First published in 1965, and reprinted in 1969, this monograph by J. David Sapir is concerned with the language of the Diola (Dyola, Jola) people living near the Casamance River in the region of Senegal historically known as the Basse-Casamance. The study looks specifically at the important dialect Fogny, which can be thought of as variants of 'standard' Diola. At the time of the monograph's publication, the Fogny dialect was used by approximately 85,000 native speakers in the area around Bignona, Senegal, and was understood by practically all Diola people. This grammar presents a descriptive study of the dialect covering phonology, morphology and syntax.

Through the use of language, as symbolic action, man attempts to control his social, natural, and supernatural environments. In this book J. David Sapir, J. Christopher Crocker, and their fellow contributors investigate the nature of metaphor and related symbolic forms as a means of coming to terms with the world.