Dan language
{{Short description|Mande language of West Africa}}
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{more citations needed|date=August 2024}}
{{redirect|Yacouba|the ethnic group|Dan people|the name|Yacouba (name)}}
{{Infobox language
| name = Dan
| nativename = {{lang|dnj|dàn, ꞊daanwo, daã̀}}
| states = Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Liberia
| ethnicity = Dan people
| speakers = {{sigfig|1.636|2}} million
| date = 2012
| ref = e18
| familycolor = Niger-Congo
| fam1 = Niger–Congo?
| fam2 = Mande
| fam3 = Eastern Mande
| fam4 = Southeastern
| fam5 = Mano–Dan
| fam6 = Guro–Dan
| fam7 = Tura–Dan
| script = Latin
| lc1 = dnj
| ld1 = Dan
| lc2 = lda
| ld2 = Kla
| glotto = dann1241
| glottorefname = Dan
| notice = IPA
| altname = Yacouba
}}
File:WIKITONGUES- Robertson speaking Dan.webm.]]
Dan {{IPAc-en|ˈ|d|æ|n}}Laurie Bauer, 2007, The Linguistics Student’s Handbook, Edinburgh{{relevance?|date=August 2024}} is a Southern Mande language spoken primarily in Ivory Coast (~800,000 speakers) and Liberia (150,000–200,000 speakers). There is also a population of about 800 speakers in Guinea. Dan is a tonal language, with 9 to 11 contour and register tones, depending on the dialect.
Alternative names for the language include Yacouba or Yakubasa, Gio, Gyo, Gio-Dan, and Da. Dialects are Gio (Liberian Dan), Gweetaawu (Eastern Dan), Blowo (Western Dan), and Kla. Kla is evidently a distinct language.
Phonology
=Vowels=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! rowspan="2" | ! rowspan="2" | Front ! colspan="2" |Central ! colspan="2" | Back |
| Unrd.
!Rnd. !Rnd. |
|---|
| Close
| {{IPA link|i}} | | | {{IPA link|ɯ}} | {{IPA link|u}} |
| Near-close
| {{IPA link|ɪ}}{{efn|name=E|Only in Eastern Dan when in the position of extra-high tone}} | | | {{IPA link|ɯ̽}}{{efn|name=E}} | {{IPA link|ʊ}}{{efn|name=E}} |
| Close-mid
| {{IPA link|e}} | | {{IPA link|ɵ}}{{efn|name=L|Only in Liberian Dan}} | {{IPA link|ɤ}} | {{IPA link|o}} |
| Mid
| | {{IPA link|ə}}{{efn|name=L}} | | | |
| Open-mid
| {{IPA link|ɛ}} | | | {{IPA link|ʌ}} | {{IPA link|ɔ}} |
| Open
| {{IPA link|æ}} | | | {{IPA link|ɑ}} | {{IPA link|ɒ}} |
| Syllabic
| | colspan="2" |{{IPA link|ŋ̍}} | colspan="2" | |
{{noteslist}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+Nasal sounds in Eastern Dan{{rp|451}} ! rowspan="2" | ! rowspan="2" |Front ! colspan="2" |Back |
| Unrd.
!Rnd. |
|---|
| Close
|{{IPA link|ĩ}} |{{IPA link|ɯ̃}} |{{IPA link|ũ}} |
| Open-mid
|{{IPA link|ɛ̃}} |{{IPA link|ʌ̃}} |{{IPA link|ɔ̃}} |
| Open
|{{IPA link|æ̃}} |{{IPA link|ɑ̃}} |{{IPA link|ɒ̃}} |
= Consonants =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | ! rowspan="2" |Labial ! rowspan="2" |Alveolar ! rowspan="2" |Palatal ! colspan="2" |Velar ! rowspan="2" |Labial- ! rowspan="2" |Glottal |
| plain
!lab. |
|---|
| colspan="2" |Nasal
|{{IPA link|m}} |{{IPA link|n}} |{{IPA link|ɲ}} |{{IPA link|ŋ}} |{{IPA link|ŋʷ}} |{{IPA link|ŋ͡m}} | |
| rowspan="2" |Plosive
|{{IPA link|p}} |{{IPA link|t}} | |{{IPA link|k}} |{{IPA link|kʷ}} |{{IPA link|k͡p}} | |
| voiced
|{{IPA link|b}} |{{IPA link|d}} | |{{IPA link|ɡ}} |{{IPA link|ɡʷ}}{{efn|name=XLD|Not in Liberian Dan}} |{{IPA link|ɡ͡b}} | |
| colspan="2" |Implosive
|{{IPA link|ɓ}} |{{IPA link|ɗ}} | | | | | |
| rowspan="2" |Fricative
|{{IPA link|f}} |{{IPA link|s}} | |{{IPA link|x}}{{efn|name=LD|Only in Liberian Dan}} | | |{{IPA link|h}}{{efn|name=WD|Not in Western Dan}} |
| voiced
|{{IPA link|v}} |{{IPA link|z}} | | | | | |
| colspan="2" |Approximant
| | |{{IPA link|j}} | |{{IPA link|w}} | | |
| colspan="2" |Lateral
| |{{IPA link|l}} | | | | | |
| colspan="2" |Trill
| |({{IPA link|r}}) | | | | | |
{{noteslist}}
- {{IPAslink|l}} is heard as {{IPAblink|r}} when preceded by alveolar or palatal consonants.
- Consonant combinations {{IPA|/sl, zl/}} are heard as lateral fricative sounds {{IPA|[ɬ, ɮ]}}.{{Cite book |last=Vydrin |first=Valentin |chapter=Dan |location=Oxford |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2020 |editor-first=Rainer |editor-last=Vossen |editor-first2=Gerrit J. |editor-last2=Dimmendaal |title=The Oxford Handbook of African Languages |pages=451–462 |doi=10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199609895.013.66 |isbn=9780199609895}}
Writing system
The orthography of Liberia includes this alphabet:{{cite web |url=https://scriptsource.org/cms/scripts/page.php?item_id=language_detail_sym&key=dnj| title=Dan |website=ScriptSource}}{{cite web |title=Proposal to Encode Additional Latin and Cyrillic Characters|url=http://std.dkuug.dk/jtc1/SC2/WG2/docs/n3481.pdf}}
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="36" | Dan alphabet (Liberia) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | B | Ɓ | D | Ɗ
| E | Ɛ | F | G | GB
| H | I | K | KP | KW
| L | M | N | NW | NY
| Ŋ | O | Ɔ | Ə | Ɵ
| P | R | S | T | U
| Ɥ | V | W | X | Y
| Z |
| a | b | ɓ | d | ɗ
| e | ɛ | f | g | gb
| h | i | k | kp | kw
| l | m | n | nw | ny
| ŋ | o | ɔ | ə | ɵ
| p | r | s | t | u
| ɥ | v | w | x | y
| z |
| colspan="36" | IPA value | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| {{IPA link|a}} | {{IPA link|b}} | {{IPA link|ɓ}} | {{IPA link|d}} | {{IPA link|ɗ}}
| {{IPA link|e}} | {{IPA link|ɛ}} | {{IPA link|f}} | {{IPA link|ɡ}} | {{IPA link|ɡ͡b}}
| {{IPA link|h}} | {{IPA link|i}} | {{IPA link|k}} | {{IPA link|k͡p}} | {{IPA link|kʷ}}
| {{IPA link|l}} | {{IPA link|m}} | {{IPA link|n}} | {{IPA link|ŋʷ}} | {{IPA link|ɲ}}
| {{IPA link|ŋ}} | {{IPA link|o}} | {{IPA link|ɔ}} | {{IPA link|ə}} | {{IPA link|ɵ}}
| {{IPA link|p}} | {{IPA link|r}} | {{IPA link|s}} | {{IPA link|t}} | {{IPA link|u}}
| {{IPA link|ɯ}} | {{IPA link|v}} | {{IPA link|w}} | {{IPA link|x}} | {{IPA link|j}}
| {{IPA link|z}} |
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="35" | Dan West alphabet (Côte d'Ivoire) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | AƆ | B | BH | D
| DH | E | Ɛ | Ë | ƐA
| F | G | GB | GW | I
| K | KP | KW | L | M
| N | NG | O | Ɔ | Ö
| P | R | S | T | U
| Ü | V | W | Y | Z |
| a | aɔ | b | bh | d
| dh | e | ɛ | ë | ɛa
| f | g | gb | gw | i
| k | kp | kw | l | m
| n | ng | o | ɔ | ö
| p | r | s | t | u
| ü | v | w | y | z |
| colspan="35" | IPA value | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| {{IPA link|a}} | {{IPA link|ɒ}} | {{IPA link|b}} | {{IPA link|ɓ}} | {{IPA link|d}}
| {{IPA link|ɗ}} | {{IPA link|e}} | {{IPA link|ɛ}} | {{IPA link|ʌ}} | {{IPA link|æ}}
| {{IPA link|f}} | {{IPA link|ɡ}} | {{IPA link|ɡ͡b}} | {{IPA link|gʷ}} | {{IPA link|i}}
| {{IPA link|k}} | {{IPA link|k͡p}} | {{IPA link|kʷ}} | {{IPA link|l}} | {{IPA link|m}}
| {{IPA link|n}} | {{IPA link|ŋ}} | {{IPA link|o}} | {{IPA link|ɔ}} | {{IPA link|ɤ}}
| {{IPA link|p}} | {{IPA link|r}} | {{IPA link|s}} | {{IPA link|t}} | {{IPA link|u}}
| {{IPA link|ɯ}} | {{IPA link|v}} | {{IPA link|w}} | {{IPA link|j}} | {{IPA link|z}} |
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="38" | Dan East alphabet (Côte d'Ivoire), 1982 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | AƆ | B | BH | D
| DH | E | Ë | Ɛ | ƐA
| F | G | GB | GW | H
| I | Ɩ | K | KP | KW
| L | M | N | O | Ö
| Ɔ | P | R | S | T
| U | Ü | Ʋ | Ʋ̈ | V
| W | Y | Z |
| a | aɔ | b | bh | d
| dh | e | ë | ɛ | ɛa
| f | g | gb | gw | h
| i | ɩ | k | kp | kw
| l | m | n | o | ö
| ɔ | p | r | s | t
| u | ü | ʋ | ʋ̈ | v
| w | y | z |
| colspan="38" | IPA value | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| {{IPA link|a}} | {{IPA link|ɒ}} | {{IPA link|b}} | {{IPA link|ɓ}} | {{IPA link|d}}
| {{IPA link|ɗ}} | {{IPA link|e}} | {{IPA link|ʌ}} | {{IPA link|ɛ}} | {{IPA link|æ}}
| {{IPA link|f}} | {{IPA link|ɡ}} | {{IPA link|ɡ͡b}} | {{IPA link|gʷ}} | {{IPA link|h}}
| {{IPA link|i}} | {{IPA link|ɪ}} | {{IPA link|k}} | {{IPA link|k͡p}} | {{IPA link|kʷ}}
| {{IPA link|l}} | {{IPA link|m}} | {{IPA link|n}} | {{IPA link|o}} | {{IPA link|ɤ}}
| {{IPA link|ɔ}} | {{IPA link|p}} | {{IPA link|r}} | {{IPA link|s}} | {{IPA link|t}}
| {{IPA link|u}} | {{IPA link|ɯ}} | {{IPA link|ʊ}} | {{IPA link|ʉ}} | {{IPA link|v}}
| {{IPA link|w}} | {{IPA link|j}} | {{IPA link|z}} |
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="38" | Dan East alphabet (Côte d'Ivoire), 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Π| B | BH | D
| DH | E | Ʌ | Ɛ | Æ
| F | G | GB | GW | H
| I | Ɩ | K | KP | KW
| L | M | N | O |
| Ɔ | P | R | S | T
| U | Ɯ | Ʋ | V | W
| Y | Z |
| a | œ | b | bh | d
| dh | e | ʌ | ɛ | æ
| f | g | gb | gw | h
| i | ɩ | k | kp | kw
| l | m | n | o | ɤ
| ɔ | p | r | s | t
| u | ɯ | ʋ | v | w
| y | z |
| colspan="38" | IPA value | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| {{IPA link|a}} | {{IPA link|ɒ}} | {{IPA link|b}} | {{IPA link|ɓ}} | {{IPA link|d}}
| {{IPA link|ɗ}} | {{IPA link|e}} | {{IPA link|ʌ}} | {{IPA link|ɛ}} | {{IPA link|æ}}
| {{IPA link|f}} | {{IPA link|ɡ}} | {{IPA link|ɡ͡b}} | {{IPA link|ɡʷ}} | {{IPA link|h}}
| {{IPA link|i}} | {{IPA link|ɪ}} | {{IPA link|k}} | {{IPA link|k͡p}} | {{IPA link|kʷ}}
| {{IPA link|l}} | {{IPA link|m}} | {{IPA link|n}} | {{IPA link|o}} | {{IPA link|ɤ}}
| {{IPA link|ɔ}} | {{IPA link|p}} | {{IPA link|r}} | {{IPA link|s}} | {{IPA link|t}}
| {{IPA link|u}} | {{IPA link|ɯ}} | {{IPA link|ʊ}} | {{IPA link|v}} | {{IPA link|w}}
| {{IPA link|j}} | {{IPA link|z}} |
Tones are marked as follows:
extra high tone: a̋;
high tone: á;
medium tone: ā;
low tone: à;
extra low tone: ȁ;
high drop tone: â;
extra low hanging tone: aʼ.
The digraphs {{anglebracket|bh, dh, gb gw, kp, kw}} keep the same values as in the spelling of 1982, and the nasal vowels are also indicated by appending the letter n after the letter of the vowel {{anglebracket|an, æn, ʌn, ɛn, in, ɔn, œn, un}}.
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite journal |last1=Roberts |first1=David |first2=Ginger |last2=Boyd |first3=Johannes |last3=Merz |first4=Valentin |last4=Vydrin |year=2020 |title=Quantifying written ambiguities in tone languages: A comparative study of Elip, Mbelime, and Eastern Dan |journal=Language Documentation & Conservation |volume=14 |pages=108–138 |hdl=10125/24915}}
External links
{{Incubator|dnj}}
- [https://glosbe.com/en/dnj/ English-Dan Online Dictionary]
{{Languages of Côte d'Ivoire}}
{{Languages of Guinea}}
{{Languages of Liberia}}
{{Mande languages}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Languages of Ivory Coast
{{Mande-lang-stub}}