Editing Dyula language (section)

==Writing systems==

=== N'Ko alphabet ===
The [[N'Ko script]] is an indigenous writing system for the Manding [[language continuum]], invented in 1949 by [[Solomana Kante|Solomana Kanté]], a Guinean educator. Today, the script has been digitised as part of [[Unicode]], which allows it to be used easily online, but the lack of funding and the official status of French means that use of this alphabet largely happens outside of formal education and is not systematically used on street signs, etc.

=== Latin alphabet and orthography ===
Dioula orthography is regulated in Burkina Faso by the Dioula Sub-Commission of the National Commission for Languages. On 15 July 1971, the National Sub-Commission for Dioula was created<ref>Republic of Burkina Faso, Ministerial Decree <abbr>n<sup>o</sup></abbr>  54/ENC/CNU.</ref> and on 16 July 1971, it began a study in order to set the Dioula alphabet. An alphabet was published on 27 July 1973 and gained official status on 2 February 1979.<ref>Republic of Burkina Faso, Ministerial Decree <abbr>n<sup>o</sup></abbr>  367/ENC/CNU.</ref> Some letters were added later, {{angbr|c, j}} for borrowed words, and others were replaced: {{angbr|sh}} by {{angbr|s}}, and {{angbr|ny}} by {{angbr|ɲ}}.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Diallo|first=Mohamadou|date=2001|title=Le noyau du code orthographique du dioula du Burkina Faso|journal=Mandekan, Bulletin Semestriel d'Études Linguistiques Mandé|volume=37|pages=9–31}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
! colspan="28" |Dioula Alphabet
|-
|A
|B
|C 
|D 
|E
|Ɛ 
|F
|G
|H
|I
|J
|K
|L
|M
|N
|Ɲ
|Ŋ
|O
|Ɔ
|P
|R
|S
|T
|U
|V
|W
|Y
|Z
|-
|a
|b
|c
|d
|e
|ɛ
|f
|g
|h
|i
|j
|k
|l
|m
|n
|ɲ
|ŋ
|o
|ɔ
|p
|r
|s
|t
|u
|v
|w
|y
|z
|-
! colspan="28" |Phonetic value
|-
|{{IPA link|a}}
|{{IPA link|b}}
|{{IPA link|c}}
|{{IPA link|d}}
|{{IPA link|e}}
|{{IPA link|ɛ}}
|{{IPA link|f}}
|{{IPA link|g}}
|{{IPA link|h}}
|{{IPA link|i}}
|{{IPA link|ɟ}}
|{{IPA link|k}}
|{{IPA link|l}}
|{{IPA link|m}}
|{{IPA link|n}}
|{{IPA link|ɲ}}
|{{IPA link|ŋ}}
|{{IPA link|o}}
|{{IPA link|ɔ}}
|{{IPA link|p}}
|{{IPA link|r}}
|{{IPA link|s}}
|{{IPA link|t}}
|{{IPA link|u}}
|{{IPA link|v}}
|{{IPA link|w}}
|{{IPA link|j}}
|{{IPA link|z}}
|}
In Burkina Faso, the Dioula alphabet is made up of 28 letters each representing a single phoneme. In the orthography, long vowels are represented by doubled letters; thus, /e/ is written {{angbr|e}} and /eː/, {{angbr|ee}}. The nasalisation of a vowel is written followed by an n; for example, /ẽ/ is written {{angbr|en}}.

The notation of tones was recommended in 1973, but in practice they are not written. The transcription guide published in 2003 does not reiterate this recommendation. Tones are noted solely in lexicographical works. However, to avoid ambiguity, tone marking is obligatory in certain cases.

For example:

* {{angbr|a}} ''he/she'' (third person singular pronoun)
* {{angbr|á}} ''you'' (second person plural pronoun)