TITLE:
Wolof in the Transmission of Technical Knowledge and Skills: A Comparative Sociolinguistic Study of Language Practices in Automotive Mechanics, Electricity, and Body-Shaping Workshops in Dakar and Thiès
AUTHORS:
Mamadou Salla Gueye
KEYWORDS:
Urban Sociolinguistics, Wolof, Transmission of Knowledge, Competency-Based Approach, Informal Economy, SenTermino, Senegal
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Modern Linguistics,
Vol.16 No.5,
October
29,
2026
ABSTRACT: This paper deals with the role of Wolof language in the transmission of Knowledge, Know-How, Abilities and Skills (KKAS) [the distinction between the notions of Knowledge, Know-How, Abilities and Skills is articulated around the theories of Guy Le Boterf (2015, 2018) and the ILO (OIT, 2025) in the fields of management sciences and education] in informal workshops of auto mechanics, electricity and body-shaping in Dakar and Thiès. Methodologically, this qualitative study is based on empirical triangulation, integrating direct observations with eighteen semi-structured interviews with master artisans, experienced workers, and apprentices, and six hours of in-situ audio recordings of speech acts in real work situations. The data obtained therefore show that Wolof is not simply a vector of code-switching but rather an integrated cognitive technolect used to compensate for the lack of formalized training materials in French. The analysis, thus, reveals a technolinguistic symbiosis in which Wolof grammar incorporates and internalizes Western technical terminology, transforming these inputs into operational structures that directly govern physical professional gestures on the shop floor. In addition, the study highlights specific geolinguistic variations: the axis of Dakar chooses a hybridization of fast Franglais, while the hub of Thiès maintains a traditional lexicon based on endogenous metaphors. Finally, by assessing technical appropriation through criteria of operational action, this article uncovers a strong empirical association, which demonstrates the didactic effectiveness of artisanal oral tradition. It calls for the standardization of these field lexicons along the lines of the national SenTermino platform (IFAN Cheikh Anta Diop & ESP, 2025) and formal vocational training centers in Senegal.