Dioula

Dioula, also known as Jula or Djula, is a Western Mande language of the Niger-Congo family. It is spoken by the Dioula (Jula) people and is widely used as a lingua franca across parts of West Africa. It should not be confused with Diola (Jola), a separate language spoken in Casamance.

Geographic distribution and use: Dioula is spoken in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Mali, with communities in adjacent countries such as Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. In urban centers and markets—such as Ouagadougou, Abidjan, and Sikasso—it serves as a common language for daily communication and commerce. Diasporic communities also use Dioula in international trading networks.

Linguistic features: Dioula is part of the Mandé branch of Mande languages. It is tonal and has several dialects, with varying degrees of mutual intelligibility. The language is typically written in a Latin-based script with diacritics; some communities have historical usage of Ajami (Arabic script). In formal education, French or local languages are often used, while Dioula functions primarily as a vernacular and lingua franca.

Sociolinguistic role: As a trade language, Dioula is prevalent in markets, urban communication, and interpersonal exchange. It is commonly learned as a second language by speakers of neighboring languages and appears in radio, music, and everyday media in parts of the region. Language vitality varies by country and community, influenced by competition from official languages and regional languages.

History and related languages: Dioula developed as a regional lingua franca within West African trade networks and has close historical ties to other Mandé languages such as Bambara and Malinke. It remains one of the most widely spoken West African languages by number of speakers and geographic reach.