Gambian Studies No. ELEMENTARY MANDINKA BY DAVID P. GAMBLE SAN FRANCISCO JULY 1987CONTENTS: Introduction ia Orthography iit Greetings 1 Demonstrative Pronouns 2 3 Personal Pronouns 4 Possesive case 5 Noun endings ~ the -o ending 6 Plural of nouns 7 Gender 7 Noun formation & 10 Verbs- Imperative form 1-13 Verbal tenses - "To be" etc 14-16 Past Tense and Completed Action 17-19 Auxiliary verbs 20- 21 Exhortations 22 Passive Voice and Impersonal usage 23 Causative verbs 2% Verbal nouns 25 Questions 26- 27 Adjectives 28- 29 Adjectival forms 29- 31 Numerals 32-33 Adverbs 34 Emphatic words 35 Prepositions 36- 37 Words showing place, motion to, etc. 38- 40 Words indicating time 41-43 Indefinite pronouns Mdm 45 Emphasis ~ the word le 46 Conjunctions 47-50 Various words and phrases which connect sentences 51-52 Relative Clauses 53 Fo and ko 54 Miscellaneous idioms and phrases 55-58 Reduplication 59 Idioms involving parts of the body etc. 60 PART TT- MANDINKA TEXTS Greetings 62- 64 Children's Songs etc. 65- 66 Terms of Respect 66 Terms of Abuse 67 Prayers 68 Comparisons 69 Proverbs 70- 75 Riddles 76- 80 Songs Sung to Small Children al iIntroduction This present work is essentially a revision of the Elementary Mandinka Sentence Book (Revised Version), issued in 1955 through the Research Department of the Colonial Office in London. This 1955 version itself superseded Notes on Mandinka, Banjul: Government Printer, 1949; and Elementary Mandinka Sentence Book, Banjul: Secretariat, Dec. 1951, and August 1954. Since 1955 various unapproved reproductions have continued to be made in The Gambia, so the work has apparently continued to be of use to those Learning Mandinka. ‘The major changes in the present version are: 1) Essential tones ~ low, ~ high are indicated, where similar words are differentiated by tone. 2) Vowel length is shown by the doubling of the vowel in the case of long vowels - aa in contrast to a, ee in contrast to e, etc. 3) Diphthongs such as ai, ei, of, uf, etc, have been eliminated, the sounds being changed to ayi, eyi, oyi, uwo, etc. For ease in typing, however, I have retained ny instead of and ng in place of y . Readers should have little difficulty in adapting to either form.conee Ps Orthography as in hat aa as in_ hand let ee fate sit ii seat jy = it hot 00 low shoe uu good uw = uu ch as in chapter as in jar (Corresponds to di-,dy- in some French scripts) as in garden as in house as in we as in yes Other consonants correspond to normal English usage (b,d,f, h, k, 1, m, n, ‘) ny as in Kenya, onion , 4 in Spanish ng as in singer, bring. This sound also occurs initially. in phonetic script. Other double consonants which occur are mb, mf, mm, 11, nj, nd, nt. Tones * high tone “ow tone1 Greetings 1 A. Kayira (katra) be ? Are you at peace ? B. Kayira dorong. Peace only. A. Suu-mool' lee 2? How (where) are the people at home ? Bl i be jee. They are there. A. Kor! tana nte ? T hope there 4s no trouble ? Bl Tana ate. There is no trouble. AL Barak’ Alla ! Thanks be to God ! ‘or Alhandulilayi. 1, Also heera be ? 2! One generally hears mool' instead of moolu before lee, 1a, etc. Vocabulary: Alla (Arabic) God baraka " "blessings be is (continuous sense, with verbs) dorong only i they (cf. £ you (sing.) jee there (cf. je to see) kayira (Arabic) peace kori to hope lee? where ? ool people Ree is not (cf, te negative of be = is not) (| fite 1 (emphatic form) sdu home tana trouble Sentence words haan no haa) yes (in reply to a question) haa de ) yes indeed yéo yes (indicating agreement with the speaker) aii? really?Demonstrative pronouns nying this that nying musoo this wonan nying kidoo this gun nying bungo this house nying siiseewo this fowl wo kiinoo that bird wo bungo that house wo musoo that woman wo tumoo that time 1 kana wo ke don't do that kana wo foo don't say that al kana nying ke don't do this (plural) wo mu bambango le ti that is a bush cat (wild cat) haani, nying mang ke (4) no, this is not a bush cat ‘banbango ti wo mu mun ne ti? ) what is that ? mun ne mu wo ti? ) wo le mi (2) that's it wo taalingo banta le that tale is finished wo mang jamfa baake that was not very long nyin ne? mu fi taa ti this is mine wo le mu f taa ti that is yours wo can be used to refer to the last character or place mentioned in a narrative: a ye musu-keebaa tara he met an old woman siloo kang, on the road wo ye loo nyining... she had gathered wood. biring a bota wo le to.. when he left that (place).. 1. Note that the object always precedes the verb. 2.0 mu is mu....ti is (in descriptive contexts, he/she/it is a. in contrast to is in verbal action, he is going, abe tan. ) le is an emphatic word. After ng and n it changes to ne.) 3. nyin ne - contraction from nying + le. The negative of mu is mang ke (lit. has not become).Vocabulary al, ali banbango bang, banta biring bo bungo foo haani, kana kang ke kidoo Kiinoo le 100 mang mu... tt mung, mun! musu-keebaa = le ning siloo siiseewo taa taalingo tara to ‘tumoo you (plural) bush cat, wild cat to finished, finished when, since to come from house to say do not to do gun bird an emphatic particle firewood not what woman, wife old woman to look for road, path fowl possessive form (mine, yours, his) tale, story to meet to, from timePERSONAL PRONOUNS Simple form Emphatic form I 4, 6, fe ate you f ite (he (she a ate Gt ve a, a, fg ntolu, ntelu you (pl.) al, alii altoli, altelu they i Ttelu The possessive form adds The reflexive form adds la/aa sing. -fango pl. ~fangolu ny fina nyself fi fango ate fango your tla yourself £ fango ite fango his, her,it a la himself ete. a fango ate fango our Ana ourselves A fangolu your alla yourselves al fangolu their Tia themselves fangolu In the case of the first person: m is used before words beginning with the letters b and m. ng is used before vowels e-g- ng'ee je T saw you n is used before ye, etc. ‘There are tonal differences between: the first person singular and plural. (Where Mandinka are talking to non-Mandinka, they may use the emphatic forms to avoid any misunderstanding.) and between the second person singular and the third person plural. e.g. fi be taa Tam going & bee benta jee we all met there {be taa? are you going ? i bee taata they all wentPossessive case (a) The possessor precedes the object possessed and the particle la (or na after n) Njundu 1a muroo lee ? £ la naafoo lee ? £ la bukoo lee ? a 1a maanoo la muraadoo la luntango na bungo na bankoo Pa Dembo la musoo wuluuta bukoo An Arabic book is kitaaboo. is inserted between them. where is Njundu's knife ? where is your hat 7 where is your book ? her rice his affair your stranger my house ny wife our country Denbo's wife gave birth is often used for a European book, magazine ete. (b) With parts of the body, kinsfolk, mental attributes, and a few other words such as too_ (name), the personal pronoun or noun is used alone without any la. fi singo fda a buloo faa baa baring kotoo teeri DEN BV hakiloo kijoo Dy Ai too messes my foot your mouth his hand your father my mother my maternal uncle ny elder brother my friend my sense, ny mind my spirit my soul, my life ny name is... In the case of musoo, woman, wife, the situation is variable, the la_ sometimes being added, sometines omitted « £ 1a musoo © musu a la musoo your wife your wife his wifeNoun endings ‘The ending -o is roughly equivalent to the word the a taata farce to she went to the rice swamp ‘a be bungo kono he is in the house a taata kolongo to she went to the well When the noun stem ends in a short vowel, the addition of the o results in dropping of the stem ending, and a lengthening of the 2 to 00 fara rice swamp faroo the rice swamp When the noun enés in -ng, 9 is added. bung house bungo the house kolong well kolongo the well In compound words, the 9 is added only to the last word. fara-buloo tract of rice swamp banta-faroo upper edge of rice swamp siisee-kiloo hen egg. When an adjective is used, the 0 is added to the adjective. bete good A teeri betoo my good friend When a noun ends in aa, or 00 the o is not added. kolong-daa well mouth bung-daa house door a too his mane baa to to the river With long vowels, ee, 4, ut ano plus a glide (w or y) are added. siisee siiseewo fowl nyeewo fish Saatee saateewo town sau ~ sive home stu siwo horse siist - stisiyo smoke fii = ftyo water (Im some languages -uv is used for the long wu.” It seens to be unnecessary to write suuwo, or jiiyo.) andPlural of Nouns The plural is formed by the addition of -1u. baa mother baalu mothers moo person moolu people dindingo child dindingolu children musoo woman musoolu women Sometimes in conversation the u is not fully pronounced so that ne hears: ool! bee all the people dindingol' ye to the children Gender This is generally shown by the addition of: musoo female, woman kee, keewo male, ‘man e.g. @ doo-musoo his younger sister a doo-keewo his younger brother kong musoo ning a female baboon and a male baboon kong keewo Separate words are used in a few instances: faa father baa mother kanbaanoo youth sunkutoo (u) girl siisee-musoo hen duntungo cock ninsi-musoo cow tuuraa bull (Sometimes one hears siisee-duntungo, ninsi~tuuraa ) baa (goat) and saa (saajiyo) (sheep) have the following forms: bRa-musoo goat bRa-kotongo billy goat (sa-musoo ewe sBa-kotongo ram (sda jii-musoo8 Noun format (a) The suffix (-naa) added to the verbal root, indicates an agent. kit to send kitlea messenger sit to sit siilaa settler bajonki to migrate bajonkilaa migrant tambi to pass tambilaa —_passer-t sene to farm senelaa farmer dong to dance donna dancer Agents can be formed from the verbal noun. ait to shave lifroo shaving liirilaa barber, shaver kuw to wash kuuroo washing kuurilaa washerwonan tou to pound —tuuroo pounding tuurilaa pounder tabi to cook tabiroo cooking tabirilaa cook (Often the 1 4s virtually eliminated in speech so that one hears tabir'laa, etc. ) (b) ‘The suffixes, -rango, ~dango,-lango indicate instruments. sil to sit siirango seat laa to lie laarango bed muta to hold mutarango peg, handle fita to sweep Eitarango broom santi to comb santirango comb ming to drink mindango cup Where there is an r in the preceding syllable the form is -lango lit to shave Liirilango razor kati to cut katirilango (rice cutting) knife (c) uu land of. Sandwu Fula-duy(a) (e) © () (a) = nka, nkoo, nkooly Mandinka kango T11ibo-nkoo Mandinkoo Jaali-nkoolu bolong-kono-nkoolu barakantango without blessing ~ yaa abstract noun hadamayaa siimaayaa mansayaa beteyaa indicate origin, person from, people of ... Mandinka speech person from the east a Mandinka person the people of Jaali people up river politeness long life kingship (mansa womanhood (musu goodness king) woman) = ttyo possessor of, owner of suu, suwo yard, compound suu-tiyoo yard owner, compound owner saateewo town, village saatee-tiyoo village head maanyoo bride maanyo-tiyo bridegroom bankoo Jand banku-tiyo landowner kafoo age set kafu-tiyo leader of age set bungo house bun-tiyo house owner ~ nding(o) ~ ringo ~ dingo (after ng) Liisa a girl's name Lifsanding little Lisa Nyaara nue " Nyaaranding little Nyaara duntungo cock duntundingo little cock dingo child dindingo Little child mirango calabash mirandingo little calabash minango antelope minandingo little antelope ninsoo cow ninsi-ringo calf baa goat baa-ringo kid, little goat Keemoo a man's name Keenooring little Keemoo = ding attached to many verbal roots gives a contemptuous form. sunkang, to stink sunkanding stinking (person) kuntango headless kuntanding stupid fool barakantanding accursed (person)@ @ (k) @ (n) ~baliyaa mali-baliyaa ) malu-baliyaa ) kumpa-baliyaa ~ ntang kee-ntango musu-ntango kuntango tabi domo faa-maa baa-maa kee-naa musu-maa teeri-maa = too Lanjarutoo bala-jawu-too indicates lacking, indicate £0 cook to eat to steal used with or people father mother husband wife friend 10 a lack of shanelessness inquisitiveness (no restraint, no sense of doubt) without without a husband without a wife without @ head, senseless verbal nouns tabiroo cooking donoroo seating suunyaaroo stealing a number of words indicating relatives close to one. is used with certain bodily defects cripple leperVerbs | imperatives a) b) u In a number of common words the verbal root alone is used: téa sit wold Joo tanbi (sing.), in French. daha batu laa dee bambang fonyoo dong bori al sti al naa al wild al téa al bacu al tlmbi al ffnti ali bambang ali daha ali munya ali wali ali batu 20 sit down stand up stand, wait pass the case of most personal activities a pronoun is added, al, ali (plural), something like the reflexive form wait, rest (sing.) wait Lie down be silent hurry rest dance run sit down come get up go wait pass go out (plural) hurry wait, rest be patient get up wait°) 4) e) 12 When there is a transitive verb (1.e. when there is an object), the singular personal pronoun is omitted. precedes the verb. kad kuu bayi siti fa domo juubee tu uy joo tu fayi muta nying muta nying muta n ye a safee too safee batu batu batu bula bula firing maaboo nyininkaa sika Peo Peobpanee Bees seam paanco sika daa yele { daa yele siimango batu tantango kosi binoo moyi jiyo naati al’ aa muta alt aa tu al! aa domo al! aa samba (Here I have assumed that The object always send him wash it drive it away tie it kill ic eat it look at it leave it pound ic pay me leave me throw it away take it take this hold this for me write it write my name wait for him wait for me wait for us leave him alone, let it alone leave me alone loosen it keep it safe ask him pick it up pick up the basin open the door open your mouth wait for supper play the drum listen to the horn bring water catch it (plural) let it alone eat it take it avay ali +a produces @ long a. ‘This point needs further checking.) for emphasis. ite wild jee A strong pronoun form may be added to the imperative singular you, get out of there\ 13 » Adverbs follow the verb as in English. naa jang come here sit jang sit here taa jee g0 there taa suu g0 home ali bo jee get avay from there (plural) a t6 jee Jet it alone (leave it there) n danta jang T've stopped here | ®) The negative of the imperative is kana do not. kana taa don't go kana taa suu don't go home kana baayi don't fail kana bori don't run kana sii jang don't sit here kana nying maa don't touch this kana nying dono don't eat this kana nna 150 taa don't take my firewood kana nte neng don't curse me kana a buutee! don't beat him kana a safee write it kana a faa kill it kana a tinyaa don't spoil it kana a wutuu don't pull it out kana a batandi don't annoy him al kana bord run (plural) al kana m faa don't kill me (plural) ali kana wo ke don't do that (plural) kana wo ke don't do that (sing.) n kana wo ke ? I mustn't do that ? 1 pronounced kan'aa buutee etc. h) ‘The words bang and ko are sometimes added after imperatives. Bang modifies the imperative and makes it not so brusque. Ko seems to be an emphatic word. a foo bang do say it naa bang do come loo bang wait (stand) wuld bang do get up sii ko sit down then a dii nna ko give it to me then wuli ko get up then taa ko go then4 Verbal Tenses (a) () (c) “To be" in the sense of "to be in a place" is: be_, the negative being te a be jee he is there a te jee he/she is not there a be jang he is here a te jang he is not there a be bungo kono he is in the house a be kolongo to she is at the well a be saateewo kono he is in the tovn/village ‘a be kunkoo to he is at the fara a be faroo to she is at the rice farm (samp) Whenever an explanation is being given or required the word mu is used, together with the emphatic particle le or ne. (See page 46). The particle ...ti is added is often added at the end of the sentence. Mandinkoo le mu he is a Mandinka n teeri le mu he is my friend wo le mu? is that it ? a ding foloo-foloo mu his first child was Saalum Saalun munne mu wo ti? what is that ? Kadi dingo le mu nyin'ti ? is this Kadi's child ? Sambujang le mu nyin'ti ? is this Sambujang ? ite mu tubaaboo le ti you are a European doobaa le mu ite ti? is it a poor man you are ? Quite often the final mu is not carefully pronounced, so that one hears le m'. In some areas leng may be used instead of le mu. Sometimes all one hears is the le. munne mu ? what is it ? donkiloo le (it is) a song The negative form of mu is nte. toonvaa nte it is not the truth ate nte it is not I. it wasn't me. nte-taa nte it is not mine beroo nte it is not a stone kor’ tana nte I hope there is not trouble@ (e) (fe) 15 Intransitive verbs which describe continuous action have the form bi la. a be diyaam ia he is talking a be dahaa 1a he is resting Keebaa be jele la Keebaa is laughing deenaanoo be suusuu la the baby is sucking i be kacaa la ? you are chatting ? ning tiloo be boyi 1a when the sun is setting The same form can be used for future actions. m b'aa domo la Iam going to eat it m be i (bee) buutee 1a I am going to beat you ibe laa la jang ? are you going to sleep here ? m b'aa kii 1a bolong kono T am going to send it up-river For the negative form the be is changed to te. wo te baayi la that will not fail n te wo ke la T will not do that a t'aa ke la he will not do it a t'aa domo la he will not eat it ate mee la she will not be long a te balan na* he will not refuse a te son na he will not agree a te kun na jang it will not fit in there * palang +1a becomes balan na Descriptive verbs have the form be sring. a be dee-ring he is silent fa be loo-ring he is standing a be noo-ring it is dirty a be siiring * she is sitting a be koyiring it ds white tilo be kandiring the sun is hot nool' bee be hawujiring all the people are hurrying a buloo be foovaaring his hand is soft a be sinanding he is wet (soaking) *I£ a man was just sitting down and one asked the question “What action is he performing 2" the reply would be "a be sii-la", as in section (d).() (n) 16 The same form is also used when describing continuous action in the past. wo tumoo konkoo be keering at that time hunger was happening kari fula a be laaring for two months he was lying (i11) wo tumoo m be looring jang at that time I was standing here wo tunco duniyaa be diyaaring at that time the world was pleasant mansa be siiring siirang kang the king was sitting on his throne (seat) The verbs naa come and taa go generally do not take either the a orthe ....ring form. m be taa faroo to I am going to the swamp a be taa jaamango to he is going to the mosque m be naa I am coming ibe taa? you are going ? a be naa he is coming a te naa kotenke he is not coming again suutoo m be naa night time T am coming bii al be taa ? are you (pl.) going today ? Only very occasionally does one hear: {be taa la? are you going ?vv ‘The Past Tense and Completed Action (a) The past tense of intransitive verbs is formed by the addition of ta to the verbal root, as well as the present tense of descriptive verbs. gindingo bori-ta the child ran off 1 bo-ta minto ? where have you come from ? { taa-ta minto ? where did you go ? {naa-ta ? you've come ? { taamata ? you've been out of town ? a boyita he's fallen a funtita he has gone out fi nyinata I forgot m bataata T am tired nyaamenta he is cunning, clever sumayaa warata le ! it is very cold (lit. cold is strong) tiloo kandita the sun is hot a bungo nyiinyaata baake his house is very fine a diyaata it is sweet, sharp Mandinka has few adjectives in the English sense (See pp. 28-31.) Instead it has verbs which have the meaning "to be cold", "to be tired", etc. ‘These can be constructed with the ..ta form, generally representing a state which has come into being and can change, or with ...ing, generally indicating an inherent quality. For instance is one asked "what color is the cloth ?" one might be told “a be koyiring", it is white, but 1f a woman was washing a cloth and was asked "Is'it clean enough 2" she might reply "a koyita", it is white, it is clean. (b) The past tense of transitive verbs is formed by the addition of ye, which comes before the object. a ye daa soron ne he has locked the door { ye mune domo ? what have you eaten ? i ye munne tu jee? what did you leave there ? £ y'aa bang ? have you finished tt ? a ye maanyoo taa he has taken a wife (bride) a ye montoroo juubee he looked at the watch a ye faanoo dil a la he gave a cloth to her a ye toonyaa le fo he told the truth £ laa je? did you see it ? The first person singular has the forn fig, figa nga + {contracts to ngee ae een atest tn Be” Ree Rie! aa moyi le we have heard it fig'aa éii a la I have given it to him fig’ aa wo long I know that(c) (a) (e) 18 Sometimes the form with ye has a sense which would require a present tense in English. £ y'aa moyi ? do you hear? (lit. have you heard it 7) Alla y'aa long God knows it ate le y'aa long he knows it Ye is also used to connect two imperatives . wali ye taa get up and go naa loo jee, ye & batu come and stand there, and wait for me taa tiyo taa, y'aa nyimi go and take groundnuts, and chew them No ye is necessary after taa (go), or naa (come) naa sii come and sit down taa sii Faatu daala go and sit beside Faatu naan deemaa come and help me With past tenses and adjectival verbs which have the past tense form, the negative is mang (variations mam, man, ma’), a kandita it is hot a mang kandi it is not hot a naata he has come aman naa he has not come figa wo long I know that fi ma’ wo long T don't know that a banta it is finished a man bang it is not finished wo keta that happened wo man ke that did not happen a diyaata it is sweet a man diyaa it is not sweet a la maanoo moota —iher rice is ripe (can also be used to mean cooked) a la maanoo mam moo her rice is not ripe not ready) a siyaata it is plentiful a mang siyaa it is not plentiful19 (£) mang (mam, man, ma‘) when followed by i contracts to mee. mee je I did not see you fi mee tara jee I did not meet (find) you there { mee ‘la tiyo busa ? you've not beaten your groundnuts ? fig'ee kibaaroo moyi I heard the news of you (g) Often the negative with mang corresponds to the English won't, don’ taa go m bang T refuse i man taa? you won't go ? taa go m man taa T won't go i mang song ? you don't agree? i mang sii? won't you sit down ? 4 man Nanding batu ? won't you wait for Nanding ?Auxiliary verbs (a) ka negative buka (in some areas bike ). Used as an emphatic present, e.g. he is coming, and for habitual action. | { ka tiyo nyimi ? do you eat groundnuts ? | { ka munne safee ? what do you write down ? {ka wo le safee ? is that what you're writing ? n sisoo ka diming my chest is painful n kungo ka n diming ny head is paining me 1 bee ka taa dookuwo 1a they all go to work 1 ka mool' domo baake they cheat (lit. eat) people very much fi ka taa faroo le to T do go to the rice swamp a ka naa he is coming nte buka taa I do not go { buka bataa ? you don't get tired ? ‘a bukaa doo ke he does not do work a bukaa song he does not agree a bukaa finti banta he does not go outside mool’ buka wo ke people don't do that kati forms kee 2 kee kilt they are calling you A kee batandi ? am I troubling you ? (b) st must, should. Also used as a very emphatic future. "He will come", as distinct from "He is going to cone". In the second person it is often used as a mild imperative. £ sin kontong you should greet me {sin danku you should answer me { si taa doo sang you should go (and) buy another wuraaroo i si naa you should come in the evening A kan'aa ke don't do it Bon staa ke T shall do it (In Gambian pidgin English one will hear the word "must" used instead of the future. "Is the driver coming today 7" "He must come." ) | |() (a) (e) nyang ought, past_tense { nyanta m maakoyi 1a a nyanta taa la le a man nyang doo la a man nyang wo ke 1a noo to be able a man taa noo m man taa noo m bataata, n te taamoo noo la a t'aa foo noo la maa may (used in praye Alla maa deenaanoo balu 1a Alla maa fu la Alla maa A nii siimaayaa la Alla maa h deemaa Alla maa # deemaa la, fo A s'aa soto 21 form nyanta, negative man nyang + la, you ought to help me fhe ought to go she ought not to work he ought not to do that he is not able to go T am not able to go I am tired, I am not able to walk he cannot say it rs) nay God make the baby Live (Long) may God cure it may God grant us long life may God help us may God help us to obtain itExhortations nga Jet us... ali tiga Aga taa suv ali fga taa ali Aga ta nyoo la ali Aga wuld wuli, figa taa ali figa janjang f batu, Aga taa nyoo la fig'ad ii a la? fig'aa buutee ? nga nying kuntu ? nga nying taa ? buree kiling dii n na, figa taa sang taba la let let let let get let 22 figa shall T.... us go home us go us go together us get up up, let's go us scatter wait for me, let's go together shall I give it to him? shall T beat him 7 shall I cut this ? shall T take this give me a penny, so that I can go and buy tobacco23 sive voice and impersonal usage ‘An impersonal form is used by adding -ta to the verbal root. munne filita ? what is lost ? munne keta ? what has happened ? nna tikoo farata my head tie has become torn nna faanoo firinta my skirt has come loose Where a person is involved, instead of saying "I was sent", one says “They sent me". Lye n kif le they sent me. I was sent Lytaa dii nna le they gave it to me. it was given to me i y'aa muta they have caught it. it has been caught Lye n sanba Janjanbure they brought me to Georgetown . I was taken to G.Causative verbs Causative verbs are formed by adding the suffix laa taa loo boys wuld bataa boo jai ‘siinoo song sila ming to to to to to to to to to. to to to le 30 stand fall rise be tired come out come down sleep agree fear drink * The effect of the nd a bondi a landi kana a sindi jang kana moo! oH batandi kana m boyinds a y'aa/kidoo londi la is to lanai* tandi Jondi boyindi, wulindi batandi. bondi jindi stinondi, sondi silandi mindi ond to to to to to to to to to to to set down make 20 set down make fall raise up make tired, to trouble take out take down make sleep make willing frighten give to drink shorten the aa vowel. bring it out set it down don't set it down here don't annoy people don't knock me down he put down his gun 24Verbal_nouns 25 Verbal nouns are formed by the addition of -ri, roo_ to the verbal root. suunyaa to steal domo to eat safee to write tabi to cook talaa to divide kati to harvest tinyaa to spoil kanta to guard a be domoroo 1a a be safeeroo la a be katiroo la m be tabiroo la { be fiiroo la sunyaaroo stealing domoroo eating safeeroo writing tabiroo cooking talaaroo dividing katiroo harvesting, cutting tinyaaroo spoiling kantaroo guarding he is eating he is writing she is harvesting I am cooking you are planting Where the verb has an object, the form in -ri, -roo, is not used. Instead ano coalesces with the final vowel of the verbal root to form 00. be kGatong taboo 1a fi be maani katoo la fi be tiya fiyo 1a a be baa kantoo la a be kunu-kantoo 1a béa to ate be jii-biyoo la I am cooking lunch (1it, lunch-cooking) I am cutting rice (lit. rice cutting) I am planting groundnuts he is goat herding she is driving off birds at the river (deep water swamps) I am drawing water 4Questions Questions can be indicated purely by intonation. {naata ? you've come ? £ lakuraate ? you are ready 7 i taamata ? you've been out of town ? { buka bataa ? you don't get tired ? a funtita ? hhas he gone out 7 a te naa kotenke ? won't he come again 7 a ylaa foo ye ? did he tell it to you ? Bang may be added as a sign of a question. { lafita dutoo 1a bang ? do you want a mango ? A noun or pronoun plus lee has the sense of "where is In such a case one is asking primarily for the object or person mentioned, and not for information about the place they are. alee? where is he/she/it { la musoo lee ? where (how) is your wife lampoo lee ? where is the lamp { la bukoo lee ? where is your book { faa lee ? where is your father ? flee? where are you ? Usman lee ? where is Usman ? 1 kee lee ? where is your husband ? When one wishes to know about the place, one uses ming, minto (where), { tata minto ? where did you go? { dota minto ? where have you come from ? Keemoo be ming ? where is Keemoo ? { y'aa tombong minto ? where did you pick it up ? { dota nang ming ? where have you come from ? For nang see p. 40. A {baa lee? where is your mother ? Bate jang she is not here A a taata ming ? where did she go ? B kolongo to to the wellwho, which ? jumaa lee ? jumaa le be jee ? {ka jumaa le batu ? junaa le ye kunoo faa ? mu, mung, mun ne (mung + le) = what ? mun_tuna dit, ndit nyda dit {ko mu? mun ne mu nyin ti? mun ne mu wo ti? {ko mun ne ? mun ne filita ? al naata munne la ? mun ne keta ? a be mun ne la ? mun ne be nying kono ? i ye mun ne dono ? i ye mun ne tu jee ? i ka mun ne sti jang ? = when? (tuma, tumoo {naata mun tuma ? ) mun tun' £naata ? ) = what? how? { too ndii ? nying too ndii ? {la mool' be dii ? ko dii ? ko dit ? aii? how 2 m be ke la nyaa dif ? £ ko nyaa dii ? nga_fo nyaa dif ? ika ke nyaa dit ? mb'aa ke la nyaa dii ? nga ke nyaa dii ? 27 who is it? who is there ? who is it you are waiting for ? who killed the bird what do you say ? really ? what is this ? what is that ? what did you say ? what is lost ? what have you (pl.) come for ? what has happened ? what is he doing ? what is in this ? what did you eat ? what did you leave there ? what are you sitting here for ? time) when did you come ? what is your name ? what is the name of this ? how are your people ? what does he say ? what do you say (normally in sense of really ? you don't say ?) really ? whet shall T do ? hat do you say ? what (sort of things) shall I say ? how do you do it ? how shall I do it ? what shall I do with it ? how am I to do it ?28 Adjectives (a) Mandinka has few words corresponding to English adjectives, the commonest ones being jamaa many bee all baa big Baa, however, can also be used as a verbal infix. a beeteeyaa-baa-ta it 1s very good (b) The adjective normally follows the noun or pronoun it qualifies. 1 bee taata they all went moo jamaa naata many people came When baa follows a noun ending in ng -ngo, this ng changes to m. bungo house bum baa big house Jonkongo yard jonkom baa big yard tili fula two days faani koyoo white cloth (c) The noun is in its stem form, and the adjective takes the suffix, -2 -olu, (@) Words indicating nationality, ethnic group etc. precede the noun. Mandinka kango Mandinka speech tuubaab" nyoo European millet, i.e. maize, corn Bambarang basoo Bambara sorghum When nouns are used adjectivally they precede the noun qualified. nee baaroo iron bar nee binoo bugle (iron horn)Ce) When several adjectives are used, color precedes size, and numerals come last. faani koyoo white cloth faani koyi baa a big white cloth faani koyi baa fula two big white cloths The -o ending is added (if appropriate) only to the last adjective. rea) Im most cases where English uses adjectives, Mandinka has adjectival verbs, using either the present participle form in ing, or the past tense form ...... ta. An adjectival form can be formed from the present participle. findi taaringo early findo feng nooringo a dirty thing tuubaanyoo mooringo ripe corn nyee fajiringo boiled fish subu tabiringo cooked meat Cf. £ma'a je stiring don't you see him sitting £ma'a je looring don't you see him standing nga a tu stinooring, T left him sleeping S meeta siiring you were @ long tine sitting age i je jaaring T saw chem drying @ Various adjectival forns: -naa possessing the quality hakiloo sense hakilimaa wise too name toonaa namesake onoo belly Konomaa pregnant Siyo water jiimaa watery Hing tobe Fimnaa the black one black tivo hair tlimaa hairy Often the -maa indicates the....one. f lafita jumaa la ? which one do you want ? koyi-naa the white one finemaa the black one 29it ih 30 bali, baloo -less, without tiling to be upright, straight tilim-baloo unjust keumpa to be in doubt Kumpabaloo inquisitive cntang, ntango -less, without hakili sense haki1i-ntango senseless baraka Diessings baraka-ntango accursed kodi money kodintango moneyless kee husband keentango without a husband -taa -able for eating domo to eat donotaa eatable, ming to drink mintaa - drinkable sang, to sell san(g)taa for sale tGroo le mu fo donotaa is it seed or for eating ? maani santaa t'ali yaa bang? isn't there rice for sale at your place ? -too used with bodily defects, illnesses, etc. saasaa to have a cold saasaatoo _—person with a cold kuurang to be sick Kuurantoo sick person bala-jawoo leprosy balajawutoo leper The same form can be used with animals. saaji kurantoo a sick sheep -nding indicates a ~ish, sutu short sutunding shortish koyi white koyinding whitish (An adjective derived from a verb ending in -ng also produces a form in ~nding tiling to be straight tilinding straight tenkung, to be quiet tenkunding quiet31 (») A number of verbs are formed by adding the suffix -yaa to the adjectival stem. noo betoo a good person abeteyaata —he is good jit sumaa cold water a sunaayaata it 1s cold * musu keebaa old woman a keebaayaata she is old kee fatoo brave man a fatiyaata he is brave moo jawoo bad person a javuyaata he is bad *keebaa which means big man, has become an adjective meaning old. musu keebaa old woman keebaayaa old ageNumerals kiling fula siba naani luulu woore woorowula seyi Kononto tang 11 tang ning kiling 12 tang ning fula ete. 20 muwang 30 cang saba 40 tang naani 50 tang luvlu , etc. 100 keme 1000 wali fling is used both in the sense of one and alone. Rowlands indicates a tonal difference: ate Kling tuta he alone renained a ye soli kfling ne faa he killed one leopard kiling can also be used in narratives in the sense of a certain. silang kee kiling be jee now there was a certain man there fo kee kiling, i k'aa fo except for a certain man, called ye Jaase Jaase kiling also means the same : 2 bee kiling le mu they are all one (the same) Ordinals are formed by the addition of -njar fulanjango, sabanjango, naaninjango, luulunjango, etc. second third fourth fiEth The word for first is foloo a ding foloo her first child 32Numerals follow the noun(s) they refer sanji tang ning wooroo lung kiling moo keme fula tilt sabanjango dalaasi kene tang lulu ‘ning seyi a mang tambi mo tang naani ti to. 33 sixteen years one day two hundred people the third day a hundred dollars fifty eight there were not more than 40 peopleAdverbs These are formed by the addition of 34 baa big baake well, very much jawu bad jawuke badly, extremely muumee whole muumeeke at all a timiyaata baake tiloo kandita baake a dimoo warata jawuke wo koleyaata jawuke a mam bang muumeeke a muta kendeke it is very sweet the sun is very hot its pain is very great that is very hard it ds not finished at all hold it firmly ‘The verb itself may be modifed by an infix. a fisayaa-baa-ta a keebaayaa-baa-ta a wara-baa-ta a jamfa~jawu-ta a diyaa-jawu-ta a noo-jawu-ta a dadaa-kuu-ta { sii-kuu-ta ? naa kacaa naa kacaarinke al ayord, al nyori-ndinke { taama-ndin-ta ? a fisayaa-rin-ta a mee-rin-ta saaying it ds greatly better it is very old it ds extremely big it ds terribly far it is terribly sweet it ds extremely dirty it {s well made are you firmly seated ? wait wait a little come and chat come and chat a little move away (pl.) move away a little (pl.) did you go for a little walk 7 it is a little better he is a little time away now35 Very many verbs have emphatic terms associated with them: faata tep wuleeta tawu meseyaata yer dunta suruk boyita pitim be nooring tok be sutiyaaring dokot be koyiring lew-lew-lew ylaa faa dek He eee awee it is completely full it ds very red it is very thin he rushed in he fell with a thud it is very dirty it is very short it is very white they killed it completely Some, like those above, are of fairly widespread usage, others vary from district to district. Kiyang strong ~ a bambanta kat finished - a banta per black ~ a be finding kiir) not ) stinking— a be sunkanding fat broad - a fanuta hap dry - abe jaaring hak) hap) hot - a kandita wut ‘The consonan unusual for Mandinka. McCarthy Island Upper River kang kadang fereng fereng kirim . kirim ) yin) fie fir warang warang kaw kot wit wut -vowel-consonant structure of many of these words is It should be noted that a similar system of emphatic words is to be found also in Wolof, Serer, and Fula. Sometimes the emphatic word may clarify the word meaning: diyaata yen diyaata teleng boyita pitim boyita puram it is very sweet it is very sharp it fell with a thud it fell with a splash Some emphatic words can be used initially: taraas, a y'aa kannateyi with one sweep, he cut its throatPreposition: ye to, for a sang n ye tikoo sang n ye wo diyaata n ve meng diyaata i ye) w diyaat'ee ye) 5 nying faling @ ye dinbaa mala f ye nying muta f ye Usman kOntong 1 ye a mang a (maa) fo fi ye figa wo le f'aa ye 36 buy it for me buy me a head tie that is sweet to me (i.e. I like that) whatever you like change this for me light the fire for me hold this for me greet Usman for me he did not tell it to me that is what I told him na to, at (na follows ann) aditala nying dii a la Kinoo dii a la sinsingo dii a la a din na (aii) nying dif nna jiyo dii nna nna tikoo dif nna ntla becomes nna nenoo le be nna kGnkoo le be n na mindoo le be nna nenoo le be { la ? sinoo le be { la? give it to him give this to him Bive him food give him the basket give it to me give me this give me water give me my head tie T am cold T am hungry I am thirsty are you cold ? are you sleepy ? The word so to give as a present, to ‘dash’, is followed by the object given plus 60 wo la so koparoo 1a 80 kaboo la 80 saafunoo le s0 kuruwo la 80 kodoo la sh an En so ES fuu kodoo la denaanoo so saafunoo la mool' so kuruwo 1a give me that give me a penny give me the bottle Rive me soap give me a kola nut give me money lend me money give the baby soap give the people kolaalso follows the verbs naa used as auxiliary verbs. n naata kacaa la nte be taa fiiroo 1a a be naa safeeroo 1a man naafen na ka taa baaroo la be naa boyi la eee taata motoo la ye a) bung kidoo la yraa) takita beroo la jeleta wo la bataata taamoo la te son na wo la i f mang song wo la silang & mang song bo la Jee fi lafita wo la a ko wulmka jele ate la ‘a mang haanyi wo la { nyanta taa la saaying fi naata 4 yaa deberoo la a ko I ye taa nyantang- teeyo-la a taata timbing-katoo la 7 to come, and taa to go, when I have cone to chat I am going planting he is about to write I have not come for anything I do go hoeing (he is going to fall) he nearly fell he went by truck/lorry they shot it with a gun I struck (my foot) on a rock he laughed at that are you tired of walking ? he will not agree to that ve won't agree to that now, we do not agree to leave there T want that he thought the dog was laughing at him he was afraid (not brave about) of that you ought to go now I have come to your place for hair dressing he said they should go and cut thatch she went to cut timbingo (fruit)38 Words showing place, motion to, motion from ete jang jee m be T be a be naa te al 1 m bal Loli a fo! a mai a ja a be here Jang Jang ? Sang Jang Jang 00 jang eu jang te jang Lota jang n naa jang te jang mfata jang there jee Lbe jee fen te jee ate jee wuli jee bo 4 jee bori jee n tata jee { samaata jee ? a tu jee jee jamfata i ben tara la jee t a be m be abe nm be i be satu f nai a ta taa nte 0, at, from faroo to taa faroo to Kolongo to taa kolongo to heera to ? be luwo to ? ata bengo to ? ata saateewo to mariseewo to man ta bda to a taata kunkoo to a tai ata tulungo to 1 bee taata faroo to a samba tubab’ bungo to al bi 0 daa to m bota nang kunkoo to si bi entengo to sii bankoo to 1 am here you are here ? he is here come here they are not here stand here (pl.) wait for me here Loli is not here he was the first here he did not come here there is no one here it is far from here he/she/it is there they are there there is nothing there it is not there get up from there get out of there run there I went there did you spend the rainy season there 7 leave it there, let it alone it is far there you will find me there she is at the rice swamp Tam going to the rice swanp she is at the well I an going to the well are you at peace ? Satu is in the compound (open yard) you've come to the meeting ? he has gone to the town go to the market T did not go to the river he has gone to the farm she has gone to the play (dance) they have all gone to the rice svanp take it to the European's house get avay from the door (pl.) T have cone from the farn sit on the platform don't sit on the groundbanta kono To is not used with m be taa suu bota Jali a taata Baabaa With ming (where) the i be taa ming? ) i be taa minto ? ) To 48 also used with m maakoyi kayitoo to m maakoyi dookuwo to outside taa banta a buka finti banta inside daa keno be bungo kono be sinsingo kono taata bungo kono boyita dinkoo kono dota bolong kono ? be taa suwo kono man ta wGloo kono al a samba suwo kono bolong-kono nkool'lee ? 2 bee taata wiloo kono {1 buloo bula jifoo kono aa sii laarango kang sii nying kang kana loo n na maanoo kang kana f buloo laa a kang a seleta suwo kang al sii basoo kang a be looring siloo kang a boyita n kang n jikoo be i kang m b'aa kang 39 suu home, or with place names, 1 am going home he came from Jaali he went to Europe use of to is optional. where are you going ? the verb maskoyi to help help me with paper (i.e. give me some paper) help me with work (i.e. give me work) outside does not go outside 20 he in he it he he your mouth is in the is in the went into fell into house basket the house the hole you've come from up river 7 T am going home he has not gone to the bush carry it home (pl.) how are the people up river 7 they have all gone to the bush put your hand in the pocket sit on the bed sit on this don't stand on my rice don't put your hand on it he mounted the horse sit (pl.) on the mat he is standing on the road he fell on me / he assaulted me my hope is on you T am busy with itnyaa to daala santo noo to noo ma in front bo n nyaa to bo a nyaa to a be nyaa to behind deenaano be 1 kooma a be { kooma jan ne n kéntonta f koma a banta f kooma a y'aa tBa n kooma beside sii a daala jang { la tubaaboo be 4 daala mo fula be looring a daala a fele looring bungo daala a siita bundaa daala up santo juubee a seleta yiroo santo behind bula a nooma kana bula n nooma mool' naata 1 noo-to bang ? from 4 dota nang ming ? i bota nang willoo kono ? naa nang a samba n nang bang i bori nang m be seyi la nang al jii nang a hayinaa nang tanbi nang a naata nang a dif nna nang @ sorita nang faroo to 40 get out of my way get out of his way he is ahead the baby is behind you he is behind you here Thad lunch in your absence (1it. behind you) it was finished in your absence he took it in my absence sit beside him here your European is beside you two people are standing beside him there he is, standing beside the house he sat down beside the door ook up he climbed up the tree follow him don't follow me have péople come to replace then ? where have you cone from ? have you come from the bush ? come bring it to me 1 am returning come down (pl.) there he/she/it is pass it happened that give it to me she went early to the rice swampWords indicating time Days of the week tenengo talaatoo araboo araaniiso arijumoo sibitoo dimaasoo teneng lungo m be naa ‘bil ~ today kunung ~ saama ) sooma )- soomandaa suutoo - juuna sanjiiyo warata bii aman taa wiloo kono bit bid m mang daaroo ke bii m be naa bii al be taa? bii i baa man taa faroo to ? yesterday kunung m man taa nna faroo to i naata kunung ? kunung m mee i je n taata Saabaa kunung tomorrow - in the morning sooma m be taa Jookaduu saama soomandaa i be taa jee ? saama seyiloo m be naa night, night-time suutoo a be naa ani suutoo a be yaayi la ~ evening wuraaroo i be naa a - early nga tuuroo bang juuna a y'aa tabi juuna iman naa juuna bid a taata juuna Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday T am coming on Monday the rain is heavy today he did not go to the bush today today I have not done any weaving today T am coming are you (pl.) going today ? a today your mother did not go to the swamp ? yesterday I did not go to my rice swamp you came yesterday ? yesterday I did not see you T went to Saba yesterday tomorrow I am going to Jokadu tomorrow morning you are going there ? tomorrow morning I am coming night time he is coming even at night time he is wandering around in the evening are you coming with it ? I finished pounding early she cooked it early you did not come early today he went long agosilang saaying hani bit wo tunoo nung folo bitung silang i bataata taamoo la nga a je silang mool' neeta siiring silang = now, at once saaying kodoo mang siyaa saaying a be naa aman naa hani saying - still hani bid a man taa noo Fodebaa be tendaa la hani bil ? = at that time wo tumoo moolu be maani-katoo la wo tumoo konkoo be keering wo tumoo m be looring jang - fornerly nung nyamboo ka siyaa baake 4 tamaata le nung ? a meeta jang nung nunto a be jang, bar’ saaying a te jang - yet mang futa jee folo man naa folo man moo folo 80 koparoo 1a folo man sii folo ooo ~ then taa bitung al taa bitung ali nga taa bitung, a banta 42 now you are tired of walking T see it now people are a long time sitting now now money is not plentiful he is coming now he has not come even now he has still been unable to go is Fodebas still at the wharf ? at that time people were rice cutting at that time hunger was prevalent at that time I was standing here formerly cassava was very plentiful did you travel a while ago ? he was a long time here formerly formerly he was here, but now he is not here he has not yet reached there he has not yet come they are not yet ripe give me a penny first it is not yet time go then then go (pl.) let us go then, it is finishedIndefinite Pronouns feng - something, anything fen te jee hani fen te jee a buka feng diin na nte mam fem fo doo (pl. doolu) ~ some, other nyoo tuus (4) teng rand foolee suu doo lee ? i si taa doo sang doo fo doolu ka fo'sooma,’ doolu ka fo ‘sama’ wo doo did nna ~ one another ali nga nyoo finjang kana nyoo bung al kana nyoo boyindi Aga taa nyoo la ali figa taa nyoo 1a nte ning Abdu naata nyoo la ali bee a muta nyoo la ite ning Jonfolo man nyoo je? did you and Jonfolo not see one another ? YT kafuta nyoo ma there is nothing there (lit. there is not anything there ) there is nothing at all there he does not give me anything T did not say anything where is the other bicycle ? you should go and buy another Say another, tell another some say 'sooma', others say ‘sama’ give me that other let us swing one another don't shoot one another don't knock one another down let us go together let us go together Abdu and I came together* all take it together they collected together *(Mandinka says 'I and Abdu', not ‘Abdu and I'.) ~ nothing wo koola tuus te jang hani tuus a te je Tmang tuus fo n ye = thus a ke teng teng maafang = someone else's wandi tikoo be m bulu i ka taa wandi dutoolu le kati ? besides that there is nothing here nothing at all is there they did not tell me anything do it thus in that direction I have someone else's head-tie you go and cut someone else's mangoes ? 4a~ person moo te jee moo t'aa sunyaa la mool’ buka wo ke moo te wo to no one is there no one will steal it people don't do that there is no one in that placeEmphasis Le, an enphatic particle, is siinoo le be i la? Samba le y'aa kif tubaaboo le be jang wo le mu f Where the sentence is a short one, and particularly where adjectival ye wo le fo ye toonyaa le fo ka wo le safee ? bota nang nyaamoo le kono bota nying bungo le kono be kuneewo le kono taata wiloo le kono added whereever emphasis is desired. are you sleepy ? it was Samba who sent him it ds the European who's here that is it that 4s what he said it was the truth he spoke is that what you write ? it is from the grass that he's cone it was this house she came from it ds inside the box it is the bush he has gone to verbs are being used, le is generally added at the end. i taamata le ? tiloo warata le siyaata le jee diyata le tiita le taata le wuluuta le... keewo did you go out of town ? the sun is strong it is plentiful it is pleasant there it has flown away he has gone she has given birth.. --a male also used either for emphasis,or to make the sentence less abrupt sii ko kopaaroo dif n na ko taa ko a t Janfata ko meeta ko haa ko Sometimes both the le and ko are combined. In rapid speech the o be taa ko ? do sit down give me a penny go then it 1s indeed far you were a long time yes indeed are you going ? is slurred over, so that one hears le k'. be jee le ko wo le mu ko ? tariyaata le k' toonyaa le mu ko meeta le ko kuranta le ko he is there is that it ? you were quick it is the truth you took a long time he is sick ko 46muk (from Wolof) at all a buka song, muk he ani - even sutoo m buka siinoo, hani domanding at Conjunctions aning, ning and baring, bari, bar’ but kabiring since, when biring since, when ni, ning when (in fut ko as, Like fo, 47 won't agree, at all night I don't sleep, (not) even a little ture tenses), if as far as, until, or, except for There is no word in Mandinka corresponding to the English and which connects sentences. a naata Jenyer, a mang Jenyer noo, a y'aa suki, hani fo a samaata jee. Musa Molo naata suka boo, a-naata Kiyang-nkoolu nakoyl. a ma'a noo, a y'aaa suki, Soninkeelu bee benta, Ty'aa bung, 1 y'aa wutundi, a taata, a man naa kotenke. For and between two imperatives see wage ‘An example of Mandinka narrative style is given below: he came to Jenyer, he was not able to take Jenyer, he blockaded it, even so that he spent the rains there. Musa Molo came to break the blockade. he came to help the Kiang people. he was not able he blockaded it the Soninkes all met, they shot at him, they drove him out, he went away, he did not come again. 18,The word aning Mansakonkoo aning Jang sanjiyo ning fitroo benta 2 faa ning fite faa, I bee faa kiling, baa kiling sometimes translates with, { ning pootoo be naa ? {te ning motoo naata ? {te ning foolee-suwoo naata ? bari but a fisayaata, bar'aa man kendeyaa folo a be naa Kerewaan, bar’ aa man naa folo a naata, bar'aa taata a taanata, bar'aa naata bar'fi si’ n kontong a man naa folo, bari saaying a be naa bar'aa bar'iid bari +a bari +4 biring since, when biring fanoo keta biring kununko a be Jang biring m bota Foonyi, hand bli m man taa jee biring a futuuta, £ mang kumoo ? kabiring when kabiring m bota karambungo to, n taata dookuwo la Balingo kabiring n naata jang, aning bil teemoo, tanoo-wo-tanoo mang soto kabiring 1 futata jee, 1 dunta wiloo kono kabiring suwo kuuta, tabiri-bungo kono a taata 48 or ning is used to connect nouns or noun equivalents. Mansakonko and here rain and planting met (were in agreement) their father and my father, they all (had) one father, one mother are you coming with a pot (tin)? id you come by motor ? did you come on a bicycle 7 he is better, but he is not yet cured he is coming to Kerewan, but he has not yet come he came, but he has gone he went out of town, but he has come (back) but you should greet me he has not yet come, but now he is coming when dawn broke since the day before yesterday he is here since I left Fonyi, T have not gone there when she married, didn't you cry ? when T left school T went to work at Balingo since I cane here and the present day, no trouble at all has occurred when they reached there, they entered the bush when night fell, he went into the kitchenni, ning when, if ni f y'aa tee (teyi), i s’aa joo nit nif ntaa taata jee, i s'aa nyininka boyita, £ b'aa lon na taata baa to, a buka nyeewo soto ni fnaata, i t'aa soto la i bla soto la, n'aa mam bang nif y'aa ke, i s'aa je ni f y'aa Kili, @ te danku la ni sanjiyo teeta, f be taa ? ning doo taata liifoo la, doo s'aa batu banku kunna Proverbs: (Kuno kotoolu) ni kaleeroo ko nenoo le b'aa la, jitbidaa s'aa fo nyaa dii ? ni luntango meeta kolongo to julu tiyo b'aa tara la jee ko as, ike be foyaaring ko kotondi munkoo be yaayi 1a ko wiloo mulunta ko bay! koyoo ka tootoo ko manne a be finding ko nuuroo ite nooring ko kéo-bootoo sunkanding ko Kasinkoo la caali Jaaro Comparisons are known as tombindiro. 49 if you break it, you will pay for it when you go there, you should ask him if you fall, you will know it when he goes to the river, he does not catch fish if you come, you won't get it (any) you will get it, if it is not finished Af you do it, you will know about it (it. see) if you call him, he will not answer when the rain stops, will you go ? when one went on leave, the other would wait for him in charge of the district 4f the cooking pot says it is cold, what will the water pot say ? if the stranger stays long at the well, a bucket owner will meet him there is as soft as cotton wool is wandering about like a dog it is like white cloth he coughs like anything he/it is as black as a leech you (are) as dirty as a salt bag Stinking like a Kasinko's dried fish it he@ @) @) Co) 6) (6) i as far as taata fo ming ? biring jang fo tubaabuduu be taa fo £ la bungo to figa taa ko, fo f man taa { bota Fajara, fo £ bota bolong kono ? ali bambang, fo banku jiyo si sii nna dondikoo bee farata fo nying tilibuloo i buka laa, fo silutoo £ so that except for, only man na fen na fo taamoo mool' bee y'aa soto fo fite ee ® for (of time), until siita fo kari fula ye n jara fo n kendeyaata keleta fo I bataata batu, fo ning baa jaata te naa koteke fo jaari whether maa long f'aa be jee 50 how far did you go? (lit. you went as far as where ?) from here to Europe I am going as far as your house let us go, or aren't you going ? did you come from Fajara, or from up-river ° hurry (pl.) so that water for the clay shall be sufficient ny clothes are all torn except for this one in the day time you don't sleep, only night tine you have not come for anything except for walking (a walk) everyone has got it except for me he remained for two months he treated me until I was well they fought until they were tired wait until low tide he will not come again until next year I don't know whether he is thereSL Various words and phrases which connect sentences. wo koolaa after that, in addition, as well wo koolaa, 1 la keebaa taata after that, their headman went Soomita alikaaloo ya to Somita's village head Niyaani banko maralaalu ye kiiti- Niani Distict Authority have built bung kutoo 160 Kuntaur. Wo koolaa a new court house at Kuntaur. In addition ye lopitaanoo kuto fanang 160 they also built a new dispensary at Nyanga-bantang. Nyanga-bantang. wo le to thereupon wo le to a taata kumfaa to, thereupon he went to the shop, a ye bayi-dampoo sang and bought a roll of cloth wo le to a taata kiitilaalu yaa, thereupon he went to the court members, a ye nying keewo sanaane. and took out a summons against this man wo le to aliksaloo y'aa samba thereupon the village head took him to seefoo to the chief wo le y'a tinna (ting na) that is why wo le y'aa tinna hand bit 2 that is why even now they do not agree buka beng (still do not agree) wo le nyaana in that way, that is the way in which wo le nyaama seefoo fanang ning in that way the chief also and a la moolu naata Sutukung his people came to Sutukung fanang also alimaamoo fanang ye safoo safee, The Tmam also wrote a charm, (and) a ylaa (ye a) dit a la gave it to him wo lung fanang ye siinaama bondi that day also they arranged a cinena (show) seefoolu ye jee for the chiefs there Alikaali-kundaa fanang janita le Alikalikunda was also burnt tumoo men na at the time when nying be ke la tumoo men na, at the time this was happening, a mang seefoo tara jee, wo it did not find the chief there, ylaa tara a taata kunkoo le to it happened that he had gone to the farm| i cukung again salifanaa koolaa ® benta tukung bitung then 1 taata Buyam, bitung wo saamoo YL taata motoo la fo Kanlaji bitung lung kiling Kanjaa taata loo nyinoo 1a wiloo kono labango 1a in the end, finally Labango 1a nying b3a-tiyo taata wandi b3a-musu doo suunyang labango 1a danna kiling le naata nying banboo kelendi nyaa-wo-nyaa ninsoo Suuteering ye mined nyini nyaa~ wo-nyaa, a mang a je a ye beeyango nyini nyaa-wo-nyaa, a mang a soto wo kanma 1a on account of that a fatiyaata, a kungo fanuta, wo kanma 1a Kanjaa y'aa kong nyaameng duntung kumoo siita nyaameng, a yooleeta fanoo keta nyaameng, keebaa sorita f futata Jeenyeeri nyaameng, jee saatee-moolu ko n ye ko "Keebaa banta." 3 teyita nyaameng t ning maloo benta tintoo kang a ye kumoo dantee nyaameng, dindingo faanaa ning moo jamaalu ning kidoolu taata bolongo to 52 after the two o'clock prayer we met again they went to Bwiam, then the next morning they went by motor to Kanlaji then one day Kanjaa went to look for firewood in the bush finally this goat-owner went (and) stole someone else's fenale goat finally one hunter came to fight with this crocodile however much, in spite of however much Sutering looked for the cow, he did not see it however much he searched for the animal, he did not get it he was brave, he was far sighted, on account of that Kanjaa hated him as soon as it was cock crow time, he crept away as soon as dawn broke, the old man set off as soon as I reached Jenyer, the townspeople there said to me "Keebaa is dead." as soon as they crossed they and a hippopotamus met on the bank as soon as he related this matter the child's father and many people with guns went to the creekRelative clauses meng, mem, men which, who daa-meng where nyaa-meng how musoo men be Jeenyeeri suboo mem be willoo kono 53 the woman who is at Jenyer the wild animal which is in the bush ‘The relative pronoun when an object must still conform to the rule that the object precedes the verb. fen te jee, a mam meng long {ka men dii dindingol' la, nso wo la { ka mem fo teng { la naafoo le, i ye meng sang ? { be taa daa~meng, taa wo to mmal long a taata daameng alkaaloo yaa, { taata daameng i ka ke nyaadit? maa je n ka ke nyaa meng ? a maa long a be jii la nyaa meng Keewolu mang long, 1 be ke la nyaa meng When one asks a question it is common generally with £ ko (you say ) in Fro: thought out. Sometimes the £ ko is o is substituted for the direct. A. f blaa ke 1a nyaadii? B. (i ko) mb'aa ke la nyaa meng ? there is nothing which he does not know that which you give to the childen, give me that what you say thus where is your hat, that you bought ? the place you are going to, go there I don't know where he went the alkalo's place, where you went how are you doing it ? don't you see how I am doing it ? he did not know how he would come down the men did not know what they would do to have it repeated back nt, while the reply is being mitted, but the indirect form how are you going to do it ? (you say) how am I going to do it ?34 fo ) to tell koto say foo ) a fo ko... "tell him say...."(pidgin English) nko. T say. a ko. he says a ftaa ye ko tell him ako 4 ye taa he says you should go ak'aa t'aa ke la he says he will not do it a mang ko nga joo he did not tell me to pay Sanbujang k'aa mang kSntong —-Sambujang says he has not had lunch kaa be be about to wo le to a wulita, a k'aa (ko a) — thereupon she got up, just as she be lampoo dadaala nyaameng dorong, was about to light the lamp, @Imbaa_ y'aa buloo jani first burnt her hand ako a b'aa muta la nyaaneng he was just about to catch itMiscellaneous idioms and phrases fee fele to look at, here is with naa a fee fi be naa fee, i y'aa moyi ? keewo te m fee tubaabool' bg jele 1a nyoo fee wo kanyanta f fee a beteyaata m fee nisali fee a fele jiyo fele taba fele a fele looring bungo daala {1 la dondikoo fele fa fele looring je ina to see from a distance kuwo kuwo a hayinaa a hayinaa nang affair, matter maanyoo kuwo mang feeyaa a mang kuu long (ku) desire, need tabaa kuvo le be n na kodi kuwo be n na baake Kodi kuwo be m faa la to reach, to be enough laa tumoo siita a ye sanji tang sii woro ? a te wo sil la amang sii folo ? a la taa waatoo siita figa taa ko, waatoo siita 55 bring it (come with it) I will bring it, do you hear ? T have no husband the Europeans are laughing at one another that is enough for you it is good in my view for example there is (of something fairly close) here it is here's water here's tobacco here he is standing beside the house here is your dress here he is standing there » there is (of something far off) there he is bride affairs are not easy he does not know anything (he is stupid) the desire for tobacco is upon me the desire for money is great the need for money is killing me (Pidgin English "fit") sleeping time has cone it was ten years ago (lit. it reached 10 yeare six ? it won't amount to that is it not yet time ? his going time has come let us go then, it is timea ke teng bii m mang daaroo ke jlyo ke jee boroo ke n singo to boreo ke n nyaa kono fonyoo keta bii munne keta ? munne be keering ? nte mang ke ite ti a keta seefoo ti a mang ke nna jongo ti a ye nte ke kanasorilaa ti muta....tt yelema..ti a fango ke. lese... ti dindingo keta manga ti a yelemata tungo ti jee a keta wontoo ti a b'aa lese 1a juwaanoo ti 56 to do, make, become, put, etc. do it thus today I have not done any weaving put water there put medicine on my leg put medicine in my eye a storm (wind) came today what has happened ? what is happening ? I am not you he became the chief he is not my slave they made me an interpreter (I became an. become make into regard as change into to pretend to be. carve into the boy became king she changed into an ant-hill there she became an antelope he is carving it into a canoe )soto kodo mb" to have, possess, 0 mang soto ng kodoo soto aa soto la minto ? 1 bee y'aa soto a so to man diya fonyoo sotota bii tanoo-wo-tanoo mang soto att buloo abe ate kodo alne aa soto 1a boroo 1a hand i bulu m bulu 0 b'aa bulu etoo banta m bulu a buloo jaata ate ate ate ate juma ate ila see soto acai m bul Tika nyaa ala ala ala share taa dii nna taa lee ? taa wuleeta Je taa mu le taa mu? taa nte tubaabu taa fele method, means page nyaa meng nyaa dil ayaa a nyaa to nyaa t'aa ye ka doo nyaa soto a ke wo le nyaa ma 37 to own, to be available there is no money available T have no money where shall I obtain it ? they have all got it getting it is not easy there was a big wind today no trouble at all occurred he will not catch him (with his) running it ds in your hand i.e. it is in your possession T haven't got it he has money my matches are finished his hand is dry, i.e. he is stingy give me ny share where is mine ? mine is red it is mine whose is it ? it is not mine here's your European's share how (relative) how (interrogative) means of getting opportunity for talking he has no means of getting it I don't have the opportunity to work they do it in that way is also used in exclamations sangara nyaa ! wara nyaa Juubee ! his bad temper how big it is (1it. its great size) look at its size !ie I to be able, Fatu ye dongo noo a ye boroo noo to, place taa seefoo yaa taa Usman yaa ali yaa nkool'lee ? ) ali yaa mool'lee ? ) i ye/sigaretoo tu i yaa m be taa ali yaa munne be i yaa ? nte yaa mu jee taa suu, i baa yaa 58 to be good at Fatu is good at dancing he is good at running g0 to the chief's place go to Usman's how are the people of your place ? you've left your cigarettes at home I am going to your (pl.) place what is at your place ? ny place is there go home, to your mother'sReduplication wo tumoo saatee doo-wo-doo mang loo tana~wo-tana mte yiri-kuntoo si mee baa kono nyaa-vo- nyaa, a te ke 1a bamboo t: a y'aa nyining nyaa-wo-nyaa,a mang a jee daa-wo-daa m buka feng-o-feng batu lung-o-lung a ka naa jang 39 at that time no other town at all existed there is no trouble at all however long the log is in the river, it will not become a crocodile (Proverb) no matter how much he sought it, he did not see it anywhere I am not waiting for anything at all every day he comes here60 Idions involving parts of the body, etc. £ daa te jee { tuloo loo bang a buloo jaata a 1a nengo koyita a mang koyi a kungo mam faa a jusoo be laaring fi singo baabaata fi kijoo ye # fara a ye 1 muta your mouth is not there i.e. you are not concerned listen his hand is dry, i.e. he is stingy his tongue is white, {.e, he is fluent, quick- witted. it is not white, i.e. is is not good, appropriate his head is not full, i.e. he is stupid his liver is quiet (at rest), i.e. he is glad ny foot is like white ants , i.e. I have pins and needles ny spirit split me, i.e. I was greatly startled it suits you (it. it has caught you)PART II. MANDINKA TEXTS Contents Greetings Children's Songs etc. Terms of Respect Terms of Abuse Prayers Comparisons Proverbs Riddles Songs Sung to Small Children Songs Sung at Sewrubaa Dances Song Sung While Weeding 62-64 65-66 67 68 69 20-75 76-80 81 82 83 Songs Sung at Girls' Lip Tattoo- ing a4 6162 Greetings. On entering a house or compound one says: salaan akeckum (Arabic) peace be to you The reply is: aleekun salaan on you be peace ‘The Arabic bisimilayi (bisimilayi) is used as an invitation to enter a house, to eft down, to eat, to begin a ceremony etc. When one encounters a door on which one cannot knock (e.g. a door of matting), one can say "kong-kong". General greetings for different times of the day are: i (sing.) saama good morning (early morning) ali (plural) siflinka good morning (ate morning) tiinyang good day wuraara good evening one asks: heera laata ? have you spent the night in peace 7 heera tinyang ? have you spent the day in peace ? Reply: heera dorong peace only The surname of the person addressing the greeting is also used as an acknowledgement. If one does not know his/her surname, one can ask by saying { kontong ? your surname ?, and then repeating it after being told. A person arriving greets those already there. A junior greets those who are older. An ordinary person greets those in position of authority ~ village head, chief, almaamoo, etc.63 The greetings between two persons run as follows: Q heera be ? / kayira be ? A heera dorong/ kayira dorong Q suu-mool'lee ? A Lobe jee Q kori tanaa nte A tana ate or tana-wo-tanaa nte or heer dorong One can ask after various people: { musu lee ? { faa be jee ? i dimbaayaa lee ? If one encounters a stranger it is { bota minto ? {be taa minto ? are you at peace ? peace only how are the people of your place ? they are there L hope there is no trouble there is no trouble there is no trouble at all peace only how is your wife 7 is your father there ? your dependants ? in order to ask where he has come from and where he is going ? where have you come from ? where are you going ? One being told, one asks after the people of the place he/she has come from. Jaali-nkool'lee ? bolong-kono-nkoolu lee ? how are the people of Jaali ? how are the people up river When the stranger departs one sends greetings to the people of the place he/she is going to. Mansakonkoo-nkool' kéntong A ye ali yaa nkool' kéntong i si Jaali-nkool' kéntong ‘The reply to these 4: 2 s'aa moyi greet the people of Mansakonko for me greet the people of your place you should greet the people of Jaali they shall hear it When one is leaving a person or group one says: mbe taa m be seyi la The usual reply is the question: fhe taa? I am going I am going back you are going ?One may be wished in return: { wuraara jee ood evening there sutoo ye diya good night { tinyang jee good day there tga laa heera to let us sleep in peace If one has been away a long time, someone may sa! { faamata jang you were a long time away from here or fo faamoo The reply is: wo keta le that happened faamoo keta absence happened i bee ning faama they all (experienced) absence There is also a proverb which may be used. faamoo fisayaata saayaa ti long absence is better than death65 CHILDREN'S SONGS ETC ‘The ground-hornbill. mansa dibongo, daa kala baa kana n na tiyo maa daa kala baa a maarii be jan ne daa kala baa What the bees say uuuuuu ali Aga tea uwuuua ali figa dung Jang, uuuuuu lit te jang, vasa als Aga bo Jeng uuuuuu ali figa muru, Fow to count (Children have a counting gane.) dindingo ! { baa lee ? + ate jang. a taata ming ? kolongo to. taa a kili nang. ee? 10. i ko 4 ye taa, 11, jumaa Leng ? 12. m mal long. Each time through gives a total ground-hornbill, with the big beak, don't touch my groundnuts, with the big beak, its owner is here, big beak. uuuuuu let us go, uuuuuu let us enter here, uuuuuu there is no honey here, uuuuuu let us go from here, uuuuuu let us return, child ! yes ? where is your mother she is not here where has she gone ? to the well. go (and) call her. mother ! yes? they are calling you to go. who is it? T don't know. of twelve. Some children instead of 4, 5, and 6, say 'a taata kolongo to’ , making a total of ten each time. A similar thyme was heard anong Chiefdon.) the Teme of Sierra Leone (Malaln 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 emne language wath u feth ! e? a ko ro bath ? ko muti ko. an ko kone kane me der-e 7 u tik chile what ? where 66 is your mother ? she has gone to the stream go and call her. mother ! what 7 20 who has come ? a stranger TERMS OF RESPECT In speaking to elderly men one uses special words for certains parts of the body and certain actions as a sign of respect. The following examples come from Western Kiang. leg hand eye belly head tooth to sit to lie down to g0 to sleep i keenyeeta kayira to ? { konjoo dung m bulu In greetings one sometimes hears the reply is "a kundinding", normal word singo buloo konoo kungo nyingo laa taa siinoo did you give me term of respect ‘tuundoo konjoo kulumoo deboo saloo keboo nomoo bele seeni keenyee sleep in peace ? your hand (shake hands) "4 saloo 2" your head 7 to which my little head.NENDIRO the addition of moo kuntang kuntanding moo kurungo kurunding horomantang horomantanding ite buka malu malibaliding moo fuuring i kungo mam faa kum-faa-bali-ding kalabantee tapalee (Wolof) { mam baraka barakantango barakantanding { mang kuu long kuulom-bali-ding hakilintang hakilintanding ye wulu walu-ding bataradingo Jeeneding sunkanding solimaa toolee ~ding 67 TERMS OF ABUSE intensifies the abuse stupid person (lit. headless person) stupid fool wicked person disrespectful you have no shame shameless person foolish person your head is not full stupid fool rogue accursed (lit. you are not blessed) lacking blessing stupid (1it. you don't know anything) (@ strong term of abuse) idiot senseless you dog (an impolite way of calling someone a liar) son of a bitch bastard stinking uncircumcised foolAlla Alla Alla Alla Alla Alla maa PRAYERS deenaanoo balu la nii siimaayaa la maabee 1a jaari la tanka la wo ma deema la fo & s'aa Dar Br soto fuu la Goa God God God God y God 68 make the baby live grant us long life make us meet again next year save us from that help us to get it make it better (addressed to sick person)b Ooo Hee Hee DRE e » ‘TOMBONDIROO COMPARTSON ka domoroo ke ko faloo be nylinyaaring ko jinoo be finding ko nuuroo be mulunjawuyaaring ko seewoo be nooring ko duwoo be yayi 1a ko wulo be taama 1a ko njosoo tulo be wararing ko sang’ barandi fita koto be nyaamending ko woloo sing kala meseng ko teme-temoo nyaa fala siiring ko kari bota sita kooma be namaring ko saa be diyamoo la ko kacoo ka domoro ke ko luntang tambilaa ka domoro ke ko fina nyaa kilingo be wuleering ko patapaaree be sunkanding ko baa-kotong fenyoo meseyaata ko taling julo be diyaaring ko liyo be boviring ko misiroo kono ayinoo be beteyaaring ko sali-lung suboo be nunkuring ko fuu-dindingo be jooteeyaaring ko wiya-wiya be tariyaaring ko fonyotoo be tema ko durang diimaa 69 you eat like a donkey she is as beautiful as a spirit he is as black as a leech he is as ugly as a pig he is as dirty as a vulture he is wandering around like a dog he walks like a crab your ears stick out like a hare behind a shrub he is as cunning as a bush fowl your thin legs like a (thin legged bird) crossed eyed like the moon coming out behind a baobab tree he is as slippery as a snake he chatters like a weaver bird he eats like a passing stranger he eats like a one eyed ‘griot' (fina - a menber of the musician caste who specializes in shouting praises.) he is as red as a red monkey you stink like a billy goat's tail it is as thin as a spider's web it is he is as sweet as honey wasted away like a Mosque mouse it is as good as prayer day meat he is he is he is he is as fat as an adopted child as cowardly as a wiya wiya bird a quick as a whirlwind in the middle like sweet saucePROVERBS ni i_ye muro je subq to, moo le y'aa ke jee. duniyaa ko le "nyoo tinewo domo,” bari a mang a fo "nyoo suboo domo. ni ila wulundingo buu-domolaa k'aa mu buu-domola baa ti, a samba koreewo to. Siisee kilo ning beroo te taki nyoo ti, seelingo ning puraa te kele nyoo ti. Keebaa siitoo ka di-nento Je, dindingo lootoo wo t'aa je noo la muumee Nyiinyaa te moo bali saayaa la, jimbilaaroo jama le be banko kooto, I namunang i 1a siiseewo faa, isi i la luntango daajikoo nyininka. Many such proverbs are taught in after circumcision. If you see a knife in the meat, someone put it there. The world said "Eat one another's profit,” but it does not say "Bat one another's flesh." TE your little excrement eating puppy says it is a big excrement eater, take it to the cattle herd. ‘An egg cannot clash with a stone, a hawk and a pigeon cannot fight together. What a sitting old man sees, a standing youth cannot see at all. Beauty cannot prevent one from death, many head decorations are under the earth. Before you kill your fowl, you should ask about your guest's taste. the form of songs during the period The double form as in item 4, is characteristic of the song form, whereas the spoken proverbs are generally used in a single form. 7010. ue 12. 13. 14. 15. Podongo si mee santo nyaa-wo-nyaa, a te jamboo ke noo la jee. Yiri-kuntoo si mee baa kono nyaa~vo~ nyaa, a te ke la bamboo ti. Sosoo kana nyoo faa, yoo kana sosoo faa. Sula fenyoo si jangayaa nyaa-wo-nyaa, ni { y'aa nyopoti, a s’aa dim. (Wo Le mu nyin'ti. Moo ning a baadingo kuyaata nyaa-wo-nyaa, ni f ye kuu jawu ke a la, a si { kamfaa.) Sibi jang dibengo. (Wo le mu nyin’ ti. Moo meng buka kuu betoo ke a baadingool' ye, fo moo koteng.) Kunu-kantalaa, a buka a yaa jee. Muroo buka a kungo 1ii noo. Pataparee kiling be kongoolu kono. Moo s'aa fo Alla ye, f be kayira to ? Dukati le ka dakati bondi. nm However long a stick is up in the air, it cannot bring forth leaves there. However long the log is in the river, it will not become a crocodile. Let not beans kills millet, let not millet kill beans. (Live and let live benefits both.) However long a monkey's tail, if you pinch it, it will hurt him, (The explanation is this. However estranged are a man and his relative, if you do a bad thing to the relative, the man will be angry with you.) ‘The tall rhun palm's shade. (The meaning is this. A person who does not do good for his relatives, but for other people.) The bird watcher does not see his own (farm). (People in glass houses should not throw stones.) A knife cannot shave its own head. A red monkey is among the baboons. Shall a person ask God "Are you at peace? (This means : if you expect to receive something, you must give something first.)18. 19. 20. 2. 22, 23. 2, 25, 26. Suluu tambita, ninsiringo kumboota. (Ni { dunta dulaa to, feng filita jee, moolu si i sobi 1a.) Ni santo kerengo ye bamboo la kung-dimoo long, jumaa le y'aa flaa ye ? Ans, Kaanaa. Tiyo ning kerengo 1a teeriyaa. (Kerengo ka fo iga taa tiya yaa, tiya buka fo Aga taa kerengo yaa.) 72 The wolf passed, the calf cried. (If you entered a place, and something was missing, people will suspect you.) If the tree squirrel knows of the crocodile's headache, who told him ? The monitor lizard (which goes on both land and water), The friendship of groundnuts and squirrels. (The squirrel says let us go to the groundnuts, the groundnuts do not say "let us go to the squirrel's place." (Said of a friendship where the advantage is all to one side.) Yiri doo ning fantango mulunta, bari i domo nyaalu mang kiling. ('Fantango! A certain tree and 'fantango’ resemble each other, but their eating is different. is the name of a fish, the scales of which are like the bark of a certain tree.) Naanaa buka boyi banko to kensenke. Yiri diimaa, hani n'aa seloo kuyaata, ka fending jolong. Sdloo k'aa faata bantabaa to duutoo la, a y'aa tara a soto- nyaa le t'aa ye. (Wo le mu nyin' ti, f lafita fen na, { t'aa soto noo la, i s'aa fo ko "a mang beteyaa.) kungo si men noo, nyaa y'aa Jon’ ne. Kunku muta f daa la, a ning dookuu la mang kiling. A swallow does not drop down to the ground without reason. A sweet tree (i.e, fruit tree), even if climbing it is difficult, still lets something drop. The monkey says he does not want the mango from the village meeting place, it means he has no way of getting it. (The explanation is this: you want something, but cannot get it, so you say "it is no good.) What the head is capable (of carrying) the eyes know. To talk about making a farm, and actually working are not the same,27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 38. W@loo meng ka moo ngong=—ngong a buka moo king, bari wiloo meng lafita { kin’ na, a ka tambi f nooma, faa ei I king. Dolo-bata kotoo, @ buka a sunkango bo. (I sii jiyo ke jee nyaa-wo-nyaa, a si sunkang.) Kacaa meeringo ka laarang koto fengo bondi. I ye suvo siti, f mang nyoo ii a la. Timbingo ~ podong buka a jolong, fo ni { y'aa kati £ buloo la. I bulu kono nyeewo, kana a bula i sing koto nyeewo ye. Kumoo kuntu ka keloo tariyaa. Moo buka £0 bamboo ye tuneng. Ninsoo, ni kantalaa t'aa nooma, asi fill, Nyankumoo 1a kulliyo, nyinoo buka kuruwo talaa jee. Kunku wuloo la feeroo, nyankaroo ylaa long. Buroo ning kamindoo keta taanyoo th. Mem be laarango to, wo le ye daboolu long jee. Tonsoo nte suboo ti. 73 ‘The dog which barks at people, does not bite them, but the dog that wants to bite, goes round behind you, in order to bite you. ‘fn old palm wine calabash does not lose its smell. (No matter how much water you put there, it will still smell.) A long chat brings out the thing hidden under the bed. You've tied up the horse, but you've not given it any millet. Timbingo fruit, a (thrown) stick does not bring it down, you mist break it with your own hand. Don't leave the fish in your hand for the fish under your foot. To break off talking hastens fighting. 4 person does not tell a crocodile to dive, A cow, if the herdsman is not behind, will becone lost. At the cat's naming ceremony, the mouse does not share out the kola there. The wild dog's cunning, the crab knows it. ‘The duck and the crane (?) have become companions. Whoever is on the bed, knows the bed-bugs there. A bat is not meat.an. 42. 43, 4, 45. 46. 48. 49. 50. Kita fula ye nyoo king dulaa long. I nene mang yeewo soo, { be Jiye le foloo soo la. Fankanta mang jauwiyaa. Toonyaa buka teeriyaa tinyaa. Ni i y'aa moyi "hung, hung’, a sunkanta le. Bid namunang foloo, kunung ne foloota. I si Kiyang long nyaa-wo-nyaa, Jang Kiyang ne y'aa long ite ti (I si saatewo long nyaa-wo-nyaa, saatee dingo le y'aa long ite ti. Ning sango ye kuukuwo tombong, a nyanta jobo jayi la. (Ning i ye kayira sotoo saatewo to, i nyanta i jiyaati jayi 1a.) Ninsi kotoo buka nyaamoo tinyaa. (Keebaa mang nyang kuu kurungo ke la.) Kantarilaa y! aa la booloo maaboo daameng, a buka doko fayi jee. (Moo te a fansung fengo tinyaa la.) Taaliboo mang foodee kuwo long, bari foodeewo ye taalibe kuwo Jong. (Dindingo mang keebaa 1a feeroo long, bari keebaa ye dindingo 1a feeroo long, kaatuko a foloota dindingyaa le to.) ‘Two tortoises know where to bite one another. Before you pierce the fish (with a fishing spear), you will pierce the water first. Self-protection (foresight) is not bad. Truth does not spoil friendship. If you hear “hung, hung", it is something that stinks. Before today happened, yesterday happened. (Think of the past.) However much you know Kiang, the people there know it more than you. (However vel! you know a village, ) someone born there knows it berter than you.) If the hare picks up kukuo fruit, it ought to thank the parrot. (1£ you have good fortune in a place, you ought to praise your host.) An old cow does not spoil the grass. (an old man should not perform a bad action. ) Where the herdsman has put down his gourd, he does not throw a stick in that direction. (A person will not carelessly destroy his own property.) 4 pupil does not know what the teacher knows, but a teacher knows what the student does. (A child does not know an elder's plans, but an elder knows a child's intentions, because he was first a child.)52. 53. 54. 55. Ye {la moo meng bampu, biring somandaa la, fo tiloo be naa boyi la, {ko 1 b’aa kuruntu la. Faloo buka wulu jamaa kono, Kankurango si kori nyaa-wo- nyaa, a si jamba-katilaa batu. I be tungo kang, 1 be bankoo tonyi 1a. 75 ‘The person you carried on your back from morning, until the sun was about to set, now you want to drag him along. (Don't abandon a person you have started to help. Don't throw away a good reputation needlessly.) A donkey does not give birth in public. (A gift, or information, will not be produced so long as there is a crowd around). In however great a hurry the kankurang (a masked figure) may be, he must wait for the leaf cutters. You are on an anthill, and abusing the ground.10 RIDDLES mini mini fo mini fo ? ninsi finta, bar'aa nono koyita. corok condong ? bendang bulata baaraa kono. > kirikap ? sama nyoyita bere kang. kitiri katara (kaba) nombo ? mo ning samatoo te sele noo la santo, nyinkinki nyankanka ? Konomaa fuloo te nyoo bambu noo la. basa baa koo-baloo ? bankoo kotondi fee baa bo-bale ? looloo. n taata Njang yaa, m mang Njang tara jee, Njang na wuloo ye n king. ni 4 taata tomborongo tombong, ni i mang tomborongo soto, tomborong nganingo ye i s0- kolondaa 1a keewuleng ? dumboo « kolondaa 1a kee koyi ? mirango. mini fo mini mini fo Kipiring kap kolondaa = 76 (no literal meaning) the cow is black, but its milk is white. (No literal meaning, but said to represent the sound of a stone thrown into a pool of water.) the needle is lost in the grass. (no Literal meaning) an elephant knelt on a rock. ‘a person can climb up wearing shoes. (no literal meaning) two pregnant women cannot carry one another. the big mat without a back ? the earth. the big cotton field which cannot be picked ? the stars. I went to Njang's place, I did not find Njang there, Njang's dog bit me. if you go to pick tomborongo fruit, you don't obtain any, but the tomborong thorns pricked you. the well's red husband ? water jar- the well's white husband ? calabash. Kombo area, area around well mouthul. 12, 13. 1a 1s. 16. 7, 18. 19. kolondaa la kee fing ? kunango. kolondaa la kee jang ? julu-kesoo. n taata m bitang-kundaa to, ye basoo feenee n ye, nnene mang sii, dinding nyaa kandi ye n saabang jee 7 styo. First line -sometimes 7 the well's black husband ? wooden bowl. the well's tall husband ? the well rope. I went to my in-laws’ place, they spread a nat for ne. before I had sat down, a hasty child sat down before me there a fly. n taata luntang yaa dulaa, I went to a stranger's place. feng neng, bul’ t'aa la, sing’ t'aa la, a ka jambu yerenke. pakaya. feng neng, bul't'aa la, sing’ t'aa la, aka dinka sing. feng neng, m borita, m borita, m mang a muta noo, nm naata, n jonkotota, nga a muta. n niniyo. siitoo kono duntunding nyaa wuleng ? tenkuloo. siitoo kono fandi fing tombombaloo ? biida. Nga nna ninsoolu siti nyoo daala, sanji wuli, i mang futa ayoo ma ? bung fuloo. kankarang fuloo. there is something, it has no hands, it has no feet, it makes little balls of grain, pawpaw (which has seeds like ‘jambu'), there is something, it has no hands, it has no legs, it can dig a hole. urine. there is something, I I could not catch it, T came back and squatted dow, and caught it. my shadow. ran and ran, the red eyed cock in the bush ? palm kernel. the black strip in the bush which cannot be picked up ? the black cobra. I tied up my cows beside each other, after a thousand years, they have not approached one another. two houses - two roofs «78 (Riddles from the Kombo area) 20. Q. — Wende wer ? (No literal meaning, but Wende is one of Hare's nicknames) A. sango borita leewo kono. the hare ran across the grassland. 21, Q. —nsinding sorok ? (No literal meaning). A. woloo bulata sooling kono. the bush fowl went into the long grass. 22. n tata luntang yaa dulaa, ‘I went to a stranger's place, dinding keebaa, young and old, i bee ning 1 1a naafoolu. they all had hats. kutifingo. kutufing fruit (which has a little cap on it.) kutifing = Konbo dialect kutufing = Kiang 23. Q. sunkutu keme, a hundred girls, jooni julu kiling ? a single set of waist beads ? A. Fitarango. a brush (all the strands being tied with a single cord). 24, Q. funding keme, a hundred twins, kurutu julu kiling ? one trouser cord ? fitarango. a brush. (an alternative form to item 23, found in Kiang). (Riddles from Eastern Kiang) 25. Q. ntondo kulondong ? (no literal meaning) A. nyankumoo te batoo kono a cat cannot lick inside a bottle gourd. newung noo la . 26. n tinkin ne ye bung tankang ti, (No Literal meaning) bari n tankang ne ye bung tinkin' te (tree) sita sungo le ye bung njen' a baobab/is larger than a pumpkin plant, sungo ti, bari njen'dingo le ye but a pumpkin seed is bung sita dingo ti. baobab seed. larger than a27. 28. 29. 30, 31. 32, 33, 34, 35. * a variant is a AY sing naani loota sing naani kang, a be sing naani batu la. nyankumo be looring taabuloo kang, a be nyino batu la. (This, I believe, was introduced by Dingo ye boora soto, a faa mang booraa soto. tubab-nyoo. (This was introduced by myself, and kuyam baa ninintang ? Sango. Nea n na ningoo siti bungo kono, a binoolu be banta ? dimbaa ning sisiyo . Tili jelu be duniyaa kono ? Tili Saba, kunung tambita, ft be bii kono, sooma je naa. fen(g) neng, a kungo firing, a taata a la Maari Alla yaa debero la. tengo / sibi-karango. fen(g) neng, a k'aa be a la Maari Alla junku la kudaa. fen(g) neng, a ye daa yele, a k'aa be Maarf Alla kunung. kulungo. kuring kese batanding faa. nying kesoo. "keebaa be bungo kono ‘a booraa be banta." 79 Four legs stood on four legs. waiting for four legs. The cat was standing on the table, waiting for a mouse. George O'Halloran.) The child has a beard, its father has not a beard. Maize. (The seed has no hairs, the cob has.) has now gained wide currency.) ‘The big shed (covering) which does not provide shade ? The sky. I tied my cow in the house, its horns are outside ? Fire and smoke (which cones through the thatched roof.) How many days are there in the world ? Three days, yesterday has passed, we are in today, tomorrawis to come. ‘There is something, with loosened hair, it went to its Lord God's place to have its hair done. palm tree / rhun palm leaves. ‘There is something, it looked as if it was about to strike Lord God. The pestie (which is raised upwards with each stroke.) There is something, it opened its mouth wide, as if to swallow Lord God. ‘The mortar (the open mouth of which faces skyward.) The little calabash full of cowries. (mouth full of) teeth. The old man is in the house, his beard is outside.36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 4. 42, 43. 4a, moo fuloo be bung kiling kono, 1 buka nyoo. je. berekiloo. nga nna duntunding ne sareng, sanjiisaba, ni nga a wura, a kokoleeta. talango. nga nna turanding ne faa, sanjiisaba, nin taata jee, waati-yo-waati n si a noo tara kemboo. lembere meseng larijaa. yiroo si jangayaa nyaa-wo-nyaa, basoo si sele a santo. ntimining bos. + siseewo, f y'aa long ko nying’ ttaa daa kono, hari a la buwo ka nunku le. yirinding be faafaa la jonkongo to, a la baalu buka a domo, fo wandi baa. barimusoo s'aa baringkeewo futuu noo la ? basa-baloo, wo mu mun ne ti ? . tongoo, ni i ye laa, a buka futa basoo to. kurutoo janita, kurutu juloo mang jani. nyaamoo janita, siloo mang Jani. . n tata luntang yaa dulaa, nga kontondiroo ke, kendoo man n joo, fo fureewo. Jamba jaaro ning jamba kitingo. jee. 80 ‘Two people are in one house, they don't see each other. Testicles. I buried my little cock, after three years, if I dug it up, it would crow, a bell. I killed my little bull, three years later, if I went there, I would always find its traces there. charcoal. (no translation) However tall a tree, a lizard will be able to climb it. (no translation) A fowl, you know that there are no teeth in its mouth, but its excrement is soft. A little tree is in father's back yard, his goats don't eat it, only some one else's goat. Can a sister marry her brother ? Lacking-the-mat, what is that ? The nape of your neck, when you lie down, it does not touch the mat. The the ‘The the trousers burnt, trouser cord did not burn. grass burnt, road did not burn. T went to a stranger's place, I greeted (then) the living did not reply, only the dead. dry leaves and fresh leaves. (Fresh leaves make no sound when you tread on them, only dry leaves.)SUNG TO SMAI 81 ‘The first example is that of a chain rhyme, in which the last words of a line form to first words of the next line. ayi, jumaa le ka kumboo jang ? deenaanoo le ka kunboo Jang. ntaa kumboota, n s'aa buutee. nga a samba Bayi faaroo to ? faaroo janfata jang ning jang Jang ning jang mang wo bee sii A common song 4i 1 doo, n doo, n doo doo ka mun' kumboo ? k'aa ka a baa kumboo. baa taata minto le ? baa taata faaroo to. yoo, n doo, n doo, Sometimes after a baa taata faaroo to tuloo ke a maanoo to. tbo dii saalu la. Where a child refuses to sleep, there is a little song: dinding meng mang siinoo bit, Manka Njayi jee naa (4 kanma), si naa an a la faani baa, an a la dinding buuteerango, ng, ng, mabiloo, ng ng, manbiloo ng, ag, mandiro, ngyng, mandiro Oh, who is crying here ? It is the baby who is crying here. If he cries I shall beat him. Am I to take him to Bayi rice fields ? The rice swamp is very far from here, Very far is not worth all that... my younger brother, my younger brother (sister) what is my younger sibling crying about ? He/she says he/she is crying for mother. Where has his/her mother gone ? His/her mother has gone to the rice field yes, my younger sibling lines are added such as: put oil on his/her rice, (then if any is left.. ) give the remainder to the sheep. The child who does not sleep today, Manka Njayi is coming (to fetch you) will come with his big cloth and his rod for beating children, (variants..no meaning) A little children's rhyme on the sound of the weaver is daarilaa ko maanoo, waladoo ko dempeteng. The weaver says ‘rice’, The shuttle says 'dempeteng’ (parched fresh rice)1GS_SUNG_AT_SEWRUBAA DAN farodaala Sandeng, Jatabaa nkool’ yaa, nte man naa ali yaa, foroo meng ka jong sang, wo le ka jong kuwo long. Jamba man taa karang na, a taata feeyaa la, taaliboo Jamba, Jamba ye bang karango la, a taata feeyaa la. Lang Nyoomi, Jenyer, liirlang t'ali yaa ? i kungo bee be nyanding Lang Nyoomi, Jenyer liirlang t'ali yaa bang ? Jame Kori, i la nyiinyaa, a ka m baloo naariyaa, Jame Kori i la nyiinyaa. Siisee i la jali-so, fuwaaro t'aa noo 1a, m be taa n teeri yaa, Alfa Siisee i la jali-so, fuwaaro t'aa noo la. Mfamara 1a toroo, niidiyaa moyi, m be Jeere la, Mfamara la toroo, niidiyaa moyi. Finding ko nuuroo, maaneenee doko je, m be kitimoo la kaari billaahi nyantang kunbaa (This obscure song refers to a girl who was beate and hid behind one of the storage baskets in wh: 2 Beside Sandeng swamp in Jataba people's country, I have not come to your place, ‘The free man who buys a slave, he is the one who knows slave business. Janba has not gone for studying, he had gone to play, Jamba the student, Janba has refused learning, he has gone off to play. Lang Nyoomi, of Jenyer, is there no razor at home ? your head is all shaggy, Lang Nyomi, of Jenyer, is there no razor at your place ? Jane Kori, your beauty, makes my body lazy, Jame Kori's beauty. Sise, your presents to griots, a poor man could not do it, I am going to my friend, Alfa Sise, you presents to griots, a poor man could not do it. Mfamara's whist) listen to its ple I mean Jere, Mfanara's whistle, listen to its pleasure. As black as a leech, see the ‘begging staff", we are at Kitimo, ' by God the grass storage basket (a term of appreciation tourist 2) on Kitimo day, h rice is kept.)83 ni i taata Baabaa, When you go to England, Berry kontong n ye, greet Berry for me, kulung tiilaa aeroplane, nko ni i taata Baabaa I say, when you go to Europe Berry kontong n ye. Greet Berry for (A song referring to Dr. Berry originally in charge of the Nutrition Field Working Party at Jenyer: These songs were originally dictated at Jenyeri in 1949, and checked again in 1951. SONG SUNG WHILE WEEDING Jaaraa ye tabiroo noo la, Jara is good at cooking, maanco dij Jaaraa la. give the rice to Jara. (eard at Kerewan, July 1948.)e4 SON SUNG AT GIRLS' LIP TATTOOING Jenyeri (Eastern Kiang), 1949. 1 ali dong a ye 00, Dance for her, nyin dinding mam balang’ long. this child does not know disobedience. 2 hombong, horompoti hombong* (Bapty, empty stomach ?) nte meng ka siiri-siiri, I who stagger, fo m buka boyi. would I not fall ? * no literal meaning for these words. 3 ee jongo, ee jongo, oh slave, oh slave, jonding jongo. slave of a slave. 4 nyin' dinding nyon' ne b'aal Have you a child like this ? fee bang ? a yoo, a nyoo nte. Behold, there is none like her. 5 tinkilele, tinkile yoo,* (baby, baby 0, tinkilele, tinkile yoo,* (baby, baby © a bota a baa la, she takes after her mother, Layibendingo jusoo beta, the little Laibo is angry a bota a baa la. she takes after her mother. * no literal meaning for these words ‘he term Layiboo is used as a term of contempt. ‘The Layibolu are Fula speaking woodworkers who travel around like gypsies. 6 nyaama nyaama nyandindore* grass, grass, nyankindore bii n sin dong n sin’ na today I shall dance on my legs. * no literal meaning 7 nga awa,nga awa, let's go, let's go suloo naata ali yaa. the monkey has come to your place. (A song indicating that a stranger has come to the gathei )SUIMAAYAR_BOOROO 85 LIFE This was told to me by Jeeri Job (a Jola brought up in the Kombo) , repeating what had been told to him by Keebaa Dafee, from Jockaaduu. (transcribed from a dictaphone recording, August 1951.) a ko ni suwo kuuta baake, kana taama. wo bee mu siimaayaa boori le ti. a ko ning tiloo loota kunto, kana taama. wo bee mu siimaayaa booroo le ti. a ko yiroo mem jamfata, kana sele a la, wo bee mu siimaayaa booroo le ti- keebaa meng siyaata f ti, kana a neng, wo bee mu siimaayaa boori le ti. { kotoo fulango, kana a neng, wo bee mu siimaayaa boori le ti. a banta, a dango bee mi wo le ti, He says 'In the middle of the night don't travel.' All that is medicine for long life. He says ‘If the sun is overheead, don't travel.* All that is medicine for long life. He says 'A tree that is far (tall), don't climb it.’ All that is medicine for long life. "A man who is older than you, don't curse him.’ All that is medicine for long life. "Your elder brother, don't curse him! All that is medicine for long life. It is finished, that's the very end. Keebaa Dafee later dictated the following version: dinding, naa nang, nga siimaayaa boori fo f ye yiroo meng jangayaata, kana sele a la. jii meng siyaata, kana bula a la. sutoo baa tambering, a te song na taa la ‘tilibuloo baa tambering fa te song na taa la. keebaa meng siyaata £ ti kana a neng. Jonna la musoo £ te song na a kanu la kaatuko a si { ning jinol! fayi nyoo kang. wo bee mu siimaayaa boori le ti. * Could refer to abundance of water e.g. flood water, expanse of water. 1, come here, so that I may tell you the medicine for long life. ‘The tree that is tall, don't climb it. Water that is abundant* don't embark on it. In the middle of the night, he will not agree to go, In the middle of the day, he will not agree to go. an elder who is older than you don't curse hin. A learned man's wife, you will not agree to make love to her, because he will turn evil spirits against you ‘These are all medicines for long life. perhaps 2 vast