Le parler vata (Côte d'Ivoire)

vatawi (used by about 6000 people) is spoken in five villages in the north of the dida territory (Ivory Coast), itself an integral part of the kru block (eastern sub-group). This description of the language, resulting from fieldwork, comprises a phonology (phonemes, tones, distribution), a grammar (inventory of categories, syntax, synthematics), the presentation of a series of oral texts, and a lexicon. The especial interest of vatawi lies in the structure of its vocal system, contrasting 'bright' and 'breathy' vowels, the existence of a tonal system of four register pitches, with many modulations, the advanced nature of the systems of nominal and verbal modifiers (aspects). The syntax is essentially positional, but benefits from a rich set of function markers. The language has a composition, nominal and verbal (incorporation). The theoretic point of view is functionalist and refers to the work of André Martinet.