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Wolofal alphabet
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<h2 id="alphabet">Alphabet</h2> <p>Wolofal, like its parent system, the <a href="/facts/Arabic_script/GB5gsj1F">Arabic script</a>, is an <a href="/facts/Abjad/Hn50ebWn">abjad</a>. This means that only consonants are represented with letters. Vowels are shown with <a href="/facts/Arabic_diacritics/7TAagmkr">diacritics</a>. As a matter of fact, writing of diacritics, including <a href="/facts/Arabic_diacritics/7TAagmkr">zero-vowel (sukun) diacritic</a> as per the orthographic are mandatory. </p><p>In order to represent sounds in Wolof that are not present in Arabic, letters as well as diacritics have been created. Historically, there was different conventions among different writers and schools, but one of the aims and achievements of the push for standardization by the Senegalese Ministry of Education has been to agree upon a unified set of letters.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p> <h3>Letters</h3> <p>There are 23 letters in Wolofal alphabet. The list does not include consonants that are used exclusively in Arabic loanwords and do not occur in Wolof words, nor does it include digraphs used for showing prenasalized consonants.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p> Wolofal Letters<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a><table><tbody><tr><th rowspan="2">Name</th><th colspan="4">Forms</th><th rowspan="2">Sound represented</th><th rowspan="2">Latin equivalent</th><th colspan="2">Example</th><th rowspan="2">Notes</th></tr><tr><th>Isolated</th><th>Final</th><th>Medial</th><th>Initial</th><th>Wolofal</th><th>Latin</th></tr><tr><td><i>alif</i>اَلِف</td><td>ا</td><td colspan="2">ـا</td><td>ا</td><td>/a/</td><td>- / a</td><td>اِتَمْگَالْ</td><td>itamgaal</td><td><ul><li>The <i>alif</i> has two functions: first, to be the carrier of vowel diacritic as word initial, and second to indicate long vowel <i>"-aa"</i>.</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>beh</i>بࣹهْ</td><td>ب</td><td>ـب</td><td>ـبـ</td><td>بـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_bilabial_plosive/6ReC9arR">b</a>]</td><td>b</td><td>بَاخْ</td><td>baax</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i>peh</i>ݒࣹهْ</td><td>ݒ</td><td>ـݒ</td><td>ـݒـ</td><td>ݒـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiceless_bilabial_plosive/w4M9Igp6">p</a>]</td><td>p</td><td>ݒࣹݒّ</td><td>pepp</td><td><ul><li>Character not found in Arabic.</li><li>Obsolete Alternatives: پ, ݑ</li><li><a href="/facts/Unicode/DDu3MfPV">Unicode</a> <a href="https://www.compart.com/fr/unicode/U+0752">U+0752</a></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>teh</i>تࣹهْ</td><td>ت</td><td>ـت</td><td>ـتـ</td><td>تـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiceless_alveolar_plosive/1GaDe2Vy">t</a>]</td><td>t</td><td>تَارْ</td><td>taar</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i>ceh</i>ݖࣹهْ</td><td>ݖ</td><td>ـݖ</td><td>ـݖـ</td><td>ݖـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiceless_palatal_plosive/nBqIqUIS">c</a>]</td><td>c</td><td>ݖَابِ</td><td>caabi</td><td><ul><li>Character not found in Arabic.</li><li>Obsolete Alternatives: چ, جۛ</li><li><a href="/facts/Unicode/DDu3MfPV">Unicode</a> <a href="https://www.compart.com/fr/unicode/U+0756">U+0756</a></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>seh</i>ثࣹهْ</td><td>ث</td><td>ـث</td><td>ـثـ</td><td>ثـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiceless_alveolar_fricative/WLKtEYDe">s</a>]</td><td>s</td><td></td><td></td><td><ul><li>Character only used in writing of Arabic Loanwords</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>jeem</i>جࣹيمْ</td><td>ج</td><td>ـج</td><td>ـجـ</td><td>جـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_palatal_plosive/otrWQbpW">ɟ</a>]</td><td>j</td><td>جَايْ</td><td>jaay</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i>hah</i>حَهْ</td><td>ح</td><td>ـح</td><td>ـحـ</td><td>حـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiceless_glottal_fricative/lfRB7CPW">h</a>]</td><td>h</td><td></td><td></td><td><ul><li>Character only used in writing of Arabic Loanwords</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>xah</i>خَهْ</td><td>خ</td><td>ـخ</td><td>ـخـ</td><td>خـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiceless_velar_fricative/mrKPhobk">x</a>]</td><td>x</td><td>خَمْ</td><td>xam</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i>dal</i>دَلْ</td><td>د</td><td colspan="2">ـد</td><td>د</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_plosive/A6hNvmCp">d</a>]</td><td>d</td><td>دَانُ</td><td>daanu</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i>sal</i>ذَلْ</td><td>ذ</td><td colspan="2">ـذ</td><td>ذ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_palatal_plosive/otrWQbpW">ɟ</a>]~[<a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_fricative/TtHwyzp6">z</a>]</td><td>j</td><td></td><td></td><td><ul><li>Character only used in writing of Arabic Loanwords</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>reh</i>رࣹهْ</td><td>ر</td><td colspan="2">ـر</td><td>ر</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_trill/rDplJobc">r</a>]</td><td>r</td><td>رَاس</td><td>raas</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i>seh</i>زࣹهْ</td><td>ز</td><td colspan="2">ـز</td><td>ز</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_palatal_plosive/otrWQbpW">ɟ</a>]~[<a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_fricative/TtHwyzp6">z</a>]</td><td>j</td><td></td><td></td><td><ul><li>Character only used in writing of foreign Loanwords</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>seen</i>سࣹينْ</td><td>س</td><td>ـس</td><td>ـسـ</td><td>سـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiceless_alveolar_fricative/WLKtEYDe">s</a>]</td><td>s</td><td>سَنتْ</td><td>sant</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i>cheen</i>شࣹينْ</td><td>ش</td><td>ـش</td><td>ـشـ</td><td>شـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiceless_alveolar_fricative/WLKtEYDe">s</a>]~[<a href="/facts/Voiceless_postalveolar_fricative/enUwqS2w">ʃ</a>]</td><td>s</td><td></td><td></td><td><ul><li>Character only used in writing of foreign Loanwords</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>saad</i>صَادْ</td><td>ص</td><td>ـص</td><td>ـصـ</td><td>صـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiceless_alveolar_fricative/WLKtEYDe">s</a>]</td><td>s</td><td></td><td></td><td><ul><li>Character only used in writing of Arabic Loanwords</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>daad</i>ضَادْ</td><td>ض</td><td>ـض</td><td>ـضـ</td><td>ضـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_plosive/A6hNvmCp">d</a>]</td><td>d</td><td></td><td></td><td><ul><li>Character only used in writing of Arabic Loanwords</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>taay</i>طَايْ</td><td>ط</td><td>ـط</td><td>ـطـ</td><td>طـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiceless_alveolar_plosive/1GaDe2Vy">t</a>]</td><td>t</td><td></td><td></td><td><ul><li>Character only used in writing of Arabic Loanwords</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>saay</i>ظَايْ</td><td>ظ</td><td>ـظ</td><td>ـظـ</td><td>ظـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_palatal_plosive/otrWQbpW">ɟ</a>]~[<a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_fricative/TtHwyzp6">z</a>]</td><td>j</td><td></td><td></td><td><ul><li>Character only used in writing of Arabic Loanwords</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>ayn</i>عَيْنْ</td><td>ع</td><td>ـع</td><td>ـعـ</td><td>عـ</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>اِسْرَعࣹلْدࣴعࣴلْ</td><td>Israeldëel</td><td><ul><li>Used for writing vowel sequences, and mid-word syllables that start with vowels.</li><li>Used for marking long vowel "ëe", where it's written with diacritic ◌ࣴ.</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>gayn</i>غَيْنْ</td><td>غ</td><td>ـغ</td><td>ـغـ</td><td>غـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_velar_plosive/f6udTvfQ">ɡ</a>]</td><td>g</td><td></td><td></td><td><ul><li>Character only used in writing of Arabic Loanwords</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>ŋoon</i>ݝࣷونْ</td><td>ݝ</td><td>ـݝ</td><td>ـݝـ</td><td>ݝـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_velar_nasal/r6v5q92L">ŋ</a>]</td><td>ŋ</td><td>ݝَامْ</td><td>ŋaam</td><td><ul><li>Character not found in Arabic.</li><li>Obsolete Alternatives: ݤ,ڭ</li><li><a href="/facts/Unicode/DDu3MfPV">Unicode</a> <a href="https://www.compart.com/fr/unicode/U+075D">U+075D</a></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>feh</i>فࣹهْ</td><td>ف</td><td>ـف</td><td>ـفـ</td><td>فـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiceless_bilabial_fricative/mccNzbmL">ɸ</a>]</td><td>f</td><td>فَارْ</td><td>faar</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i>qaf</i>قَفْ</td><td>ق</td><td>ـق</td><td>ـقـ</td><td>قـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiceless_uvular_plosive/aKeHjs1N">q</a>]</td><td>q</td><td>نَقَرْ</td><td>naqar</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i>kaf</i>کَفْ</td><td>ک</td><td>ـک</td><td>ـکـ</td><td>کـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiceless_velar_plosive/dDppVb6e">k</a>]</td><td>k</td><td>کَانِ</td><td>kaani</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i>geh</i>گࣹهْ</td><td>گ</td><td>ـگ</td><td>ـگـ</td><td>گـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_velar_plosive/f6udTvfQ">ɡ</a>]</td><td>g</td><td>گَالْ</td><td>gaal</td><td><ul><li>Character not found in Arabic.</li><li>Obsolete Alternative: ڭ</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>lam</i>لَمْ</td><td>ل</td><td>ـل</td><td>ـلـ</td><td>لـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_lateral_approximant/dgbHhqeK">l</a>]</td><td>l</td><td>لَجّ</td><td>lajj</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i>meem</i>مࣹيمْ</td><td>م</td><td>ـم</td><td>ـمـ</td><td>مـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_bilabial_nasal/1pd7NK2x">m</a>]</td><td>m</td><td>مَامْمبَارْ</td><td>maammbaar</td><td><ul><li>Used either as an independent consonant, or as part of a digraph in prenasalized consonants.</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>noon</i>نࣷونْ</td><td>ن</td><td>ـن</td><td>ـنـ</td><td>نـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_nasal/0CEs8314">n</a>]</td><td>n</td><td>نَانْنجࣷولْ</td><td>naannjool</td><td><ul><li>Used either as an independent consonant, or as part of a digraph in prenasalized consonants.</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>ñoon</i>ݧࣷونْ</td><td>ݧ</td><td>ـݧ</td><td>ـݧـ</td><td>ݧـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_palatal_nasal/dLa9YG49">ɲ</a>]</td><td>ñ</td><td>ݧَانْ</td><td>ñaan</td><td><ul><li>Character not found in Arabic.</li><li>Obsolete Alternatives: چ, جۛ</li><li><a href="/facts/Unicode/DDu3MfPV">Unicode</a> <a href="https://www.compart.com/fr/unicode/U+0767">U+0767</a></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>waw</i>وَوْ</td><td>و</td><td colspan="2">ـو</td><td>و</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_labial%25E2%2580%2593velar_approximant/HLDqbrvr">w</a>]</td><td>w</td><td>وَاوْبُورْ</td><td>waawbuur</td><td><ul><li>The <i>waw</i> has two functions: first, to be a consonant with the sound /w/, and second to indicate long vowels <i>"-oo" "-óó", and "uu"</i>.</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><i>heh</i>هࣹهْ</td><td>ه</td><td>ـه</td><td>ـهـ</td><td>هـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiceless_glottal_fricative/lfRB7CPW">h</a>]</td><td>h</td><td>اَهَکَايْ</td><td>ahakaay</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i>yeh</i>يࣹهْ</td><td>ي</td><td>ـي</td><td>ـيـ</td><td>يـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Voiced_palatal_approximant/v0NVCbUh">j</a>]</td><td>y</td><td>يَايْنجِيتْ</td><td>yaaynjiit</td><td><ul><li>The <i>yeh</i> has two functions: first, to be a consonant with the sound /j/, and second to indicate long vowels <i>"-ee" "-éé", and "ii"</i>.</li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table> <h3>Vowels</h3> <p>Wolofal, like its parent system, the <a href="/facts/Arabic_script/GB5gsj1F">Arabic script</a>, is an <a href="/facts/Abjad/Hn50ebWn">abjad</a>. This means that only consonants are represented with letters. Vowels are shown with <a href="/facts/Arabic_diacritics/7TAagmkr">diacritics</a>. As a matter of fact, writing of diacritics, including <a href="/facts/Arabic_diacritics/7TAagmkr">zero-vowel (sukun) diacritic</a> as per the orthographic are mandatory. </p><p>Arabic has 3 vowels, and thus 3 vowel diacritics. But in Wolof, there are 9 vowels, and as all vowels are shown with diacritics in Wolofal. This means that on top of the 3 original diacritics, 6 additional ones have been created. </p> Wolofal short vowels<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a><table><tbody><tr><th rowspan="2">Vowel</th><th rowspan="2"><a href="/facts/International_Phonetic_Alphabet/2e7jmUaG">IPA</a></th><th rowspan="2">Latin eq.</th><th rowspan="2"><a href="/facts/Arabic_script_in_Unicode/WFq8axzM">Unicode</a></th><th colspan="2">Example</th><th rowspan="2">Notes</th></tr><tr><th>Wolofal</th><th>Latin</th></tr><tr><td>◌َ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Open_front_unrounded_vowel/s80pvmYh">a</a>]</td><td>a</td><td>U+064E</td><td>مَگْ</td><td>mag</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>◌ࣵ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Open_front_unrounded_vowel/s80pvmYh">a</a>]</td><td>à</td><td>U+08F5</td><td>مࣵگّ</td><td>màgg</td><td><ul><li>Diacritic not found in Arabic.</li><li>Only before a long (prenasalized or geminate) consonant.</li><li>Obsolete Alternative: ◌َ</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>◌ࣴ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Mid_central_vowel/CCx0wYy3">ə</a>]</td><td>ë</td><td>U+08F4</td><td>بࣴتْ</td><td>bët</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>◌ࣹ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Open-mid_front_unrounded_vowel/aDRvwE46">ɛ</a>]</td><td>e</td><td>U+08F9</td><td>کࣹݒّ</td><td>kepp</td><td><ul><li>Diacritic not found in Arabic.</li><li>Obsolete Alternative: ◌ٜ</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>◌ࣺ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Close-mid_front_unrounded_vowel/e9YNLF97">e</a>]</td><td>é</td><td>U+08FA</td><td>کࣺݒّ</td><td>képp</td><td><ul><li>Diacritic not found in Arabic.</li><li>Obsolete Alternative: ◌ٜ</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>◌ِ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Close_front_unrounded_vowel/rSUdlCPU">i</a>]</td><td>i</td><td>U+0650</td><td>اِتَمْ</td><td>itam</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>◌ࣷ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Open-mid_back_rounded_vowel/yMNUClGt">ɔ</a>]</td><td>o</td><td>U+08F7</td><td>سࣷقْ</td><td>soq</td><td><ul><li>Diacritic not found in Arabic.</li><li>Obsolete Alternative: ◌ٝ</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>◌ࣸ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Close-mid_back_rounded_vowel/VwS9cKWJ">o</a>]</td><td>ó</td><td>U+08F8</td><td>نࣸبْ</td><td>nób</td><td><ul><li>Diacritic not found in Arabic.</li><li>Obsolete Alternative: ◌ُ</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>◌ُ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Close_back_rounded_vowel/gqlQLfse">u</a>]</td><td>u</td><td>U+064F</td><td>دُگُبْ</td><td>dugub</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>When vowels appear at the beginning of the word, an <i>alif</i> (ا) is used as the carrier of the vowel.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> </p> Vowel as first sound of word<table><tbody><tr><th>A</th><th>À</th><th>Ë</th><th>E</th><th>É</th><th>I</th><th>O</th><th>Ó</th><th>U</th></tr><tr><td>اَ</td><td>اࣵ</td><td>اࣴ</td><td>اࣹ</td><td>اࣺ</td><td>اِ</td><td>اࣷ</td><td>اࣸ</td><td>اُ</td></tr></tbody></table> <p>Vowels in Wolof are also distinguished by length, short and long. Short vowels are only shown with a diacritic. Similar to Arabic, long vowels are indicated by writing <i>alif</i> (ا), <i>waw</i> (و), or <i>yeh</i> (ي). But unlike Arabic, this does not mean that the vowel diacritic can be dropped. It cannot, as there 8 vowels and not 3. Vowel "à" (◌ࣵ) does not have a long version.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> </p> <ul><li>For vowel "a" (◌َ), the vowel is lengthened (aa) with an <i>alif</i> (ا)</li> <li>For vowels "e", "é", or "i", the vowel is lengthened (ee, ée, ii) with a <i>yeh</i> (ي).</li> <li>For vowels "o", "ó", or "u", the vowel is lengthened (oo, óo, uu) with a <i>waw</i> (و).</li> <li>The vowel "ë" is an exception, where it is lengthened (ëe) as if it's a vowel sequence (ë-ë), with an <i>ayn</i> and an "ë" diacritic (عࣴـ)</li></ul> Wolofal long vowels<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a><table><tbody><tr><th rowspan="2">Vowel</th><th rowspan="2">Latin equivalent</th><th colspan="2">Example</th></tr><tr><th>Wolofal</th><th>Latin</th></tr><tr><td>◌َا</td><td>aa</td><td>بَاتْ</td><td>baat</td></tr><tr><td>◌ࣴعࣴـ / ◌ࣴعࣴ</td><td>ëe</td><td>دࣴعࣴلْ</td><td>dëel</td></tr><tr><td>◌ࣹيـ / ◌ࣹي</td><td>ee</td><td>لࣹينْ</td><td>leen</td></tr><tr><td>◌ࣺيـ / ◌ࣺي</td><td>ée</td><td>لࣺينْ</td><td>léen</td></tr><tr><td>◌ِيـ / ◌ِي</td><td>ii</td><td>نجِيتْ</td><td>njiit</td></tr><tr><td>◌ࣷو</td><td>oo</td><td>وࣷورْ</td><td>woor</td></tr><tr><td>◌ࣸو</td><td>óo</td><td>وࣸورْ</td><td>wóor</td></tr><tr><td>◌ُو</td><td>uu</td><td>بُورْ</td><td>buur</td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The same principle is followed for when a long vowel is at the beginning of a word. An <i>alif</i> (ا) is used as the carrier of the vowel, followed by either <i>waw</i> (و) or <i>yeh</i> (ي) as appropriate. The exception is when a word starts with the long vowel "Aa". Instead of two <i>alif</i>s (اا) being used, an <i>alif-maddah</i> (آ) is used.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> </p> Vowel as first sound of word<table><tbody><tr><th>Aa</th><th>Ëe</th><th>Ee</th><th>Ée</th><th>Ii</th><th>Oo</th><th>Óo</th><th>Uu</th></tr><tr><td>آ</td><td>اࣴعࣴـ / اࣴعࣴ</td><td>اࣹيـ / اࣹي</td><td>اࣺيـ / اࣺي</td><td>اِيـ / اِي</td><td>اࣷو</td><td>اࣸو</td><td>اُو</td></tr></tbody></table> <h3>Consonant diacritics</h3> <p>There are two consonant <a href="/facts/Diacritic/Rw6lMzQW">diacritics</a> in Wolofal alphabet. These are <i><a href="/facts/Shadda/tKrP5r6f">shadda</a></i> (◌ّ) indicating <a href="/facts/Gemination/SWW77Fxw">gemination</a>, and <i><a href="/facts/Arabic_diacritics/7TAagmkr">sukun</a></i> (◌ْ) indicating zero-vowel. </p><p>These two diacritics cannot appear on the same consonant simultaneously. Geminated consonants only ever occur either at the end of the word, or before a suffix.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> </p><p>All consonants require either a vowel diacritic or one of these diacritics (or a vowel diacritic combined with <i>shadda</i>) except in two cases:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a> </p> <ol><li>When a consonant is prenasalized, and is thus shown with a <a href="/facts/Digraph_(orthography)/wp3UgEyU">digraph</a> including either the letter <i>m</i> "م" or <i>n</i> "ن". In these cases, the letters <i>m</i> "م" or <i>n</i> "ن" will remain with no diacritic.</li> <li>When the letter in question is <i>alif</i> (ا), <i>waw</i> (و), or <i>yeh</i> (ي) and its function in the word is to indicate a long vowel, it will remain unmarked.</li></ol> <p>It is important to note that unlike Arabic, it is possible for a consonant to take <i><a href="/facts/Shadda/tKrP5r6f">shadda</a></i> (◌ّ) while not having consonants. This phenomenon mostly occurs at the end of words. Native Wolof speakers pronounce geminated nouns not as doubles but simply longer. But the distinction is essential, as the meaning of a word can change.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a> Table below provides some examples: </p> <table><tbody><tr><th>Wolofal</th><th>Latin</th><th>Meaning</th><th>Wolofal</th><th>Latin</th><th>Meaning</th></tr><tr><td>بࣴتْ</td><td>bët</td><td>eye</td><td>بࣴتّ</td><td>bëtt</td><td>to find</td></tr><tr><td>بࣷیْ</td><td>boy</td><td>to catch fire</td><td>بࣷیّ</td><td>boyy</td><td>to be glimmering</td></tr><tr><td>دَگْ</td><td>dag</td><td>a royal servant</td><td>دَگّ</td><td>dagg</td><td>to cut</td></tr><tr><td>دࣴجْ</td><td>dëj</td><td>funeral</td><td>دࣴجّ</td><td>dëjj</td><td><a href="/facts/Cunt/468EoNMK">cunt</a></td></tr><tr><td>فࣹنْ</td><td>fen</td><td>to (tell a) lie</td><td>فࣹنّ</td><td>fenn</td><td>somewhere, nowhere</td></tr><tr><td>گَلْ</td><td>gal</td><td>white gold</td><td>گَلّ</td><td>gall</td><td>to regurgitate</td></tr><tr><td>ݝࣷنْ</td><td>goŋ</td><td>baboon</td><td>ݝࣷنّ</td><td>goŋŋ</td><td>a kind of bed</td></tr><tr><td>گࣴمْ</td><td>gëm</td><td>to believe</td><td>گࣴمّ</td><td>gëmm</td><td>to close one's eyes</td></tr><tr><td>جَوْ</td><td>Jaw</td><td>a family name</td><td>جَوّ</td><td>jaww</td><td>heaven</td></tr><tr><td>نࣴبْ</td><td>nëb</td><td>rotten</td><td>نࣴبّ</td><td>nëbb</td><td>to hide</td></tr><tr><td>وࣷݧْ</td><td>woñ</td><td>thread</td><td>وࣷݧّ</td><td>woññ</td><td>to count</td></tr></tbody></table> <h3>Prenasalized consonants</h3> <p><a href="/facts/Prenasalized_consonant/TR6JyXvU">Prenasalized consonants</a> are written as a <a href="/facts/Digraph_(orthography)/wp3UgEyU">digraph</a> (combination of two consonants). While historically, there were single letter alternatives, these letters are no longer used. Prenasalized consonants are constructed using <i>meem</i> (م) or <i>noon</i> (ن) in combination with other consonants. The letter <i>meem</i> (م) appears in pairs with <i>beh</i> (ب) or <i>peh</i> (ݒ), whereas the letter <i>noon</i> (ن) appears in pairs with <i>teh</i> (ت), <i>ceh</i> (ݖ), <i>dal</i> (د), <i>jeem</i> (ج), <i>qaf</i> (ق), <i>kaf</i> (ک), and <i>geh</i> (گ). Some digraphs cannot appear at the beginning of words, <i>-mp</i> (مݒ), <i>-nc</i> (نݖ), <i>-nq</i> (نق). </p><p>Prenasalized consonants cannot take the zero-vowel diacritic <i><a href="/facts/Arabic_diacritics/7TAagmkr">sukun</a></i> (◌ْ). If they are at the end of the word and have no vowels, they will take the gemination diacritic <i><a href="/facts/Shadda/tKrP5r6f">shadda</a></i> (◌ّ). </p><p>Some Wolof-speaking authors treat these digraphs as their own independent letters. </p> Wolofal prenasalized Consonant Digraphs<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a><table><tbody><tr><th colspan="4">Forms</th><th rowspan="2">Sound represented</th><th rowspan="2">Latin equivalent</th><th colspan="2">Example</th><th rowspan="2">Notes</th></tr><tr><th>Isolated</th><th>Final</th><th>Medial</th><th>Initial</th><th>Wolofal</th><th>Latin</th></tr><tr><td>مب</td><td>ـمبّ</td><td>ـمبـ</td><td>مبـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Prenasalized_consonant/TR6JyXvU">ᵐb</a>]</td><td>mb</td><td>مبَارْ</td><td>mbaar</td><td><ul><li>Obsolete Alternative: ݑ</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>مݒ</td><td>ـمݒّ</td><td>ـمݒـ</td><td>-</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Prenasalized_consonant/TR6JyXvU">ᵐp</a>]</td><td>mp</td><td>سَمݒّ</td><td>samp</td><td><ul><li>Cannot exist at the beginning of a word</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>نݖ</td><td>ـنݖّ</td><td>ـنݖـ</td><td>-</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Nasal_release/yDDXDdJY">ⁿc</a>]</td><td>nc</td><td>سَنݖّ</td><td>sanc</td><td><ul><li>Cannot exist at the beginning of a word</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>ند</td><td>ـندّ</td><td>ـند</td><td>ند</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Prenasalized_consonant/TR6JyXvU">ⁿd</a>]</td><td>nd</td><td>ندَوْ</td><td>ndaw</td><td><ul><li>Obsolete Alternative: ڎ</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>نج</td><td>ـنجّ</td><td>ـنجـ</td><td>نجـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Prenasalized_consonant/TR6JyXvU">ᶮɟ</a>]</td><td>nj</td><td>نجࣷولْ</td><td>njool</td><td><ul><li>Obsolete Alternative: چ</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>نق</td><td>ـنقّ</td><td>ـنقـ</td><td>-</td><td>[ⁿq]</td><td>nq</td><td>جَنقّ</td><td>janq</td><td><ul><li>Cannot exist at the beginning of a word</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>نک</td><td>ـنکّ</td><td>ـنکـ</td><td>نکـ</td><td>[ɴk]</td><td>nk</td><td>دࣺنکّ</td><td>dénk</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>نگ</td><td>ـنگّ</td><td>ـنگـ</td><td>نگـ</td><td>[<a href="/facts/Prenasalized_consonant/TR6JyXvU">ᵑɡ</a>]</td><td>ng</td><td>نگَ</td><td>nga</td><td><ul><li>Obsolete Alternative: ݣ</li><li>Important to note that it is different from ݝ</li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="sample-text">Sample text</h2> <p>Article 1 of the <a href="/facts/Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights/8hsauJsB">Universal Declaration of Human Rights</a> </p> <table><tbody><tr><th>Translation</th><th>Latin Script</th><th>Wolofal (Arabic) Script</th></tr><tr><td>All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.</td><td>Doomi aadama yépp danuy juddu, yam ci tawfeex ci sag ak sañ-sañ. Nekk na it ku xam dëgg te ànd na ak xelam, te war naa jëflante ak nawleen, te teg ko ci wàllu mbokk.</td><td>دࣷومِ آدَمَ يࣺݒّ دَنُيْ جُدُّ، يَمْ ݖِ تَوفࣹيخْ ݖِ سَگْ اَکْ سَݧْ-سَݧْ. نࣹکّ نَ اِتْ کُ خَمْ دࣴگّ تࣹ اࣵندْ نَ خࣹلَمْ، تࣹ وَرْ نَا جࣴفْلَنْتࣹ اَکْ نَوْلࣹينْ، تࣹ تࣹگْ کࣷ ݖِ وࣵلُّ مبࣷکّ.</td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="bibliography">Bibliography</h2> <ul><li>Mamadou Cissé: <i>« Graphical borrowing and African realities »</i> in Revue du Musée National d'Ethnologie d'Osaka, Japan, June 2000.</li> <li>Mamadou Cissé: <i>« Écrits et écritures en Afrique de l'Ouest »</i> in Sud Langues <a href="http://www.sudlangues.sn/IMG/pdf/doc-135.pdf">[1]</a> June 2006.</li> <li><a href="http://www.panafril10n.org/wikidoc/pmwiki.php/PanAfrLoc/Wolof">PanAfriL10n Wolof</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Priest, Lorna A; Hosken, Martin; SIL International (12 August 2010). "Proposal to add Arabic script characters for African and Asian languages" (PDF). pp. 13–18, 34–37. <a href="/wiki/SIL_International" target="_blank">/wiki/SIL_International</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Priest, Lorna A; Hosken, Martin; SIL International (12 August 2010). "Proposal to add Arabic script characters for African and Asian languages" (PDF). pp. 13–18, 34–37. <a href="/wiki/SIL_International" target="_blank">/wiki/SIL_International</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Priest, Lorna A; Hosken, Martin; SIL International (12 August 2010). "Proposal to add Arabic script characters for African and Asian languages" (PDF). pp. 13–18, 34–37. <a href="/wiki/SIL_International" target="_blank">/wiki/SIL_International</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Currah, Galien (26 August 2015) ORTHOGRAPHE WOLOFAL. Link (Archive) <a href="http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf" target="_blank">http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Currah, Galien (26 August 2015) ORTHOGRAPHE WOLOFAL. Link (Archive) <a href="http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf" target="_blank">http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Priest, Lorna A; Hosken, Martin; SIL International (12 August 2010). "Proposal to add Arabic script characters for African and Asian languages" (PDF). pp. 13–18, 34–37. <a href="/wiki/SIL_International" target="_blank">/wiki/SIL_International</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Currah, Galien (26 August 2015) ORTHOGRAPHE WOLOFAL. Link (Archive) <a href="http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf" target="_blank">http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Priest, Lorna A; Hosken, Martin; SIL International (12 August 2010). "Proposal to add Arabic script characters for African and Asian languages" (PDF). pp. 13–18, 34–37. <a href="/wiki/SIL_International" target="_blank">/wiki/SIL_International</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Currah, Galien (26 August 2015) ORTHOGRAPHE WOLOFAL. Link (Archive) <a href="http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf" target="_blank">http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Currah, Galien (26 August 2015) ORTHOGRAPHE WOLOFAL. Link (Archive) <a href="http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf" target="_blank">http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Currah, Galien (26 August 2015) ORTHOGRAPHE WOLOFAL. Link (Archive) <a href="http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf" target="_blank">http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Priest, Lorna A; Hosken, Martin; SIL International (12 August 2010). "Proposal to add Arabic script characters for African and Asian languages" (PDF). pp. 13–18, 34–37. <a href="/wiki/SIL_International" target="_blank">/wiki/SIL_International</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Currah, Galien (26 August 2015) ORTHOGRAPHE WOLOFAL. Link (Archive) <a href="http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf" target="_blank">http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Currah, Galien (26 August 2015) ORTHOGRAPHE WOLOFAL. Link (Archive) <a href="http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf" target="_blank">http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Currah, Galien (26 August 2015) ORTHOGRAPHE WOLOFAL. Link (Archive) <a href="http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf" target="_blank">http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Currah, Galien (26 August 2015) ORTHOGRAPHE WOLOFAL. Link (Archive) <a href="http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf" target="_blank">http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>Currah, Galien (26 August 2015) ORTHOGRAPHE WOLOFAL. Link (Archive) <a href="http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf" target="_blank">http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>Currah, Galien (26 August 2015) ORTHOGRAPHE WOLOFAL. Link (Archive) <a href="http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf" target="_blank">http://currah.download/pages/ajamisenegal/orthographe_wolofal_harmattan_26-aout-2015_a4.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>