Languages of Niger

The languages ​​of Niger are sorted by classification 11 to 24 individual languages ​​.

The official language of French is a legacy of French rule in Niger. It plays an important role in the public life of the country, but is only spoken by about one-tenth of the population. Among the ten recognized national languages ​​have Hausa and Songhai - Zarma the highest numbers of speakers. They are also the main working languages ​​of the country. The other national languages ​​are Arabic, Buduma, Fulfulde, Gourmanchéma, Kanuri, Tamascheq, Tasawaq and Tubu.

The distribution of individual languages ​​varies regionally, with the language areas often overlap. Multilingualism is common. The classification of up to three individual languages ​​of Niger as being at risk is controversial.

• 4.1 Education
• 4.2 Media and Language Arts
• 4.3 government, the law and economics

Legal Status

The Constitution of Niger French lays firmly as the only official language of the country. Although other languages ​​such as Hausa and Zarma be tolerated in the parliamentary debates, published in the Journal officiel legal texts are written exclusively in French. Also in the Constitution, the national languages ​​( langues national ) are defined as the basis of equality to be treated languages ​​of those communities which form the Nigerien nation. The state has to provide for the promotion and development of national languages ​​concern. What are these languages ​​is governed by a law of 2001. These are Arabic, Buduma, Fulfulde, Gourmanchéma, Hausa, Kanuri, Zarma - Songhai, Tamascheq, Tasawaq and Tubu. The same law also specifies the modalities by which the national languages ​​should be promoted and developed. Central is its use in education, which focuses on the social and economic development of the population.

Official language is French

The importance of the French language in Niger reveals itself through its official status as the only official language, and also on their practical function as a vehicular language in both national and international contexts. The Republic of Niger is a member of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. Even in 1966, six years after the country's independence from France, Africa expert Pierre- Francis Lacroix estimated the proportion of the total population using French as a second language, to only 3%. On statistical data Lacroix could not use it. In the 1977 census, Niger raised for the first time, official data to the spoken language of the inhabitants. In the 1988 census, the mother tongue has been detected. The question presented is typical of sub-Saharan Africa linguistic diversity of the country open, but did not allow any conclusions as to the significant presence of vehicular languages ​​, in particular French. There are various information on its distribution. The French NGO Delegation générale à la langue française et aux langues de France was in 2006 to the population proportion of French-speakers in Niger with 9%. In 2012 she led Niger among those countries with a share of French speakers from 5% to 15 %, basing on information from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. In the edition of 2012 of the Historical Dictionary of Niger Idrissa and Decalo about 5% of people in Niger are classified as experienced French speakers and up to 10% are proficient in the language, at least partially. The French in Niger is closely tied to the limited penetration of the education system, in which it is taught. Depending on the assessment made ​​higher estimates of the proportion of speakers.

A specific for the French language in Niger expression is called nigérisme ( " Nigerismus "). This is the case when single words or phrases are taken from a national language in the French language (example: Tazartché, Hausa for " it must go on " ) or are apparently insufficient translated literally (example: attacher le mariage, " the marriage attach " for " marry ").

National languages

Arabic

The Arabic language is taught for a nationwide high as the Arabic of the Koran in the Islamic religious education. Secondly, it is available in four varieties - Algerian Saharan Arabic ( ISO 639-3 aao ), Hassaniya - Arabic ( ISO 639-3 mey ), Libyan Arabic ( ISO 639-3 ayl ) and Chadian Arabic (ISO 639-3 shu ) - the first language of the local Arabs in Niger. At the 2001 census, 40 085 inhabitants identified, corresponding to 0.4 % of the total population, as Arabs.

The variety comes from Algeria, where approximately 100,000 (1996 ) life of the approximately 131,000 speakers. In Niger talking about 10,000 people (1998) Algerian Saharan Arabic. The Nigerien language area does not border directly to Algeria, but lies to the south of the Dabaga Mountains Aïr. It is a linguistic island in a world dominated by Tamascheq zone, which serves as a second language of the Arabs living here.

The use of Hassaniya - Arabic is a part of the national identity of Mauritania and enshrined in its constitution. Home to around 2.77 million (2006) of the approximately 3.278 million speakers. Significant minorities there are Mali and Morocco. In Niger, approximately 10,000 people speak (1998) Hassaniya - Arabic. They inhabit mainly the municipalities of Tassara and Tchintabaraden. Also there Tamascheq is used as a second language often.

Libyan Arabic is the de facto national working language of Libya, where approximately 4,000,000 (2006) to live their total of 4.321 million speakers. In Egypt, the variety of about 316,000 people (2002) is spoken. In Niger, there are only about 5000 people. There 's Libyan Arabic is used in an establishment located in the east corridor between Libya and Nigeria, which corresponds to a route, the Sahara salt caravans. The corridor extends from the oases Bilma, Dirkou and Seguedine in the north to Tesker, Foulatari and N'Guelbély way to Diffa Chétimari and Gueskérou in the south. A locally dominant language is Libyan Arabic in Niger only in N'Gourti.

Chadian Arabic has approximately 896,000 people (2006) on the majority of its total of approximately 1,139,000 speakers in Chad, where there is also a minority language. In Niger, about 5,000 Chadian Arabic Speaker ( 1998) live. They settle mainly in the communities along the former shore of Lake Chad to the southeast of the country: in Bosso, Kabléwa and N'Guigmi.

Buduma

The Hausa as counting to the Chadian languages ​​Buduma (ISO 639-3 bdm ) is the language of people of the same name Buduma, living traditionally on the islands of Lake Chad and fishery operates. Buduma is probably still behind Tasawaq the Niger in the least spoken national language, if it is there at all yet represented due to the shrinkage of Lake Chad. In the 13th edition of the Ethnologue, published in 1996 by SIL International's 4000 speakers are called in Niger. From the 14th edition of 2000 Buduma is no longer considered in Niger led spoken language, there are only specified numbers of speakers for the other riparian countries of Lake Chad: 51,600 in Chad ( 1998), 3000 in Nigeria and 200 in Cameroon.

Fulfulde

Fulfulde, which belongs to the Niger -Congo language of the Fulani, is used in a large, ranging from Senegal to Sudan zone in northern Africa. In Niger, the varieties of Western Niger Fulfulde (ISO 639-3 fuh ) and central -eastern Niger Fulfulde spoken (ISO 639-3 fuq ). The Niger Fulfulde - speakers form different-sized enclaves in other language areas. The relative majority put them in the areas around the towns Say and Maïné - Soroa. At the 2001 census, designated 935 517 inhabitants, equivalent to 8.5% of the total population, as Fulbe.

Approximately 450,000 people (2007) speak in Niger West Niger Fulfulde. In Burkina Faso, the variety is known as the Northeast Burkina -Faso - Fulfulde and has approximately 750,000 speakers (1999) on. In Benin it is called usually Gorgal - Fulfulde and is spoken by about 30,000 people. This gives a total number of speakers of around 1,230,000. The language area in Niger overlaps completely with that of Songhai - Zarma. It includes the central part of Tilabéri region at the edges there are overlaps or language barriers with Gourmanchéma, Tamascheq and Central - Eastern Niger Fulfulde, and the Dosso region, with the exception of the Department Dogondoutchi and north of the department of Gaya to place Yelou. This uses the dialects Bitinkoore ( dialect of Bitinkodji ), Dallol ( Dallol Bosso dialect ) and Tera ( dialect of Téra ). Most Western Niger Fulfulde - speakers are bilingual and use the language Songhai - Zarma. In general, Western Niger Fulfulde, the language of rural areas and Songhai - Zarma is rather more the language of the towns.

Central East Niger Fulfulde has also approximately 450,000 speakers (1998) in Niger. The language area covers approximately the regions of Maradi and Tahoua, the south of Diffa and Zinder regions, the north-east of the Dosso region as well as an area around Sanam in the region Tilabéri. In this vast area there are overlaps with several other languages ​​, among which often serves as a second language Hausa is emphasized. The dialect of the nomadic Fulbe Wodaabe subgroup now differs from that of the sedentary due to the famine of the 1970s and 1980s, and semi- sedentary Fulani. The latter settled in the immediate vicinity of Hausa speakers what their own language so influenced that they can be referred to as " Fulfulde - Hausa ".

Gourmanchéma

Gourmanchéma (ISO 639-3 gux ), a Gur language, the language of the ethnic group of the Gourmantché. At the 2001 census, 39 797 inhabitants called Niger, which corresponds to 0.4 % of the total population, as Gourmantché. The Nigerien part of their settlement and language area is located in the extreme west of the country on the border with Burkina Faso, more precisely in the western communities Ouro Guélédjo, Tamou and Torodi. Most of the total of about 813,000 Gourmanchéma spokesman, approximately 600,000 (1999), living in Burkina Faso. In Niger, there are about 30,000 people (1998). They often use Songhai - Zarma as a second language.

Hausa

The same ethnic group Hausa associated Chadian Hausa language (ISO 639-3 hau ) has a total of about 24.988 million speakers. Most, about 18.5 million people (1991 ) live in Nigeria, followed by Niger. Hausa is widely used as a first language, and especially as a major lingua franca in other parts of West Africa. In Niger, it is understood by the numerically largest population language. At the 2001 census, 6,069,731 residents identified, corresponding to 55.4 % of the total population, as Hausa. In this case the members of the ethnic group and the Erstsprecher are equivalent with respect to their language. A Hausa defined fundamentally as a person who speaks Hausa. The additional percentage of people in Niger, use the Hausa as a second language can be estimated as 25%.

Standard Hausa is based on the dialect of the city of Kano in Nigeria. The languages ​​spoken in Niger Hausa dialects are Aderawa ( dialect of wire), Arewa ( dialect of Aréoua ) Damagaram ( dialect of Zinder ), Dawra ( dialect of Daura ), Gaya ( dialect of Gaya ), Gobirawa ( dialect of Gobir ) Katsina ( Katsina dialect ) and Kourfey ( dialect of Kourfey ). The Nigerien Hausa took several loanwords from French in their language, although less than the Nigerian Hausa in the formerly British sphere of influence from English.

The Hausa - speaking region in Niger occupies the southern center of the country and overlaps with the language areas of several other national languages ​​. The largest cities in the Nigerien Hausa area are Zinder, Maradi, Tessaoua, Kornaka and Aguie. The capital Niamey, which is surrounded by a traditional Zarma - speaking areas, developed from the mid-20th century to a bilingual city. On its streets and markets a passive bilingualism is detectable, Hausa and Zarma speakers express themselves in which, in their preferred language and their interlocutors, who replied in the other language understand. After the increased immigration of other groups, who spoke neither Hausa nor Zarma, settled in the 1990s, a failure to observe this system of passive bilingualism, which was partially solved by the use of French as a vehicular language. The growing importance of Hausa as a vehicular language in the urban centers of the country could be detected as early as the 1960s. The proportion of Erstsprecher has increased since then: Lacroix (1966 ) estimated the share of the Hausa of the Nigerien population still at 45 %.

Kanuri

The Sahara African language Kanuri is related to the same ethnic group Kanuri. At the 2001 census, designated 513 116 inhabitants of Niger, which corresponds to 4.7% of the total population, as Kanuri. Ethnic and linguistic correspondences are among the Kanuri often do not make clear. Some people who speak Kanuri, refer to themselves as Kanuri, although they obviously and admittedly not descended from Kanuri. This is due to the historical political and cultural dominance held the people and language of the Kanuri in the kingdom of Kanem -Bornu. However, the language in the 20th century lost its function as a regional vehicular language of Hausa. The systematic dialectology of the language is still in its infancy. While Ethnologue Kanuri defined as a cluster of four individual languages ​​, the few Kanuri experts tend to see language as a dialect cluster or dialect continuum. The languages ​​spoken in Niger Kanuri languages ​​or dialects is Bilma - Kanuri (ISO 639-3 bms ) Manga Kanuri (ISO 639-3 kby ) Tumari - Kanuri (ISO 639-3 krt ) and Central Kanuri (ISO 639-3 knc ).

Bilma - Kanuri is spoken by approximately 20,000 people (2003) in two language areas located around the oases Bilma and Fachi in northeastern Niger. There are according to the geographical division two ( sub-) dialects, Bilma - Kanuri and Fachi - Kanuri. The Oasis Kanuri meet at the salt trade primarily the Tuareg who speak Tamascheq as their first language. Nevertheless, Kanuri Tamascheq - Bilingualism is rather the exception. The communication is generally in Hausa.

Manga Kanuri is the most common Kanuri variety in Niger. Of the approximately 480,000 Manga Kanuri speakers live approximately 280,000 (1998) in Niger and about 200,000 (1993 ) in Nigeria. In both countries, the (sub - ) dialects Dagara and manganese are used with Dagara is classified under circumstances as your own individual language. Manga is also dominated by the Kanuri speakers of other dialects. Lacroix called 1966 a third dialect, Dictko, who was then about 2000 people in two areas, west of the city Gouré and was east of the city Maïné - Soroa, spoken. Dagara is based in Niger in Koutous massif in the community trowel, in the east of the department of Tahoua and in the north of the department Mirriah. The traditional language area of manganese is located in the department of Maïné - Soroa, in the west of the department of Diffa, in the south of the department Gouré, in the southeast of the department Mirriah and in some villages in the Department N'Guigmi.

Tumari - Kanuri has about 40,000 speakers (1998) in Niger, one of which talk about the half exclusively Tumari - Kanuri. As second languages ​​serve Dazaga and Hausa. Tumari - Kanuri dialects can be divided into three ( sub-): Kubari, Sugurti and Tumari, which is also called Kanembu, but is not to be confused with the languages ​​spoken in Chad Kanembu. Kubari is the ( sub) dialect of the descendants of immigrants who came in 1920 from Rig Rig in Chad in the Department N'Guigmi. The language area of Sugurti is located between the city N'Guigmi and the former estuary of the Komadugu Yobe. The ( sub) dialect Tumari is located in a radius of 50 kilometers around the city N'Guigmi.

Approximately 3,000,000 (1985 ) of the total of about 3.241 million Central Kanuri speakers live in Nigeria. The variety is also used in Eritrea, Cameroon, Sudan and Chad. In Niger, by about 80,000 speakers (1998). There, along the river valley and used at the former mouth of the Komadugu Yobe the ( sub) dialect Movar which is possibly classified as own individual language. Lacroix mentioned in 1966 on the basis of documents also spokesman for the ( sub) dialect Kwayam in Niger, particularly in the small village belonging to Goudoumaria Kouloun Fardou.

Songhai - Zarma

The term Songhai - Zarma summarizes the languages ​​spoken in the southern Niger varieties Songhai languages ​​whose language area is congruent with that of Western Niger Fulfulde. Songhai - Zarma is also an ethnic collective term. At the 2001 census, 2,300,874 inhabitants called Niger, which corresponds to 21% of the total population, as Songhai - Zarma. Linguistically and ethnically fall several population groups in the western Niger among whose members differ sharply distinguished from each other's Songhai - Zarma groups. The ethnic groups are Songhai and Zarma and Dendi, Kurtey and Wogo. By 1996, these groups were assigned to three individual languages ​​in the Ethnologue regarding Niger: first, second, Zarma Songhay (then ISO 639-3 son) north as the language of Songhai, Kurtey and Wogo and the Nigerien spokesman Songhai languages ​​(ISO 639-3 dje ) as the language of Zarma and Dendi thirdly (ISO 639-3 ddn ) as the language of Dendi. Since 2000, these three individual languages ​​are summarized in Ethnologue Single Zarma language - but without the northern Songhai languages ​​and only in relation to Niger. The Zarma language of the Ethnologue is thus synonymous with Songhai - Zarma as Nigerien national language. Dendi applies in the Ethnologue in Benin and Nigeria continue as a single language in Niger now as a dialect of Zarma. The single Zarma language is also spoken by about 87,800 people (2000) in Nigeria, as well as each of several hundred people in Burkina Faso and Mali.

Correspondingly complex and historically grown raises the dialectology of Songhai - Zarma dar. Harrison, Harrison and Rueck calculated for 1996 the following numbers of speakers of dialects south Songhai languages ​​in Niger: 1,427,000 native speakers of the dialect Zarma, 489,000 native speakers of the dialect Kaado and an eastern dialect of the southern Songhai languages ​​, 53,100 native speakers of the dialect Dendi, 44,100 native speakers of the dialect Kurtey and 28,800 native speakers of the dialect Wogo. The geographical distribution is as follows: The language area of the dialect Zarma is located in the center of the Songhai - Zarma - zone and specifically the cities of Niamey and Dosso one with. Kaado one speaks in the northwest of the Songhai - Zarma - area. It is part of the Department Téra and Tilabéri. The language area of the dialect Dendi lies in the extreme south of the country, specifically in the southern parts of the departments of Dosso and Gaya. Kurtey and Wogo are spoken in certain parts of the river Niger: Kurtey in Kourteye, Dessa and Ayérou, Wogo in Zinder. The linguist Robert Nicolaï contrast, closed 1979, the languages ​​of the Kurtey and Wogo in the dialect with a Kaado. Kaado speakers call their dialect preferred as Songhai. He can also be found under that name in the research literature.

Tasawaq

Tasawaq (ISO 639-3 twq ) represents the northern Songhai languages ​​in Niger. The small language area from that of the mixed language Tagdal (ISO 639-3 tda ) surrounded. The Tasawaq - Tagdal zone in the center of the country is geographically separated from the Songhai - Zarma zone.

Tasawaq is spoken by about 8000 people (1998) in the area of the oasis Ingall. Some of their Erstsprecher use Hausa or Tawallammat as a second language. Because of the pressure of the stronger language in the environment ranks Batibo (2005) Tasawaq as a highly endangered. Ethnologue (2013 ), however, leads the language among the non-hazardous, sustainable languages ​​that are used by all generations in personal communication.

The Songhai Berber mixed language Tagdal is spoken by about 27,000 people (2000) in Niger. There are two dialects, the northern and southern Tagdal Tabarog. Nicolaï summarizes the dialects Tagdal and Tabarog under the name Tihishit together. Tagdal is the dialect of the light-skinned and dark-skinned Igdalen descendants of their former slaves. The centers of the Igdalen form the municipality Tamaya and to the municipality of Ingall belonging villages Mazababou and Tiguirwit. Tabarog is spoken by the dark-skinned Iberogan representing the centers of nine villages southeast of the city Abalak.

Tamascheq

Tamascheq is the national language of the Tuareg ethnic group. At the 2001 census, 1,016,883 inhabitants called Niger, which corresponds to 9.3% of the total population, as the Tuareg. In Niger Tamascheq three varieties are spoken: Tahaggart (ISO 639-3 thv ) in the north, Tawallammat (ISO 639-3 ttq ) in the northwest and Tayart (ISO 639-3 thz ) in the center of the country.

The variety Tahaggart is spread over three countries. Approximately 40,000 speakers live in Algeria, about 17,000 speakers (2006) in Libya and about 20,000 speakers (1998) in Niger. This gives a total number of speakers of about 77,000. The language area in Niger is limited to a narrow zone along the desert border with Algeria. Spreads are the dialects of Ghat (Libya) and the Hoggar (Algeria). Tahaggart is the only one listed in the Ethnologue 21 languages ​​of Niger, which is classified as endangered. Although Tahaggart would be used by all generations in personal communication, but the number of speakers is on the wane.

Approximately 450,000 (1998 ) of the total of about 640,000 Tawallammat - speakers live in Niger, the rest mainly in Mali and to a small extent in Nigeria. Tawallammat is in the Tuareg faction Ullemmeden in use. There are two dialects. The western dialect Tawallammat Tan Ataram is spoken in Niger in the north of the departments Filingue, Ouallam, Téra and Tilabéri. To the south is the dialect area into zones of Songhai - Zarma and Western Niger Fulfulde. The Nigerien centers of the eastern dialect Tawallammat Tan Dannag are the departments Abalak, Illela, Tahoua and Tchintabaraden. The dialect area stretches to Ingall in the east. Except for the sparsely populated far north live here also the spokesman of Hausa, Central East Niger Fulfulde and other languages.

The variety is spoken by about 250,000 people (1998) in Niger. The language area includes the entire mountain Aïr including the town of Agadez as far South to the Department Dakoro. Differences are the Aïr dialect and dialect Tamagarast, which is common in the southern Tuareg Kel Gress Group. It comes apart from the sparsely populated north to overlap with zones where even Arabic, Fulfulde, Hausa and Songhai southern languages ​​are widely spoken. Especially Hausa is the Tayart speakers as a second language.

Tubu

Tubu is usually not as a single language but as a language family of the two individual languages ​​Dazaga (ISO 639-3 dzg ) and Tedaga (ISO 639-3 tuq ) classified. The linguistic documentation is poor and mostly outdated. How come the most important sources to Dazaga and Tedaga from the 1930s and 1950s. The counted among the Saharan languages ​​language family is of the same ethnic group belonging Tubu. Dazaga is the language of Tubu - subgroup Daza and Tedaga the language of Tubu - subgroup Teda. At the 2001 census, 42 172 inhabitants identified, corresponding to 0.4 % of the total population, as Tubu. Tubu spokesman, however, can only partly ethnically assign the Tubu.

Dazaga is the southern of the two Tubu languages. In Niger, it is spoken by about 50,000 people (2007), of which approximately 30 % are ethnic Tubu. The language area is to N'Gourti and Tesker in southeastern Niger. Of the total of approximately 381,000 speakers live Dazaga 331,000 (2006) in neighboring Chad. The spread in Niger Dazaga dialects are Azzaga and Kashirda. Nigerien Dazaga spokesman use Hausa, Arabic, Manga Kanuri or Tumari - Kanuri as second languages ​​, but far more men than women are bilingual.

Tedaga is the northern of the two Tubu languages. It has about 10,000 speakers in Niger (1998), the semi-nomadic life in the oases Bilma and Seguedine and in the Termit massif mainly. The majority of Arabic as a second language is in use, even Dazaga is widespread. Around 29,000 (1993) of a total of about 43,000 speakers live in Chad. According Batibo (2005) Tedaga is next Tasawaq one of two languages ​​of Niger, which is highly endangered because of the pressure of stronger languages. As in the case of Tasawaq contradicts Ethnologue (2013 ) this assessment with a score greater than Tedaga sustainable language.

Language practice

Education

The Niger State took over with its independence in 1960, a barely developed education system, which was designed for the purpose of elite training at centers such as Dakar and Paris and almost exclusively allowed French as a language of instruction. Only a madrasa, was taught to the Arabic, was set up in 1957 by the government in Say Djibo Bakarys to life. The Niger State enacted 1966, the Madrasa of Say a strengthening of secular subjects and the French language. This was the birth of extending to all levels of education type of school Franco - Arabe, which soon spread rapidly. Also in 1966 found local Nigerien mother tongues, the Government's adult education, especially in literacy measures.

In the primary school sector started in 1973 with the opening of the first école expérimentale ( " experimental school " ) a school experiment, should be used in which selected national languages ​​in education. This was to Fulfulde, Hausa, Kanuri, Zarma and Songhai Tamascheq. The écoles EXPERIMENTALES are geared towards a bilingual education: From the 1st to 3rd grade a national language is the language of instruction and a school subject. From the 2nd grade is added French as a school subject. From the 4th to 6th grade French is the language of instruction and a school subject, the respective national language only a school subject. By 1993, the number of écoles EXPERIMENTALES rose to 42 nationwide. Niger took so in Africa is playing a pioneering role in the bilingual primary education. Evaluations showed that the écoles EXPERIMENTALES were superior to the purely French-speaking écoles traditionnelles ( " traditional schools " ), which the general learning success was concerned. The " experimental " status should be converted by écoles bilingues ( " bilingual schools " ) for regular operation. The legal basis for this created the National Assembly in 1998, as they meet certain education throughout French and the national languages ​​as the languages ​​of instruction to be used. By the same law, the distribution in the écoles bilingues set: From the 1st to the 3rd grade is the mother tongue or first language, the language of instruction, French from the 1st grade a school subject. From the 4th to the 6th grade French is the language of instruction and the mother or mother tongue teaching a subject. Opened in 2001, for the same five national languages ​​as before, the écoles EXPERIMENTALES, the first 16 pilot schools. The historically grown types of schools in the state primary schools, with their different languages ​​of instruction continue to exist side by side continued: école traditionnal, Franco - Arabe, école expérimentale, école bilingue as well as specialized types such as deaf and blind schools.

In the private schools with an Islamic orientation of the high- Arabic of the Koran plays a significant role in teaching. Virtually all Muslim Niger preschoolers visit the informally organized Koran schools in which reading and reciting the Koran is taught in Arabic. Influenced by the increasing Islamization in the Hausa areas in northern Nigeria, it came in the 1990s in the Hausa areas south of Niger to the creation of numerous Islamiya called schools for religious instruction. The founders were mostly businessmen, an important center of this movement, the city of Maradi. By the late 1990s, many of these schools were not able to get to and investigated by state support. As a result, they have been transformed into state-controlled Franco - Arabe - schools.

At the Abdou - Moumouni University of Niamey has its own Department of National Languages ​​and Linguistics. The Islamic University in Niger Say is especially dedicated to the teaching and dissemination of the Arabic language.

Media and language arts

In the mass media Niger find the official language and all national languages ​​use, albeit in varying degrees. The state media are obliged by the constitution to promote national languages ​​. From the reach forth the radio is the most important mass medium in Niger. Print media plays a much smaller role, especially since most newspapers the areas outside the capital only later, if ever, achieve. Until the broadcast liberalization in the early 1990s, radio and television were exclusively in the hands of the State Institute Office de Radio et Télévision du Niger diffusion ( locationN ). Since the establishment of the radio station Voix du Sahel ( Niger as a radio ) in 1958, 70 % of the program of national languages ​​are reserved. Initially, these were only Hausa and Zarma - Songhai, to the government in 1978 also taking into account other national languages ​​ordered. Voix du Sahel since then sends in Arabic, Gourmanchéma, Kanuri, Fulfulde, Tamascheq and Tubu. The program manager of the state-owned TV channel Télé Sahel consists of two offices, one of which is responsible for productions in French, the other for productions in the national languages ​​. Among the popular foreign TV stations in Niger are the most like TV5 Monde, French-speaking. The state-run daily newspaper, Le Sahel, the state-owned weekly Sahel Dimanche and its online edition www.lesahel.org appear only in French. In the 1970s and 1980s appeared in the national languages ​​of numerous government-sponsored local newspapers for rural areas, but almost all disappeared with the end of subsidies from the scene.

The appearing in print literature Niger uses mainly the French language. Among her representatives Mahamane Dan Dobi (1923-1981), Alfred Dogbé (1962-2012), Boubou Hama (1906-1982), Hélène Kaziendé (* 1967), Abdoulaye Mamani ( 1932-1993 ), Idé Oumarou ( 1937-2002 ), André Salifou (* 1942) and Boubé Zoumé ( 1951-1997 ). In a national language publishing authors such as the Zarma - writer Djado Sékou (1930-1988) are exceptions. The different language oral literature of the country is based on social structures that are understood by a modern lifestyle and the Islamization of change. Traditional stories in the national languages ​​are collected by the Centre d' études et linguistiques historiques par tradition oral ( CELHTO - OUA) in Niamey and placed in writing. Epic stories on Songhai Zarma have retained their great popularity. Lyrical forms are developed especially in the languages ​​Tamascheq and Fulfulde. Griots practicing traditional artistic communication with the outside world. The Nigerien theater is particularly rooted in the Hausa language. It is also adapted for radio and television broadcasts.

Government, the law and economics

In the public sector it is common, but not regulated by law, that each understood national languages ​​are used in the oral communication with officials. Even written documents of ministries can also be issued as the official language in certain national languages ​​. Only French and Arabic in exceptional cases are authorized, provided it is written copies in court. The court judgments endure forever in the official language or, though rarely, in Arabic. At the same time in oral communication is always the majority of the national languages ​​is allowed. The court may, if necessary call in a translator.

As a commercial languages ​​used primarily Hausa and Zarma, in the capital also available in French. In the economy, the national languages ​​, as long as it relates to oral communication, generally preferred. Once written communication is used, dominated the French. This applies to advertising as well as labeling and instruction manuals.