#tiefo

Endangered Languages Challenge 6/7

What’s the language called?

Tiéfo, Cɛfɔ, Foro, Tyefo, Tyeforo, Kiefo, Tiefo

What linguistic family does it belong to?

Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, North Volta-Congo, Gur. There are two related but mutually unintelligible languages: Tiefo-N (for Nyafogo where it’s spoken) and Tiefo-D (for Daramandougou where it’s spoken). They’re apparently Gur languages but their relation to any other languages is unclear.

Where is it spoken?

Burkina Faso, in the northern Comoe and southern Houet Provinces.

What’s the situation for the language and speaker community?

It seems to depend on the individual geographic community. 

Along with the language, Tiefo culture overall is considered to be endangered. Many of the Tiefo now speak Dyula and learn French in school, and aren’t necessarily passing on the Tiefo language to younger generations. 

"It is said that the Tiéfo are endangered, because a people without language is an unarmed soldier. Otherwise we are there but as we do not understand our language, that's why we say we are endangered.” - Felix Ouattara (pictured above)

In a 2001 sociolinguistic report on Tiefo, in Dramandougou specifically, six of ten of the respondents stated that young people speak Tiéfo most of the time, and that children speak it with each other, which seems encouraging. However, it’s not the language used in education (which is either Dyula or French), which limits the contexts in which they will be able to use Tiefo later on in life. Adults speak the language with each other, but can’t get by without speaking at least some Dyula. 

The report also mentions that the Tiefo in Dramandougou have very strong feelings about their language, and are very concerned about its endangerment. Respondents indicated that they’d prefer to have the option to learn to read and write in Tiefo, and they unanimously agreed that traditional ceremonies and stories are best in Tiefo. 

Does it have any official or legal status?

Not as far as I’ve found. French is the official language, and Mossi/Móorè, Dyula, and Fulfulde are considered national languages in Burkina Faso. 

What’s its documentation status?

Tiefo’s grammar has been documented, but mainly by outsiders. I wasn’t able to find whether there are teaching materials in the language or whether speakers have access to resources in their language. Given everything else I read, it seems unlikely, though.