Dyulaspeaking

Dyula-speaking refers to people who speak the Dioula (also spelled Jula or Dyula) language, a Mandé language in the Niger-Congo family. Dioula is spoken by the Dyula people and by many others as a regional lingua franca across West Africa, particularly in commercial and interethnic settings.

It is widely spoken in Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Mali, and Guinea, with smaller communities in Niger and neighboring countries. Diaspora communities in Europe and North America also maintain Dyula-speaking networks.

Dioula belongs to the Northwestern branch of the Mande subgroup and has several regional varieties. Distinct forms are often labeled as Western Jula and Eastern Jula, corresponding roughly to different geographic areas.

Writing is predominantly in a Latin-based alphabet used in education, media, and everyday communication. In some communities, traditional or religious texts may also appear in other scripts.

Historically a major trade language along West African markets and caravan routes, Dyula remains a common second language for many ethnic groups in the region and is used in radio, trade, and local literature.