Wawle
Baoulé
Niger-Congo (Kwa, Tano)
Baoulé (Wawle) is the largest Akan language of Côte d'Ivoire, spoken in the central regions around Bouaké, Yamoussoukro, and Dimbokro. The Baoulé people migrated west from Asante (modern Ghana) in the 18th century under Queen Pokou, who legendarily sacrificed her son to ensure safe passage across the Comoé river, and now form one of the largest ethnic groups in Côte d'Ivoire. Baoulé has two phonemic tones and ATR vowel harmony typical of Kwa Niger-Congo.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Baoulé
Water
nzue
/nzue/
Fire
sin
/sĩ/
Sun
wia
/wia/
Moon
anglo
/aŋlo/
Mother
nin
/nĩ/
Father
baba
/baba/
Eat
di
/di/
Drink
nɔ
/nɔ/
Love
klo
/klo/
Heart
awlɛn
/awlɛ̃/
Tree
waka
/waka/
House
sua
/sua/
Dog
alua
/alua/
Cat
bisua
/bisua/
Hand
sa
/sa/
Eye
nyrun
/ɲɾũ/
Hello
akwaba
/akwaba/
Thank you
moh
/mo/
One
kun
/kũ/
Good
kpa
/kpa/
Words compared
Compared with related Niger-Congo (Kwa, Tano) languages
| Meaning | Baoulé | Nzima | Akan (Twi) | Rwa | Sakizaya | Thao | Yagaria |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | nzue /nzue/ | nzule /nzule/ | nsuo /nsuo/ | mende /mende/ | nanum /nanum/ | nanum /nanum/ | nofa /nofa/ |
| Fire | sin /sĩ/ | sinya /sinja/ | ogya /odʑa/ | msika /msika/ | lamal /lamal/ | azpu /azpu/ | yo /jo/ |
| Sun | wia /wia/ | ewia /ewia/ | owia /owia/ | mlao /mlao/ | cidal /tʃidal/ | fitulha /fituʎa/ | kena /kena/ |
| Moon | anglo /aŋlo/ | siane /sjane/ | ɔsrane /ɔsrane/ | mwere /mwere/ | ʔulalalalal /ʔulalal/ | lhmiat /ʎmiat/ | ulu /ulu/ |
| Mother | nin /nĩ/ | enwo /enwo/ | ɛna /ɛna/ | mama /mama/ | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | nene /nene/ |
| Father | baba /baba/ | ekyele /ecele/ | agya /adʑa/ | baba /baba/ | ama /ama/ | ama /ama/ | papa /papa/ |
| Eat | di /di/ | di /di/ | didi /didi/ | kuria /kuria/ | hekal /hekal/ | kuman /kuman/ | na /na/ |
| Drink | nɔ /nɔ/ | nu /nu/ | nom /nom/ | kunyua /kuɲua/ | mihecak /mihetʃak/ | naqayan /naqajan/ | nava /nava/ |
| Love | klo /klo/ | ɛlɔlɛ /ɛlɔlɛ/ | ɔdɔ /ɔdɔ/ | lumbo /lumbo/ | kapah /kapah/ | suka /suka/ | amige /amiɡe/ |
| Heart | awlɛn /awlɛ̃/ | ahonle /ahonle/ | akoma /akoma/ | ngiti /ŋɡiti/ | gawang /ɡawaŋ/ | putul /putul/ | nemo /nemo/ |
| Tree | waka /waka/ | baka /baka/ | dua /dua/ | mte /mte/ | kilang /kilaŋ/ | lhalum /ʎalum/ | yake /jake/ |
| House | sua /sua/ | suakɛ /suakɛ/ | efie /efie/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | luma /luma/ | kayan /kajan/ | nono /nono/ |
| Dog | alua /alua/ | kraman /kraman/ | kraman /kraman/ | mboha /mboha/ | waco /watʃo/ | atu /atu/ | yapa /japa/ |
| Cat | bisua /bisua/ | agyinamoa /adʑinamoa/ | agyinamoa /adʑinamoa/ | paka /paka/ | posi /posi/ | posi /posi/ | pusi /pusi/ |
| Hand | sa /sa/ | ɛsa /ɛsa/ | nsa /nsa/ | mkono /mkono/ | kamay /kamai/ | lima /lima/ | bayo /bajo/ |
| Eye | nyrun /ɲɾũ/ | anye /anje/ | aniwa /aniwa/ | liso /liso/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | gago /ɡaɡo/ |
| Hello | akwaba /akwaba/ | akwaaba /akʷaːba/ | akwaaba /akʷaːba/ | kira /kiɾa/ | marayas /maɾajas/ | ya /ja/ | amige /amiɡe/ |
| Thank you | moh /mo/ | medaase /medaase/ | medaase /medaase/ | asante /asante/ | lalumahan /lalumahan/ | mihu /mihu/ | tega /teɡa/ |
| One | kun /kũ/ | kʊ /kʊ/ | baako /baːko/ | mongo /moŋɡo/ | cacay /tʃatʃai/ | tata /tata/ | kahene /kahene/ |
| Good | kpa /kpa/ | kpa /kpa/ | pa /pa/ | kya /kja/ | kapah /kapah/ | kapah /kapah/ | kavi /kavi/ |
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