Languages of Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is a multilingual country. An estimated 70 languages are spoken there, of which about 66 are indigenous. Mooré is spoken by about 52.5% of the population, mainly in the central region around the capital, Ouagadougou.
| Languages of Burkina Faso | |
|---|---|
Ethnolinguistic map of Burkina Faso | |
| Official | Mooré, Bissa, Dyula, Fula |
| Indigenous | Mande languages, Gur languages, Senufo languages, Wara–Natyoro languages, Hausa, Humburi Senni, Siamou, Tamasheq, Western Plains Dogon |
| Foreign | French, English |
| Signed | American Sign Language Burkina Sign Language |
In the west, Mande languages are widely spoken, the most predominant being Dyula (also spelled Jula or Dioula), others including Bobo, Samo, and Marka. Peul (Fula: fulfulde), a dialect of Fulani, is spoken in the north, however it is widely spoken throughout the country as a lingua franca. Gourmantché is spoken in the east, while the Bissa language is spoken in the south.
Education for the deaf in Burkina uses American Sign Language, which was introduced by the deaf American missionary Andrew Foster. The Burkina Sign Language is used in Ouagadougou.