Language Information

Fulani, also known as Fula or Fulbe, is spoken over a broad belt of western Africa. By far the largest concentration is in northern Nigeria, where approximately 8 million Fulani (out of a total of 15 million) live. But they are also to be found in sizable numbers in Guinea, Guinea-Hissau, Senegal, Gambia, Mauritania, Mali, Upper Volta, Niger, and Cameroon.

The light-skinned Fulani are apparently a people of great antiquity. Their ultimate origin is a source of much speculation, some even suggesting that they are one of the tribes referred to by biblical and classical writers. Their language is generally placed in the West Atlantic branch of the Niger-Congo family, but its richness and sophistication seem to set it apart from the other languages of the region.

Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal.

Family: Niger-Congo
Subgroup: Western Sudanic
Branch: West Atlantic

Writing Sample

Translation

One evening a judge found in a book that everyone who had a little head and a long beard was a fool. Now the judge had a little head and a long beard, so he said to himself, "I cannot increase the size of my head, but I will shorten my beard." He hunted for the scissors, but could not find them. Without further ado he took half of his beard in his hand and put the other half into the candle and burnt it. When the flame reached his hand he let go, and all the beard was burned. Thus the judge felt ashamed, for he had proved the truth of what was written in the book.