Ɓ | C | Ƈ | D | Ɗ | E | F | G | H | I | J | Jʼ | K | L | M | N | Ñ | Ŋ | O | P | Ƥ | Q | R | S | T | Ƭ | U | W | X | Y | Ƴ | ʼ |
a | b | ɓ | c | ƈ | d | ɗ | e | f | g | h | i | j | ʃ | k | l | m | n | ñ | ŋ | o | p | ƥ | q | r | s | t | ƭ | u | w | x | y | ƴ | ʼ |
Serer Ajami Script Equivalent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
اَ / ◌َ | ب | ࢠ | ݖ | ࢢ | د | ط | اࣹ / ◌ࣹ | ف | گ | ه | اِ / ◌ِ | ج | ݖ | ک | ل | م | ن | ݧ | ݝ | اࣷ / ◌ࣷ | ݒ | ݕ | ق | ر | س | ت | ࢣ | اُ / ◌ُ | و | خ | ي | ڃ | ع |
IPA value | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
a | b | ɓ | c | ʄ̊ | d | ɗ | e | f | ɡ | h | i | ɟ | ʄ | k | l | m | n | ɲ | ŋ | o | p | ɓ̥ | q | r | s | t | ɗ̥ | u | w | x | j | ˀj | ʔ |
Serer Ajami script
[edit]This sectionpossibly containsoriginal research.(April 2024) |
There are 29 letters in Serer Ajami script. The list does not include consonants that are used exclusively in Arabic loanwords and do not occur in Serer words, nor does it include digraphs used for showing prenasalized consonants.[7]
Name | Forms | Sound represented | Latin equivalent | Example | Notes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Isolated | Final | Medial | Initial | Serer | Latin | ||||
alif اَلِف |
ا | ـا | ا | /a/ | - / a | اُوݒْ اَرَابْ |
oop araab |
| |
beh بࣹهْ |
ب | ـب | ـبـ | بـ | [b] | b | بَنَانَ | banaana | |
peh ݒࣹهْ |
ݒ | ـݒ | ـݒـ | ݒـ | [p] | p | فَاݒْ | faap | |
ɓeh ࢠࣹهْ |
ࢠ | ـࢠ | ـࢠـ | ࢠـ | [ɓ] | ɓ | ࢠَلِگْ | ɓalig | |
ƥeh ݕࣹهْ |
ݕ | ـݕ | ـݕـ | ݕـ | [ƥ] | ƥ | ݕِيݕْ | ƥiiɓ | |
teh تࣹهْ |
ت | ـت | ـتـ | تـ | [t] | t | ݧࣷوتْ | ñoot | |
ceh ݖࣹهْ |
ݖ | ـݖ | ـݖـ | ݖـ | [c] | c / ʃ | ݖَاݖِ | caaci | |
jeem جࣹيمْ |
ج | ـج | ـجـ | جـ | [dʒ] | j | جُعࣷوخْ | juoox | |
ƴeh ڃࣹهْ |
ڃ | ـڃ | ـڃـ | ڃـ | [ˀj] | ƴ | ڃࣹیوْ | ƴeew | |
ƈeh ࢢࣹهْ |
ࢢ | ـࢢ | ـࢢـ | ࢢـ | [ʄ] | ƈ | ࢢَارْ | ƈaar | |
xah خَهْ |
خ | ـخ | ـخـ | خـ | [x] | x | خَارِيتْ | xaariit | |
dal دَلْ |
د | ـد | د | [d] | d | دࣷونَا | doonaa | ||
reh رࣹهْ |
ر | ـر | ر | [r] | r | رِيتِ | riiti | ||
seen سࣹينْ |
س | ـس | ـسـ | سـ | [s] | s | سُݒِتْ | supit | |
ɗaah طَاهْ |
ط | ـط | ـطـ | طـ | [ɗ] | ɗ | طِيسْ | ɗiis | |
ƭaah ࢣَاهْ |
ࢣ | ـࢣ | ـࢣـ | ࢣـ | [ɗ̥] | ƭ | وَاࢣْ | waaƭ | |
ayn عَيْنْ |
ع | ـع | ـعـ | عـ | - /[ʔ] | - / ' | اِسْرَعࣹلْ | Israel |
|
ŋoon ݝࣷونْ |
ݝ | ـݝ | ـݝـ | ݝـ | [ŋ] | ŋ | ݝَتْ | ŋat | |
feh فࣹهْ |
ف | ـف | ـفـ | فـ | [ɸ] | f | فࣷوفِ | foofi | |
qaf قَفْ |
ق | ـق | ـقـ | قـ | [q] | q | اَ قࣷوقْ اَلࣹ | a qooq ale | |
kaf کَفْ |
ک | ـک | ـکـ | کـ | [k] | k | اَکࣷيْ | akoy | |
geh گࣹهْ |
گ | ـگ | ـگـ | گـ | [g] | g | جࣷگࣷݧْ | jogoñ |
|
lam لَمْ |
ل | ـل | ـلـ | لـ | [l] | l | لَکَسْ | lakas | |
meem مࣹيمْ |
م | ـم | ـمـ | مـ | [m] | m | مُکَندࣷونگّ مبَاخْ |
mukandoong mbaax |
|
noon نࣷونْ |
ن | ـن | ـنـ | نـ | [n] | n | نࣷمْتُ نجُعَخْ |
nomtu nju'ax |
|
ñoon ݧࣷونْ |
ݧ | ـݧ | ـݧـ | ݧـ | [ɲ] | ñ | رࣵݧِّ | ràññi | |
waw وَوْ |
و | ـو | و | [w] | w | وَتْ ݒِندࣷوࢣْ |
wat pindooƭ |
| |
heh هࣹهْ |
ه | ـه | ـهـ | هـ | [h] | h | اَبْرَهَمْ | abraham | |
yeh يࣹهْ |
ي | ـي | ـيـ | يـ | [j] | y | يِݒُ رِيتِ |
yipu riiti |
|
Prenasalized consonantsare written as adigraph(combination of two consonants). While historically, there were single letter alternatives, these letters are no longer used. Prenasalized consonants are constructed usingmeem(م) ornoon(ن) in combination with other consonants. The lettermeem(م) appears in pairs withbeh(ب), whereas the letternoon(ن) appears in pairs withdal(د),jeem(ج),qaf(ق), andgeh(گ).
Prenasalized consonants cannot take the zero-vowel diacriticsukun(◌ْ). If they are at the end of the word and have no vowels, they will take the gemination diacriticshadda(◌ّ).
In prenasalized consonants, the first letter of the digraph, namely eithermeem(م) ornoon(ن), is written with no diacritic. This is what distinguishes them from consonant sequences.
Some Serer-speaking authors treat these digraphs as their own independent letters.
Forms | Sound represented | Latin equivalent | Example | Notes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Isolated | Final | Medial | Initial | Wolofal | Latin | |||
مب | ـمبّ | ـمبـ | مبـ | [ᵐb] | mb | مبُودْ | mbuud | |
ند | ـندّ | ـند | ند | [ⁿd] | nd | ندَبِدْ | ndabid | |
نج | ـنجّ | ـنجـ | نجـ | [ᶮɟ] | nj | نجࣹکْ | njek | |
نق | ـنقّ | ـنقـ | نقـ | [ⁿq] | nq | نقࣹيخْ | nqeex | |
نگ | ـنگّ | ـنگـ | نگـ | [ᵑɡ] | ng | نگُلࣷوکْ | ngulook |
|
Serer Ajami script, like its parent system, theArabic script,and like otherAjami scripts,is anabjad.This means that only consonants are represented with letters. Vowels are shown withdiacritics.As a matter of fact, writing of diacritics, includingzero-vowel (sukun) diacriticas per the orthographic are mandatory.
Arabic has 3 vowels, and thus 3 vowel diacritics. But in Serer, there are 5 vowels, and as all vowels are shown with diacritics in Serer. This means that on top of the 3 original diacritics, 2 additional ones have been created.
Vowels in Wolof are also distinguished by length, short and long. Short vowels are only shown with a diacritic. Similar to Arabic, long vowels are indicated by writingalif(ا),waw(و), oryeh(ي). But unlike Arabic, this does not mean that the vowel diacritic can be dropped. It cannot, as there 5 vowels and not 3.[7]
- For vowel "a" (◌َ), the vowel is lengthened (aa) with analif(ا)
- For vowels "e" or "i", the vowel is lengthened (ee, ii) with ayeh(ي).
- For vowels "o" or "u", the vowel is lengthened (oo, uu) with awaw(و).
When vowels appear at the beginning of the word, analif(ا) is used as the carrier of the vowel. If a long vowel is at the beginning of the word, analif,analif(ا) is used as the carrier of the vowel, followed by eitherwaw(و) oryeh(ي) as appropriate. The exception is when a word starts with the long vowel "Aa". Instead of twoalifs (اا) being used, analif-maddah(آ) is used.[7]
Sukun (Zero-vowel) |
Short | Long | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
-a | -i | -u | -e | -o | -aa | -ii | -uu | -ee | -oo | |
◌ْ | ◌َ | ◌ِ | ◌ُ | ◌ࣹ | ◌ࣷ | ◌َا | ◌ِيـ / ◌ِي | ◌ُو | ◌ࣹيـ / ◌ࣹي | ◌ࣷو |
Short | Long | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | I | U | E | O | Aa | Ii | Uu | Ee | Oo |
اَ | اِ | اُ | اࣹ | اࣷ | آ | اِيـ / اِي | اُو | اࣹيـ / اࣹي | اࣷو |
Greetings
[edit]The following greetings and responses are spoken in most regions of Senegal that have Serer speakers.
- Nam fi'o?('how are you doing?')
- Mexe meen('I am here')
- Ta mbind na?('how is the family' or more literally 'how is the house?')
- Awa maa('they are good' or more literally 'they are there')
Spatial awareness is very important in Sereer. For example, this exchange is only for when the household in question is not nearby. Certain grammatical changes would occur if the greetings were exchanged in a home that the greeter has just entered:
- Ta mbind ne?('how is the family/house [which is here]?')
- Awa meen('they are good' or more literally 'they are here')
In Senegalese Sereer culture like many cultures in that region, greetings are very important. Sometimes, people will spend several minutes greeting each other.
Sample text
[edit]Article 1 of theUniversal Declaration of Human Rights
Translation | Latin Script | Serer Ajami Script |
---|---|---|
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. | Ween we naa ñoowaa na ’adna, den fot mbogow no ke war na ’oxu refna na den ’a jega ’o ngalaat ’umti yiif ’um, le mbarin o meƭtowtaa baa mbaag ’o ñoow den fot no fog. | وࣹينْ وࣹ نَا ݧُووَا نَ اَدْنَ، دࣹنْ فࣷتْ مبࣷگࣷوْ نࣷ کࣹ وُر نَ اࣷخُ رࣹفْنَ نَ دࣹنْ اَ جࣹگَ اࣷ نگَلَاتْ اُمْتِ يِيفْ اُمْ، لࣹ مبَرِنْ اࣷ مࣹࢣࣷوْتَا بَا مبَاگْ اࣷ ݧࣷووْ دࣹنْ فࣷتْ نࣷ فࣷگْ. |
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^SereratEthnologue(27th ed., 2024)
- ^Lewis, M. Paul (ed.), 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Sixteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International, Ethnologue. Figures for (2006) The Gambia only.
- ^Sapir, David, 1971. "West Atlantic: an inventory of the languages, their noun-class systems and consonant alternation". In Sebeok, ed,Current trends in linguistics,7:linguistics in sub-Saharan Africa.Mouton, 45–112
- ^Mc Laughlin (2005:203)
- ^Gouvernement du Sénégal,Décret N° 2005-990 du 21 octobre 2005.
- ^abPriest, Lorna A; Hosken, Martin;SIL International(12 August 2010)."Proposal to add Arabic script characters for African and Asian languages"(PDF).pp. 13–18, 34–37.
- ^abcdeAndaam a ajami seereer - Ndax o jang too bind a seereer na pindooƭ a araab / Alphabétisation - Cours pour apprendre à lire et à écrire le sérère en caractères arabes (5 July, 2014)Link(Archive)
Bibliography
[edit]- Fall, Papa Oumar (2013). "The ethnolinguistic classification of Seereer in question".In Africa: Challenges of Multilingualism, Ds Altmayer, Claus / Wolff, H. Ekkehard, Peter Lang, Frankfurt Am Main, Berlin, Bern, Bruxelles, New York, Oxford:47–60.
- McLaughlin, Fiona (1994). "Consonant mutation in Seereer-Siin".Studies in African Languages.23:279–313.
- McLaughlin, Fiona (2000). "Consonant mutation and reduplication in Seereer-Siin".Phonology.17(3): 333–363.doi:10.1017/S0952675701003955.
- Mc Laughlin, Fiona (2005), "Voiceless implosives in Seereer-Siin",Journal of the International Phonetic Association,35(2): 201–214,doi:10.1017/S0025100305002215
- Crétois, L. (1972).Dictionnaire sereer-français (différents dialects)(in French). Dakar: Centre de Linguistique Appliquée de Dakar.
- Fal, A. (1980).Les nominaux en sereer-siin: Parler de Jaxaaw(in French). Dakar: Nouvelles Editions Africaines.
- Senghor, L. S. (1994). "L'harmonie vocalique en sérère (dialecte du Dyéguème)".Journal de la Société des Linguistes(in French).14:17–23.
External links
[edit]- Sereer Grammar - Sereer wiki
- Decree No. 2005-990 of 21 October 2005 relating to the spelling and the separation of words in Serervia the website of theJournal officiel(in French)