Regionally located along the Niger River, the main river of West Africa, Dendi is used as a trade language across northern Benin. It is a Songhay language which forms a dialect cluster with Zarma and Koyraboro Senni and is heavily influenced by Bariba. Dendi has approximately 470,000 native speakers in Benin, with speakers also in parts of Niger, Togo, and Nigeria.
Although used as a trade language in parts of the region, the language is severely under-resourced and does not have much of a digital presence. Ross’s goal of creating digital space in his language is unprecendented, as there are no other language revitalization or digitalization projects focused on the Dendi language. This year, Ross will work with a team of linguists and Wikimedians to create a Wikipedia edition for Dendi. His long-term objective is to establish a user-group dedicated to the language, ensuring its media reach.
Ross's background
Ross Patrick Azogbonon a étudié la littérature au Bénin et poursuivi ses études en France, où il a obtenu une maîtrise à l'Université d'Artois. Il est féru de langues. Cette passion l'a poussé à enseigner le français à Tirana en Albanie et à Kampala en Ouganda. Il a enseigné le français langue étrangère au Centre béninois des langues étrangères de l'Université d'Abomey-Calavi et PDG d'un centre de langues au Bénin. Avec plus de 20 000 contributions sur Wikipédia, il est l'un des contributeurs francophones les plus actifs.
Ross Patrick Azogbonon studied literature in Benin and continued his studies in France, where he obtained a master's degree at the University of Artois. He is keen language learner: this passion pushed him to teach French in Tirana, Albania and in Kampala, Uganda. He taught French as a foreign language at the Beninese Center for Foreign Languages at the University of Abomey-Calavi and was CEO of a language center in Benin. With more than 20,000 contributions on Wikipedia, he is one of the most active French-speaking contributors.
