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Fula

Fula

1 8.5
A language spoken across West Africa and used by many people to communicate
  • noun
: fula
  • The more innocuous term "bulgur marriage" persists in daily usage among Fula, despite the strong moral tone of the Fula terms.
  • Fula terms

Examples

  • In villages throughout Senegal, children learn Fula as their first language.

  • The linguistic diversity of West Africa includes numerous dialects of Fula spoken by its people.

  • The more innocuous term "bulgur marriage" persists in daily usage among Fula, despite the strong moral tone of the Fula terms.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Fula is a term used in parts of Guinea, Sierra Leone, and the Gambia for the ethnic group that speaks Pular.

    Academic text (2007)
  • There are two terms in Fula for bulgur marriage: yetegol bundeh, "to take illegally or improperly," and dewgal bongal, "an illicit union."

    Academic text (2007)
  • Many Fulani people communicate using Fula as a common language across West Africa.

Synonyms

Fulani
vsFula
1 8.4

A group of related West African languages used as a common language from Senegal to Chad

emphasizes its role as a shared lingua franca across the region
Peul
vsFula
1 9.9

A language spoken by Fulani people across West Africa

denotes the whole set of related languages rather than one specific tongue
Ful
vsFula
9.9

A language spoken by the Fulani people across West Africa

refers specifically to the whole group of related languages rather than one

Surface Forms

Fula singular
Fulas plural

Etymology

Fula for the language comes from the people's own name, also seen as Fulfulde or Pulaar, which is the speech of the Fulɓe. That is why Fula refers to the group of related languages used across West Africa as a common way to talk between many people.