V

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

THE

MENDE LANGUAGE

CONTAINING

USEFUL PHRASES
ELEMENTARY GRAMMAR
SHORT VOCABULARIES
READING MATERIALS

BY

R W. H. MIGEOD

TRANSPORT OFFICER
OOLD COAST COLONY

LONDON

KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & Co., LTD.

DRYDEN HOUSE, 43 GERRARD STREET, W.

1908

Y & SONS, LIMITED,
BREAD STREET HILL, K.C., AND
BUNQAY, SUFFOLK.

/PL

INTRODUCTION

THE Mende nation is located in the eastern part of the Sierra
Leone Protectorate. As to its origin I have been uuable to
obtain any information, but if its recent movement be any
indication, the general direction of its migration would seem
to have been southerly. In the fourth decade of the nine-
teenth century Mendes were apparently little known on the
seaboard, except as slaves brought down from the interior.
The late Reverend Dr. Schoen, of the Church Missionary
Society, and the author of books on the Hausa, Ibo, and Mende
languages, states (1882) that "it seems that the nation is
pressing on to the seashore, as they occupy at present the
country where, in 1839, the slave-dealers had their depots
of slaves in the Sherbro country. Their baracoons were
destroyed on the bunks of the great river Bum by Captain
Denman, of the British Navy, in 1840 or 1841, and since
that time the country is open to British commerce and mis-
sionary operations, and the Mende are the principal occupants
of the place, and their language has all but superseded, and
will ere long supersede, the Sherbro altogether." This move-
ment has continued, but the Sherbro language still exists.

The imposition of peace on the country after the war of
1898, when the nation endeavoured to throw off European
control, seems to have been the immediate cause of large
numbers of the young men leaving their country. The suppres-
sion of local feuds deprived them of their chief activities.
When there was constant local warfare the safety of the town
depended on its male inhabitants being always at home.
With the abolition of the necessity for their presence the
young men began to look around for some direction in which
to turn their energies, and finding none at home they were
necessarily compelled to go abroad ; and they are now to be
found in all parts of West Africa, including the French and
German colonies. As regards the Gold Coast, they were first
introduced to that country through being brought in small
numbers in the capacity either of soldiers or carriers for the
local wars, beginning with the Ashanti war of 1873. For

VI

INTRODUCTION

the Ashanti war of 1900 they came in larger numbers. The
West African Regiment, which was sent from Sierra Leone,
had many Mendes in its ranks ; and of the carriers that were
enlisted at Freetown for the same war probably over 4000
were Mende. About this time, too, large numbers were
recruited as labourers for the Sekondi to Kumasi railway.
As many as were willing to go were sent back at the expira-
tion of their engagements, but many returned again to obtain
work either from the Government or on the mines. At the
present time (1907) they probably do not number much more
than 1200 in the Colony, and four to five years would seem
to be the average period of residence. Their number has been
steadily decreasing, owing to the restrictions imposed by the
Sierra Leone Government on their leaving that Colony, and
those that go back home now find it difficult to come again.
Unlike the Krumen. who have considerable objection to
leaving the coast-lino, and who work in gangs, which come and
return annually, the Mendes subject themselves to no similar
restrictions, and their enterprise and self-reliance take them
everywhere.

They are not generally tall, but sturdy, fearless, and capable
of great endurance. The following table of measurements,
which I have made, gives possibly a fairly correct indication
of this people's stature.

HEIGHTS OF 894 MENDES MEASURED.

Shortest 4.8|
Up to and including 4.11|
5 ft. and up to 5.0J inclusive
5.1 aud up to 5.1g inclusive

No.

u.a AH

5.2}

u w. ^g
5.2|

5.24

5.2!

5.2|

5-2j|

5.3

5.34

5.3}

5.3i

5.34

5.3|

5.3|

5.33

5.4

5.44

5.4}

5.4|

5.44

5.4!

5.4|

5.41

5.5

5.54

5.5}

5.5g

5.5i and 5.5!

14

5.5

5.61

24

5.6

5.6*

42

5.6}

6.81

21

5.6i

5.6!

15

5.6|

5.6J

26

5.7

5.74

22

5.7}

5.7|

25

5.74

5.7!

40 5.7|

5.71

26

5.8

5.84

40

5.8}

5.8|

48

5.8i

5.8!

28

5.8

5.81

36

5.9 and over

37

Tallest 6.1}

49

46 j

No.

41
28
26
29
34
23
16
24
19
23
19
8

14
11
40

894

INTRODUCTION vii

The nation seems to be formed by an admixture of a tall,
slim race, presumably coming from the open country to the
northward, with the short, thick-set race, which ancient records,
dating back as far as the time of the Phoenicians, show to have
been the inhabitants of the tropical African forest in past ages :
which view the foregoing figures appear to support.

The customs of the Mendes, as far as I can learn from
hearsay, do not seem to differ greatly from those of their
immediate neighbours, who still remain pagans. The great
institution of the country is Poro ; an institution similar to
which exists among the Vais, their neighbours to the south-
east, and I believe also in other adjoining countries. As
reference has been made to it, it may be briefly stated that
Poro is virtually a system of education. It has been described
as a secret society ; but there cannot be much secrecy about
what has been attended by nearly all the youth of the country.
The course of instruction varies with the desire and status of the
individual and the fees paid. Dancing, singing, gymnastics,
medicine, and mystic rites are amongst the subjects taught, and
for some boys the course lasts seven years. Girls also go
through a course of instruction suitable for them, which they
are not permitted to talk about with the other sex. What is
Poro to the men is called ' Sande ' or ' Bondo ' for the women.

As to the affinities of the Mende language I am unable to
say much, having, of the surrounding languages, only been
able to examine Vai. Vai is a language of interest from its
having a syllabic writing of its own. It has a very con-
siderable number of words in common with Mende, and in
many leading particulars the grammar harmonizes. The Vais
have a tradition that they themselves came from the north.
It is therefore not unlikely that a Mende migration mixing
with the already existing coast inhabitants produced the Vai
nation. The Mendes call Vais ' Karo,' and the Vais call
Mendes ' Huro ' or ' Wuro.' Mende must not be confused
with Mamie, which is the language of the Mandingos. As the
structure and grammar of a language are a surer indication of
its affinity to other languages than its* words, I have in the sub-
joined table compared Mende with Vai as well as with Hausa.
With Hausa, from its distance, it can have no possible con-
nection ; but the comparison shows the striking differences in
the languages of a relatively small portion of Africa.

Till

INTRODUCTION

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INTRODUCTION

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R, 65

x INTRODUCTION

My study of the Mende language has been carried on during
my last two tours of service on the Gold Coast. The Mendes
that are /there to work have come from all parts of their own
country, and therefore every form of the language is used. In
consequence of this and of their comparatively small number
I have not been in a position to strictly confine myself to any
one variety of the language. I do not care to use the word
' dialect ' in this respect, as the differences seem generally so
small as to render the term ' dialect ' inapplicable. There are,
however, some varieties of Mende spoken on the borders of
the country where the people have mixed with their neighbours.
There is, for instance, the Kpa Mende on the west. This
may possibly be entitled to be called a dialect, but I have not
yet had an opportunity of studying it. There is also the
Pokpa, on the east, which, I am informed, is a mixture of
Mende, Vai, and Gura. In this book I have endeavoured to
employ the southern form of speech, following Dr. Sohoen,
who published a grammar in 1882 and a vocabulary iu 1884.
The former is out of print, and I believe the latter very
nearly so also. Of the stories at the end of the book, Nos. 1
to 7 were dictated to me by a native of Bo, the remainder
by a native of Panguma. I have, however, gone through
them with a native of Mof \ve, as also I. have the other portions
of the book, and assimilated them in details of pronunciation.

Finally, the scheme I have adopted is one of short sentences
of practical use, classified under their proper heads. Whenever
possible a sentence is repeated if it can be made to illustrate
more than one grammatical rule, and I have endeavoured to
avoid the coining of phrases for the sake of furnishing
examples of a rule.

F. W. H. MIGEOD.

September, 1907.

CONTENTS

PAGE

INTRODUCTION ....... v

PART I. USEFUL PHRASES.

i. One- word phrases . . . . .17

ii. Two- word phrases . . . . .18

iii. Three-word phrases . . . . .23

iv. Travelling . . . . ... 28

v. Salutations . . . . . .34

vi. Saying, talking, etc. . . . . .36

vii. Buying and selling . . . . .37

viii. Giving . . . . . .38

ix. Going . ... . . . .39

x. Dewe cut, pass, beat, etc. . . . .42

xi. Ll = heart . . . . . .43

xii. Gn = can . . . . . .43

xiii. Want, like . . . . . .44

xiv. See, look . . . . .45

xv. To have . . . . . .45

xvi. Sickness . . . . . .46

PART II. -GRAMMAR.

CHAPTER I. GENERAL REMARKS ON PRONUNCIATION, ETC. 47

i. Structure . . . . . .47

ii. Absence of meaning to root forms . . .48

iii. Pronunciation general . . .48

iv. ,, of consonants . . .48

v. of vowels . . . .49

vi. Contractions . . . ' . . .50

vii. Changes of consonants , . . .50

viii. Changes of vowels . , . ... .54

ix. List of words much alike . . . .55

xi

xii CONTENTS

CHAPTER II. SUBSTANTIVES . . . .57

i. Definite and indefinite forms . . . .57

ii. Gender . . . . . .58

iii. Number . . . . . .58

iv. Case . . . . . . .59

v. Compound nouns . . . . .60

vi. Substantives formed by addition of suffixes, etc. . 60

CHAPTER III. ADJECTIVES . . . . .62

i. Inflection . . . . . .62

ii. Syntax . . . . . .62

iii. Adjectives ending in ngo . . . .64

iv. Comparison Comparative . . . .65

Superlative . . . .65

v. Numeral Adjectives : (1) Cardinal . . .66

(2) Ordinal . . .67

(3) Distributive . . 67

(4) Multiplicative . . 68

(5) Predicative . . 68

CHAPTER IV. PRONOUNS . . . . .69

i. Personal . . . . . .69

ii. Demonstrative . . . . .72

iii. Relative . . . . . .73

iv. Interrogative . . 73

CHAPTER V. THE VERB TO BE . . .75

i. Lo 75

Loa . . . . . . .76

ii. Mid ....... 77

iii. Le . . . . . .78

iv. Ye 79

v. Tele ....... 80

vi. Ya 80

vii. To be omitted . . 80

CHAPTER VI. THE VERB .

i, Division Voices . . . . .82

CONTENTS xiii

PAGE

ii. Moods Imperative . . . . .82

Infinitive . . . . .83

Indicative and Subjunctive . . .84

Continuous . . . . .84

iii. Tenses Conjugation of tenses in Positive and

Negative . . . .84

Aorist . . . . .84

Present . . . . .84

Past, I . . . . .84

Past, II . . . . .85

Past, III . . . . .85

Perfect . . . . .85

Pluperfect in three forms . . 85

Future . . . . .86

Future and Conditional Negative . 86

Future perfect . . . .86

Imperative Present . . .86

Continuous Aorist - .87

Present . . .87

Past . . .87

Future, I . . , .87

Future, II . . .88

Ngo Form Present . . .88

Past . . .88

Future . . .88

iv. Examples of uses of various tenses . . .89

v. Conjugation of nge, I say . . . .92

vi. Negative construction . . . . .92

CHAPTER VII. ADVERBS . ... . .96

i. Adverbs of place . . . . .96

(1) Pure adverbs of place . . . .96

(2) Adverbs being also prepositions . . 96

(3) Adverbial expressions . . . .97
Examples of uses of above . . . .97

ii. Adverbs of time ..... 101

(1) Adverbs of time .... 101

(2) Adverbial expressions .... 102
Examples of uses of above .... 102

(3) Before, Mende expressions fur . . . 105

(4) Miscellaneous expressions relating to time . 105
iii. Adverbs of affirmation and negation . . . 107
iv. Adverbs of manner, intensities, etc. . . .107

v. How? Mende expressions for . . .110

XIV

CONTENTS

CHAPTER VIII. PREPOSITIONS

General remarks .....

(1) Pure prepositions ....

(2) Postpositions .....

(3) Nouns, etc., used as postpositions
Examples of above uses ....
From, out, without, about, Mende expressions for

CHAPTER IX. CONJUNCTIONS
CHAPTER X. INTERJECTIONS

PAGE
111

111
111
111

112
112
120

122

126

PART III. VOCABULARIES.

i. Furniture, utensils, etc.
ii. Implements
iii. Colours
iv. Metals .
v. Parts of the body
vi. Diseases

vii. Relationships, titles
viii. Seasons

ix. House, and its parts .
x. Games, dances, music .
xi. Plants ....
xii. Animals . .

xiii. Birds ....
xiv. Reptiles, fish, etc.
xv. Insects ,

xvi. Stars ....
xvii. Spiritual terms
xviii. Natural features
xix. Personal names
xx. Mende-English, general
xxi. English-Mende, general

127
128
128
129
129
131
132
134
135
136
137
142
143
147
148
149
149
150
150
154
179

PART IV. READING MATERIALS STOEIES, ETC.

i. The spider and his hungry children . . . 200

ii. The fate of the man who abandoned his wife and child 201
iii. The fate of the man who cleared the bush when told

not to do so . . 203

CONTENTS xv

PAGE

iv. The devil who took a human wife . . . 206

v. The twins and their brother .... 209

vi. The boy who fell into a hole .... 211

vii. The boy stolen by a devil .... 214

viii. The woman who did not wish her daughter to be

married ...... 218

ix. The spider and the maggot .... 220

x. The spider and the bush goat .... 223

xi. The okro tree ...... 227

xii. Tlie race between the deer and the snail . . 232

xiii. The hornbill and the dog .... 237

xiv. The egg-plant and the woman who talked . . 241

xv. The magic shirt ..... 247

xvi. The woman whose child re turned to life,and her enemy 256

xvii. The dream that vanished through disobedience . 262

xviii. Songs thirteen in number .... 268

ERRATA AND ADDENDA

Page 18, line 1, for Mawulu read Maiculp.

Page 20, line 14, for i no, read I na.

Page 48, line 4 from bottom, for " With A this practice is rarer" read
" With A and this practice is also adopted."

Page 49, line 2 from bottom, for e read e.

Page 58, after line 13, add hindo and nyaha are used as prefixes, as,
hindo loi, male child or son ; nyaha loi, female child or daughter.

Page 67, after line 8, add Nwoni saweisia tia mindo? Wliere are the
three birds?

Page 101, line 8 from bottom, to line "Ha, to-day, now," add until.

Page 107, line 6 from bottom, acid after "same," "and a negUive ques-
tion is answered by Yes, when in English No would be expected. "

Page 115, line 14, forjieisia readjena.

Page 128, line 3 from bottom, for Bulw read Bulu.

Page 139, line 23, for Kale, gale read tolu, toll.

Page 140, line 7 to read tola or towa, tole or tmve, bean.

Page 141, line 13, against Kobo, for rubber tree read gum copal.

Page 141, at bottom, add njala, njale, indigo.

Page 143, add new line after "Njahele" ngoro, ngorl, ape, chimpanzee.

Page 143, Hue 8 from bottom, before the word "chimpanzee " insert (. ? ).

Page 157, line 7 from bottom, after gama insert Kama.

Page 203, line 9 from bottom, after gombui omit semicolon.

Page 203, line 7 from bottom, for ye read ya.

Page 204, line 15, the words "they could go away " should be in brackets.

Page 214, lines 13 and 21, for gbwe la read gbueila.

Page 219, line 3 from bottom, after fu insert a.fullstop.

Page 234, line 26, for go read hurry.

Page 248, footnote, before the word "chimpanzee" insert (?).

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

PART 1

USEFUL PHKASES

I. ONE-WORD PHRASES.

NOTE 1. o = o ; o = aw ; 5 = o approximating to u.

NOTE 2. When a sentence is sung out to some one at a distance,

' oh ' is usually added.

NOTE 3. Accent is on penultimate syllable unless otherwise indi-
cated. See Part II, chap. I, for further remarks on pronunciation.

Boa.
B!

Be-ndo !
Bia!

Do!
E!

Fe!

Gbele? (Gbwele).

Gbema ! (Gbwema), or

Gbelema.
Gbia!

Kite!

Hou, or ho, or homa !

Igbe?
Kaka!

Li!

Li l;i, or Di la !
Londo !

Mahuguhango ! (pronoun-
ced almost Md-ngwango).

Salutation on meeting.

Here.

Here ! (more emphatic).

You!

Stand still, or stop ! Stand it up

Yes.

Give (me) !

What is the matter 1
Leave off !

Get out, go out !

Lower or let down !
Catch hold ! Hold tight !

Which 1
Quickly !

Go!

Take it away !

Cease !

It is far !

18

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Mawulu !
Mbeka !
Mbumbu !

Malewe !

Mia, or Miando !

Miaka !

Mindo? or Mi lol

Nda!

Ndakpe ! (Ndakpwe).

Nje!
Nyandengo !

Pa!
Pili !

Sao!

Se ! (Si se is more common).

Te!
Tewe!

Wa!

Wala 1

Yei!

Wait!
This side !
Carry ; pick

away !
Cut it off !
Yonder !
Yonder side !
Where is it 1

it up; take it

Over there

Pull ! or lay it down !

Fellow ! (A common form of

address for men when no

name is used.)
Go down, or lower !
It is fine !

Kill it !

Throw or shoot !

No ! (emphatic).
Thank you !

Lift it !
Cut it !

Come !
Bring it !

Go down !

II. TWO-WORD PHRASES.

A f ulo !

A kene ] (a = where).

A gbale ] (a = it).

A li ! or Ali-oh ! (a = you,

imperative).
Alo!

A wa ! or A wa-oh !
Ayi!

Ba hama !

Untie it ! (pi.)
Where is master ?
Does it hurt ?
Go! (pi.)

Stand (still) ! (pi.)
Come! (pi.)
Go down ! (pi.)

You will not die !

(Ba = you, singular, imperative, negative.)

USEFUL PHEASES

19

Ba lembi !

Ba lua !

Ba pili !

Ba yepe !

Be gbe 1 ? (be = you say).

Be ka 1 (be = here).

Beva be }

Beva na 1 ?

Bl biyei ]

Bl gbaha ?

Bl gboyoa ]

BlleH

(Bl lei, or Bi la, is also
your

Bl mahugbe.

El mero 1

Bi se ! (pi. Wuse).

Bito?

Bia mi ] (Bia mindo ?)

Bia na ?

Do kpe !
D5 le!

Egu.
E guma.
E wa.
Er, er.

Febe!
Fe mbe !

Gl>e mia? (Gbwe mia?)

Gbelo? (Gbwelo?)

Gbi gboyoa (Gbwi gboyoa).

Gbla mbu !

Gbo bima?

Gele ma !

Gengebra loli.

Gome mia, or Gome lo.

Do not delay !

Do not be afraid !

Do not throw, or shoot !

Do not talk !

What do you say 1

This side?

What is the news here ?

What is the news there 1

What is your name ?

Are you tired ?

Have you finished 1

What is your name 1

used in the sense of you are called,
name is called.)

Be careful.

Do you hear, or understand ?
Thank you ! (also a salutation).
Do you see it 1
Where are you 1

How do you do 1 (lit. Are you
there ?)

Stand still !

Stand (still) a moment !

He cannot (do it).

Ditto.

He will not come.

No.

Give (it) to me !
Ditto.

What is it 1

Ditto.

It is all finished.

Come out from underneath !

What is the matter with you ?

Stop that !

Call the labourers.

It is a crow.

20

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Hakei bumbu.
Hakei miningo.
Hei ndia, or ndiei.
Hei panda.
Ho ngeya.

I be-ndo.
I gboyoa.
I gboyoai.
I gua.
I guhani.
I la?
I lini.
I lole I
I na.
I nyande.
I nyandeni.

Iy.

Igbe le ?

JS ga.

Jo loli.

Ji bagbango.

Keke!
Kolg igbe 1
Kolengo le.
Kpande joso.
Kpande ve.
Kpandingo le.
Kpere gboyoa.
Kurungo le.

La ndia.
Li bu.
Li gulo.
Li miaka.
Li miando.
Lo lole ?
Lo sawa.
L.umd mbe,

Take up or carry the load.
The load is heavy.
Sit in the middle.
Sit properly.
Catch hold of it.

It is not here.
It is finished.
It is not finished.
It is enough.
It is not far.
Has he placed it 1
He has not gone.
How many ?
He is not there,
It is not good.
Ditto.

He has gone.
Which is it ]

Walk quickly.
Call Jo.
This is dear.

Master! Father!

Which book 1

It is cold.

Load the gun.

Give (me) the gun.

It is hot.

They are all finished.

It is agreed, or accepted ; all right.

Put it in the middle.
Go underneath.
Go on in front.
Go yonder side.
Go over there.
How many days ?
Three days.
Answer me.

21

Mamungo le.

Maw'u le ( = mawulu le).

Maw'u kru (= mawulu

kulo).

Mbome wote.
Mendemo ange. ,
Mendemo abiii 1
Mendemo angie.
Mia lo.

Miaka gbe, or Mia gbe.
Mi yaka?
Mindo bina 1 ( = bi li na).

Na gbe !
Naldle?
Nda mahu.
Ndakpwe' mbo !

Ndaom6 gbQ.
Ndaome lawo.
Ndelingo le.
Ndome gbia.
Ndowe lavenda.
Ndowe lave.
Ngalei koto.
Ngalei yei.
Nge dema.
Nge luma.
Nge wa.
Nge pe.
Ngi gbaha.
Ngl gbahani.
Ngi gbeni.
Ngi go.
Ngi gulo.
Ngi hugo.
Ngi kurua.
NgT kuruni.
Ngi menia.
Ngi menini.
Ngi tonga.

He is foolish.
Wait a little.
Ditto.

Turn the hammock round.
I am a Mende.
Are you a Mende ?
He is a Mende.
It is over there.
Look over there.
Which direction ?
Where have you been ]

Look there !

How many there?

Put it on top.

Lit. Fellow ! alas ! (a note of

warning).
Shut the window.
Open the window.
It is wet.

Take off (your) singlet, or shirt.
Fill the hole.
Ditto.

Roll up the mat.
Let down the mat.
I am not passing.
I am not willing.
I shall not come.
I shall not do it.
I am tired.
I am not tired.
I do not care.
I do not know.
In front of him.
I do not understand.
I accept (lit. I accepted).
I do not accept.
I heard.
1 did not hear.
I have seen.

22

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Ngl wilama.

Nji domei (njiy<w nje).

Njia gbl.

Nya le.

Nu yira.

Numu yira.

Nyawo mia, or Nyawo le.

Njei susungo.

Njehu susungo.

Ngi yakpei ( = ta yakpei).

Njei woma.

Nya yakpei.

Jo?

Pe bu.
Pe ni, or hi.
Pele nyamungo.
Powe mia, or lo.
Pu ndomei.
Pu ngeleya*
Pe-nde gbo.
Pe-nde lao.
Pundia,

Tabe.
Taji?
Ta gulo.
Ta mia.

Ta mindo ?
Ta kuhama
Tana.
Ta poma.
Ta wama.
Ta yakpei.
Te wa.
Tei igbe 1
Telingo le.
Tewe botongo.
TI be.
Tina.

I am finishing.

Put it on the ground.

All right.

It is I.

One person.

Ditto.

It is mine.

The water is deep.

Ditto.

He alone.

Across the water.

I alone.

Where is Jo ?

In the house.

Do it so.

The road is very bad.

It is a pigeon.

Put it on the ground.

Put it up (aloft).

Shut the door.

Open the door.

Put it in the middle.

It is here.
Is it this ?
He is in front.

So it is (a common expression in-
troducing a related subject).
Where is he?
It is far.
He is there.
He is behind.
He is coming.
He alone.

They will not come.
Which town ?
It is black.
Cut plenty.
They are not here.
They are not there.

USEFUL PHEASES

23

Ti wama.
Tiana?
Tia wama.

Tia bagbango.
Tonya mia, or le.
Tukpe kru ( = kulo).

Wabe.
Wa, jore.
Wa kaka.
Wa mehef.
Wa ndia.
Wa mbe.
Wa yepe.
Wala fere.
Wu gbaha 1

Yegbe?
Ye mia 1
Ye, sao.
Yia lele.

They are not coming.

Are they there?

They are coming, or Are they

coming 1
They are dear.
It is true, or Is it true ?
Push a little.

Come here (sing.).

Do not make a noise (pi.).

Come quickly (sing.).

Bring food (sing.).

Come into the middle (sing.).

Come to me (sing.).

Do not talk (pi).

Bring two (sing.).

Are you tired 1 (pi.}.

What does he say 1
Who is it ?
He says no.
Talk slowly.

III. THREE-WORD PHRASES.

A mbome bumbu.

A mbom6 wote.

A mu jega ( = jia ka).

A mu li (or li-o).

A mu wime.

A wa kaka.

A wa na.

A wa ( wa a) mbom6.

Ba T gbani.

Ba li huguhango (pro-
nounced 'ngwango).
Ba li na.

Take up the hammock (pi.).
Turn the hammock round (pi.).
Let us walk quickly.
Let us go.
Let us run.
Come quickly (pi.).
Come now (pi.}.

Bring the hammock (pi.), (lit.
Come with the hammock.)

It is not dear.
Do not go far.

Do not go there.

24

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Be njiahu me ?

Bi bumbua botongo.

Bi hi milo ?

Bi hiyd mi.

Bi ji hou.

Bi lima le.

Bi lima le ?

Bi li mi?

Bi lo mia.

Bi ngi wu.

Bi milo ge ?

Bi Mende biyei 1

Bi ndai milo 1

Bi nde gora !

Bi pui milo?

Bi nemahu lengo.

Bi nemahu gbi na.

Bi yd mi 1

Bi ye mi 1

Bi yepe (or yepea) botongo.

Bi wani kaka.

Bi wo le, or Bi wo mia.

Bi wo T le, or Bi wo ya na.

Bia I le.

Bia lo mi 1 or Bi mi lo 1

Bia yese wa.

Bia ku mema ?

De ngi ma (see also under

nd).

De ti ma (see also under nd}.
Duma nya we.

Fe nya we.

Ga 1 majia lo.
Ga meni km.

Cannot you hear what is said ?

(lit. Cannot you eat the word

inside ?)
You have taken (lit. took) too

much.

Where have you come from ?
Ditto.
Hold this.
If you like.

Are you not going yet 1
Where are you going 1
Stand yonder.
Wake him up.

Where have you been lately ?
What is your Mende name 1
Where did you put it ?
You lie !

Where did you put it?
You are clever.
You have no sense.
Where have you been to ?
Where were you ?
You talk too much.
You have not come quickly.
It is yours.
It is not yours.
It is not you.
Where are you ?
You come first.
Do you smell anything ? (lit. Are

you hearing a smell ?)

Tell him.

Tell them.
Answer me.

Give it to me.

I (will) sell it.

I understand a little.

For Ga and Gi see also under Nga and Ngi.

USEFUL PHRASES

25

Gbe i li.

Gbe ngi wa.

Gbe jongo mia?

Gbeva I loni 1

Gbo ba fembe ?

Gbo ba pema ?

Gbo ba pe na ?

Gbo bi longwola 1 or Gbo bi

iQila?

Gbo bi ma 1
Gl ngi loi.
Gi loi la.
Gl nwoni loi.
Gi mboi lo.
Gi menia hiye.

Gi ndQa pebu.
Gull mbs ka.

Hou na ma.
Ha gbi na.
Hai gbi mia?
Hai lo mia ?
Hiye mu li.

I gula bi.

I hingdei na.

I navoi ngeya.

I nde gora.

I lani kpela.

I ya gboyoai.

I ya hu.

I ya wele (wlli, or wlri).

I ya miaka.

I ya muama.

I ya poron.

I ye" na? or I ye na hoe?

Jo hingdei na ?
Jo lo mi I

Kaka wekef (or yekef) ma.
Kale lo hu.

Let him go.

Wait a moment till I come.

How much is it ?

Why did not he want to ?

What do you give me ]

What are you doing ?

What are you doing there ?

What do you want?

What is the matter with you ?

I have not seen him.

I dislike it.

I have not seen the bird.

I have shot it.

1 heard indeed, or I understand

perfectly.
I left it at home.
Paddle on this side.

Catch hold of it.

Nothing there.

Is anything there ?

Ditto.

Get up, let us go.

He fell down with a thump.

He is not there.

He has no money.

He lies.

He drew near.

He has not finished.

It has gone inside.

He has not done it.

He has gone yonder.

He has gone to wash.

He has gone far.

liow is it then ?

Is Jo there ?
Where is Jo ?

On the other side.

A cartridge is in (the gun).

26

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Kia ji na. 1
Kia na na.
Kpele shilli' yira.
Kolei nya houa.

Kpindi jiei nyandengo.
Kule ji nyaningo.

Li bi mua.

Li ngi gama.

Li pe bu.

Li, wa golS.

Lo ngi gulo.

Lo yekd ma.

Lole mia na ?

Lgndo a ngepe, or njepe.

Ma gbo we ?
Ma I guhani.
Ma li lo.
Mawulu mu wa.
Ma ye pe ?
Mehe gbi na.
Mendemo (lo) abie ?
Mu soa pu.
Mu ya mbe.
Mu ya li.
Mu ya wirae.
Mu lovoni ha.

Mu yl jiama.

Ndakpwei ! jega guri-oh.

Nde nya ma.

Nga 2 wa lo.

Nga ye pe ?

Ngi bi humani.

Ngi houa kpele.

Ngi IQI la.

Like this.

Like that.

All for one shilling.

Cold has caught me (I have

caught cold).

Travelling by night is agreeable.
This cloth is spoilt.

Go and bathe.

Go for him.

Go home (sing.).

Go and fetch the letters.

Stand in front of him.

Another day.

How many are there there ?

Cease talking.

What shall we do]

It is not far.

We will go.

Wait until we come.

What are we to do 1

No food there.

Are you a Mende ?

We have obtained ten.

We return.

We do not go.

Let us not run.

We have not been unlucky to-
day ; we have not returned
empty-handed.

We were travelling all night.

Friend, hurry up with that stick.

Tell me.

I shall come.

How can I do it 1

I do not cheat you.

I take all.

I do not like him, or it.

1 Any noun in the indefinite form may be substituted for/i.

2 For Ng- see also under g-.

USEFUL PHRASES

27

Ngi loni able.

Ngi lima le.

Ngeka gi gula.

Ngi ya jijiama.

Ngi ya yima.

Ngi ya toni, or toi.

Ngi ye bia.

Ngi lei a nyi.

Ngilei a gbao.

Nwonf a gbao.

Numu gbi na.

Njia wulo lo.

Njia gutu lo.

Numu yira do.

Nyawo le, or Nya \vo mia.

Nyawo I le.

Nyawo ya na.

Pele I nyandeni.
Pele lo mi ?
Pele nyamu lo.
Pewi a gbao.
Pili (piri) njei hu.

Sina ma to.

Ta nji hu.
Ta hingdei na.
Ta lo hu.
Ta mia yira.
Ta ngi gulo.
Ta ya na.
Ta yese wa.
Te mbe yaka.
Te wuruba.
Ti wu pawani 1
Ti gbl bu.
Ti ya yima.
Tia I le.
Tonya I le.
Tonya ya na.

I do not want you.

I am not going yet.

I nearly fell.

I am going for a walk.

I am going to sleep.

I have not seen it.

I do not talk for you.

The dog bites.

The dog barks (cries).

The bird sings (cries).

There is nobody there.

It is a small affair (palaver).

It is a short palaver.

Send one man.

It is mine.

It is not mine.

Ditto.

The road is not good.
Where is the road ?
It is a bad road.
The bush cat cries.
Throw it into the water.

To-morrow we shall see.

He is asleep.

He is there.

It is inside.

That is one, or One is there.

It is in front of him.

It is not that.

He comes first.

Pass it over to this side.

liaise it on your head.

Have they not paid you ]

They are all below.

They have gone to sleep.

It is not they.

It is not true.

That is not the truth.

28

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Train i wa.
Train lo wama.
Train ta wama.

Wa gboma yira.
Wa li na.

Wa mu li, or Wa mu li-oh.
Wa pel 6 bu.

Wa nga ya (pronounced
wang-gdy-ya).

Ye, bi li.

Ye bi loni 1

Ye, gbe na.

Ye mia bie ?

Yeloabie?

Yoa bie? Biabiye?

Ye gura lo 1

Ye lo miando ?

Ye lo na ?

Ye mia miando 1

Ye na mbu ?

Yo nde bima 1

Yo njiei leni ?

The train is coming.

Ditto.

Ditto.

Bring one more.
Do not go there (pi.).
Come, let us go.
Come inside the house.
Come, I am going.

He says, You go.

Who sent you 1

He says, Look there.

Who are you ?

Ditto.

Ditto.

Whose cloth is it 1

Who is there ?

Ditto.

Ditto.

Who is underneath there ?

Who told you ?

Who spoke?

IV. TRAVELLING.

Sina mu li dogbo wai hu.

Mi yaka?

Mu li Kumasi.

Dogbo jiei nyandengo le?

Nyandengo le, hiye.

Wa mu hakeisia hugbate.
Nya longo a nunga wa-

yakpa hakeisia va.
Nunga lole mia mbome

va?
Nunga gboma wayakpa

mbome va.

To-morrow we go to the bush (or

up country)
Which direction?
We go to Kumasi.
Is bush travelling pleasant ?
It is very nice. (lit. It is nice

indeed.)

Come, let us pack the loads.
I want eight men for the loads.

How many men for the ham-
mock?

Eight more men for the ham-
mock.

USEFUL PHRASES

29

Ti kpele pu mahu woita.

Mehe navoi lo nani va.
Ye loabie'?
Headman ange.
Bi biyei ?

Bi lei ?

Nya la a Bowl.

Nya bije lo a Bowl (mia or

lo can be inserted after

la or bije).
Li bi gengeb'ra luli.
Ti wai lo.
Ti gbi ti wai lo.
Ti kpele ti wai lo.
I loa yira (pronounced

e rua yira).
I ya wai le.
Ta wama.
Nga wu go a mehe navoi lo

woita va.
Wu meni 1
Mu nienia.
Bi lei gbo benge bi keni

ange?
A li pe bu.

Ma li lo a ngenda voli.
A wa sina ngenda te-te.
A wa wu kome.
A fombo.
A hakei wumbu.
Bi vala jiei va 1
Bi hugbatea jiei va 1
Bi bima gbatea? (pro-
nounced batia).
Bi jehu gbate"a ?
Nya longo a numu yira

hakei jium (or ji va).
Hakei ji miningo.
Ngi lila miningo le.

Sixteen in all. (lit. They all six-
teen.)

Subsistence for four days.

Who are you 1

I am the headman.

What is your name ? (lit. Your
name ?)

Ditto.

My name is Bowi.

Ditto.

Go call the labourers (carriers).

They have come.

They have all come.

Ditto.

There is one left (behind).

He has not come yet.

He is coming.

I give you subsistence for six

days.

Do you hear ?
We heard, or understood.
What name did you give me

yesterday f
Go home.
We go at sunrise.
Come to-morrow morning early.
Come, collect yourselves.
Fall in.

Take up your loads.
Are you ready for the journey 1
Ditto.
Ditto.

Ditto.

I want one man for this load.

This load is (too) heavy.

I cannot take it, it is too heavy.

30

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Li bi wa, ngey& mu hakei

J 1 yili-
Bi lo mia (or miando).

Bi lo na.

Wu fere a li a lenga.

Bia (or bi) yese li.

Wa jore.

Ba yepe.

A londo a ngepe.

A wa a mbome.

Kpande ngili borne bu

(pronounced ngri).
Mbome wote.
A mbome wote.
Numui na kutungo borne

va.

Li bi peka luli.
Kei a bi lulima.
Jo lo mi 1
O Jo]
Jo, bi la.

Tabe.

Ta hingde na.

Ye lo na ?

Bindi hingde na.

Kpande lo mi 1

Ta Wuseni yeya.

Nda mahu.

A mu li.

A mu li-oh !

A mu je ga.

Mu je mavula.

A mu te.

A mu bumbu mu te wumba.

Te bi kpaki ma.

Te bi wumba.

A mu nje gbakfma.

Alo!

Dole!

Do kpe !

Go and bring rope to tie this

load with.
Stand over there.
Stand there.
You two go together.
You go first (sing.).
Do not make a noise (pi.).
Do not talk (sing.).
Cease talking (pi.).
Bring the hammock (pi.).
Tie the gun in the hammock.

Turn the hammock round (sing.).

Ditto (pi.).

The man is short for the ham-
mock.

Go call another.

Master is calling you.

Where is Jo 1

Ditto.

Jo, you are called, (lit. Jo, your
name.)

He is here.

He is there, (lit. That place.)

Who is there ?

Bindi is there.

Where is the gun 1

Wuseni has it.

Lay it on top.

Let us go.

Ditto.

Let us walk quickly.

Let us hasten our pace.

Let us raise (it).

Let us take it up and raise it on
our heads.

Raise it on your shoulder.

Raise it on your head.

Let us lower it on our shoulders.

Stand, or stop (pi.).

Stand a moment.

Stand still

USEFUL PHRASES

31

Lo ngi gulo.

Bia wlme kulo (pronounced

kru).
A wlme.
I ya a plme.

Ye, mu ya wime.
Jia panda.
Ndakpe, je ga-oh.

Mu jia lele.

Nde dakpaloi nd ma a je ga.

Bi fukoi lo mi 1

Wa nya fukoi.

Wa bi nya fukoi la.

I la?

La ndia.

Gbia mbu.

Li mbu.

GbS bima 1

Ngari nya boa.

Ngari (lo) nya gowe ma.

Mbowe fe gi gbia.

I gbia 1

I ya gbiai.

I gbiai lo.

A gbale 1

Koti nya nwona nya gowe

ma.
Peli I gbekpeni (peli for

pele).

Peli nyamungo (le).
Njef lo pelihu.

Hinde ji I nyande\
Njei na susungo.
Ga kolo.

Gbe ngi li gi hflgo.
Nga li nga to lo.

Stand in front of him.
Run on a little.

Run (pi.}.

He has run off. (lit. He has gone

with running.)
He says we must not run.
Walk properly, or carefully.
Young man, hurry up (ndakpe is

only used to an equal).
Let us walk slowly.
Tell that young man to hurry.
Where is your head-pad ? (Kdtd

is the Coast-English word for

fukgi.)

Bring my head-pad.
Come and place my head-pad.
Has he placed it?
Put it in the middle.
Come out from under.
Go underneath.

What is the matter with you ?
A thorn has run into me.
There is a thorn in my foot.
Give me a knife to get it

out.

Is it out ?

It has not come out.
It has come out.
Does it hurt 1
A stone has wounded my foot.

The road is not good.

The road is bad.

There is water in the road (i. e.

the road is under water).
This place is not good.
That water is deep.
I will try it.
Let me go and try it.
I am going to see.

32

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Gbe ngi li ngi to.
Ma yepe ?

Susungo le.

Wa bi nya wopo.

Wa, ga bi wopo.

Hei nya gbakima.

Ndowe lo.

Ba lua.

Ba gula (gura).

Ba nya gula.

Nga gula.

Hei panda.

A mbome te ngeleya.

Bi gbaha 1

Gi gbahani.

I kpoyoa na, hite.

Kpawu gbi na.

Mu jia nguri ji ma.

Tei gbe a ji ?

Li bi pele gokoli mu va.

Ngi pele doi lo.

Nyandengo le ?

I nyande panda.

Ta lo tei ndia.

Ngi loni a pele tei ndia.

Li bi pele ikelemagei lo.

Bi toi lo ?

Gi toi lo. Nyandengo.

A mu li na.

Ti wai lo a hakeisia gbi 1

Haka yira i longa hu.

Ta poma.

Hakei igbe lo 1

Mehe kaha mia.

Bi ndoi lo hu.

Bukwe mu pu milo 1 (kpuko

indef. for bed).
Pu hinde na.

Let me go and see.

"What shall we do] (lit. How can

we do ?)
It is deep.

Come and carry me on your back.
Come, I will carry you on my back.
Sit on my shoulders.
It is a hole.
Do not be afraid.
Do not fall.
Do not drop me.
I shall not fall.
Sit properly.

Raise up the hammock high.
Are you tired ?
I am not tired.

It is finished now, let me down.
There is no bridge there.
We will walk on this tree.
"What town is this 1
Go and find a house for us.
I have seen a house.
Is it a good one ?
It is not too good.
It is in the middle of the town.
I do not like a house in the

middle of the town.
Go and look at the last house.
Have you seen it I
I have seen it. It is fine.
Let us go there.

Have they brought all the loads 1
One load is lost.
It is behind.
Which load is it ?
It is the ' chop' box (provision box) .
Your whisky (wine, any strong

drink) is inside it.
Where shall we put the bed 1

Put it there.

USEFUL PHRASES

33

Ngeye na fulo.

Ba tewe.

Gbe numu yira i li i kowu

kokoli.
Sandi lo mi 1
I ya njehu.

Gbe nu fere ti li ti wa nje.
Li bi nu lolu tuli.
Nunga lole (lule) bi soa 1
Li bi ngenge ge atie bi wa.

Bi ke atie 1
I, ngi ke atie.
Mehe navoi i gboyoa.
Mehe gbi nya yeya (or ni

yey&for short).
Wa ga bi pawa.
Ti wu pawani ?
Navoi I nyandeni.

Numu yira i tange huma

pelima.

Ngi bije lo a ye?
Gegbwa mia.
Ta lo mi ?
Tabg.

I nyapoi yahumanga.
Ngi wehindei I nyande.
Nga ngi navoi me lo.
Gb5i na mu fonga Sekondi

ga ngi gbe lo ; or,
GbSi na ma hite Sekondi

ga ngi gbe lo.
Bi lemungo le.
Nga ya pi ( = p5 = welc).
Ye, ba ngi gbe.
Nga ye pe ho ?
Ye, bi ngi dewe.
Kurungo le.
Headman, li angie pele

woma bi ngi ndewe pu.
3

Untie that rope.

Do not cut it.

Let one man go and find wood.

Where is Sandi 1

He has gone to the water.

Let two men go and fetch water.

Go and call five men.

How many men have you got ?

Go show them their work and

come.

Have you shown them 1
Yes, I have shown them.
Subsistence money is finished.
I have no food.

Come, I will pay you.

Have they not paid you?

The money was not good, i. e. I

did not get it correct.
One man stole cassada in the

road.

What is his name ?
It is Gegbwa,
Where is he ?
He is here.

He stole from a woman.
His behaviour is not good.
I will stop his pay.
When we reach Sekondi I will

dismiss him.
Ditto.

I beg pardon.
I will not do it again.
He says, Do not dismiss him.
What shall I do then?
He says, Beat him.
All right.

Headman, take him behind the
house and give him ten cuts.

34

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

I gboyoa.

Ye bise ka.

Pele ji fere ma li a igbo.

Mu li a peli ji ke ta mia,
mu li a ipekeji be ke ta
mia.

Mu li a ngeyahu we, nyan-
dengo; mu li a gowohu
we, nyandengo.

Mu yl jiama.

Mu li a pele na mu waila.

Ji a hije be a li Chama
jia lole ?

Be ta Chama jia lole ?

Fo yira jia mia.
Fo fere jia mia.
B<5 gulama na ? Ga li gi to.

Pele gbi na.

Pote ngeja-hu we.

Bi ya bi li a ngejahu we.

Peli lagboungo.

Bi wani pele ji ngova ?

Njei i gula 1

Njei i wa.

Njei lo wama.
Hu ya don ha.
Ligbili henga ha.

It is finished.

He says, Thank you very much.

There are two roads ; which shall

we take ?
Whichever we go by it is the

same. (lit. We go by this road

and it is one, we go by the

other and it is one.)
If we go to the right it is good,

if we go to the left it is good.

We were travelling all night.

We go (back) by the road we came.

How far is it to Chama 1 (lit. If he
gets up here he goes Chama,
how much walking ?)

How far is it to Chama? (lit. Here
and Chama, how much walk-
ing?)

One day's journey.

Two days' journey.

What is the obstacle there ? I
am going to see.

There is no road there.

Turn to the right.

As you go keep to the right.

The road is shut.

Have you been this road before ?

Does it rain ?

The rain comes, i. e. is now begin-
ning to fall.

The rain is approaching.

There is a calm to-day.

Ditto.

V. SALUTATIONS AND KINDRED PHRASES.

Boa? Reply, Boa.

Woa?

Bova.

Biana? Reply, Boa.

How do you do ?
Ditto (pi.).
Ditto.
Ditto.

USEFUL PHRASES

35

Bise.

Wuse.
Beva bi ?

Beva na?

Bevti mbui?
Beva mahtt 1
Beva pilema 1
Beva bi welei bu ?
Gbo wenga miaka 1

Gbo wenga bi wa be ?
Beva bi hijema? (orhiyema)

Hinda gbi dogboi hu.

I nyamu gbi na.

Hinda gbi na.

Hinda gbi be.

I nyamu gbi be.

Bi kei lo na, bi njei lo na ?

Tiana.

Nya kei nya njei tia na.

(A)Mu ngenda hoe. (PI,

with A in front.)
Mu kpoko hoe, or Mu kpo-

ko. (But the addition of

hoe is better.)
I ngenda vei lo mu we ke

iya.
I ngenda vei lo mu we C

ya li.

Gi lima sina-oh.
Gi ya ngi feli tima.

Gi ya ngi wa.
Bi vanglma.

Thank you. (Used also as a

salutation.)
Ditto (pi.).
What is your news ? (The person

arriving says this.)
What is your news ? (The person

sitting down inquires this of

the comer.)

What news down country ?
What news up country ?
What news on the road ?
What news in your house 1
What news (what has been

done) yonder?
What has happened that you are

here?
What is the news where you

come from?
Nothing in the bush.
Nothing bad there.
Nothing there.
Nothing here.
Nothing bad here.
Are your father and mother well ?
They are well.

My father and mother are well.
We say good-bye.

We say good-night.

He said good-night to us and he

went.
He said good-night to us before

he went.

I am going to-morrow.
I am going to say good-bye to

them.
I go, I come ( = I shall be back.

shortly).
YOU salute him.

36

THE MNDE LANGUAGE

I velia bima ]
Gi ya mu yei.
Wa bi gona.
Bi wa sina hoe.
Mu va hoe.
Gi wai !

Did he say good-bye to you 1
I go to my country.
Come, make your report.
Come to-morrow then.
We say good-night.
I have come !

VI. SAYING, TALKING, ETC.

NdS nya ma.

De ti ma.

Yo nde bi ma ?

Ye lo i ndeni bi ma ?

D ngi ma i wa.

I ndei lo ta wama.

De ngi ma i li kaka.

Ba nde numu gbi ma.

Ba lema njiei gi nde bima.

De ti ma ta sore (or sore we).

Njiei ji ga nde, ba gbia

nya woma.
Be gbe ?
Ye gbe ?
I ye gbe bi ma ?
Nge sago (or sa'o).
Yg sao.
Ngi ye bia.
Ngi yiama bia, or Ngi yema

bia.

Bia I le nga ye bima.
Gi bi yiama.
Ji le, nga yema (pronounced

Ji lenga yema).
Ngi yema ji.
Ngi ye ji ; ngi ye ji.

Ji fere le nga yema.

Ngi ye (or yema) ji tabao

ngi ye (or yema) ji.
Ba yepe.
Wa yepe.

Tell me.

Tell them.

Who told you ?

Ditto.

Tell him to come.

He said he was coming.

Tell him to go quickly.

Do not tell anybody.

Do not forget what I tell you.

Tell them not to make a noise.

Do not repeat what I say.

What do you say ?

What does he say ?

What did he say to you ?

I said, No !

He says, No !

I am not talking to you.

Ditto.

Ditto.

I am talking to you.

I did not say this ( = This is the

wrong one).
I did not say this one.
I did not this ; I did not say this,

i. e. I said neither of these.
I said neither of these.
I said neither this nor that.

Do not talk (sing.).
Do not talk (pi.).

USEFUL PHRASES

37

Londo a njepe.

Bi yepe botongo.

Bi yepe le nga ye ndema.

Be yepe nya lenga ?

Gbe yepe bi men! 1

Bi nde gora.

I nde golani.

I nde yia lenga.

Bia bi lelengo.

Bi lele (pronounced al-
most ler-le).

Bi leni.

Bi Mende yiei mero ?
(= me lo).

Ga mero kru kru.

Ba mero 1

Gl menia.

Ngi menini.

Bi meni ?

A Mende yia (or yiei) me
lo.

A Mende yia le lo.

Yia lele.

Hfige ange panda.

Ti gbia bi woma.

Musa luli i wa.

Stop talking.

You talk too much.

I am not talking your ' palaver.

You will not talk with me ?

What talk did you hear ?

You lie.

He did not lie.

He has lied.

You lie.

You are wrong.

You lied.

Do you understand Mende 1

I understand a little.

Do you hear, or understand ?

I heard.

I did not hear.

Do you not understand ?

He understands Mende.

He talks Mende.

Speak slowly.

Tell me all about it.

They talk behind your back.

Call Musa.

VII. BUYING AND SELLING.

Gbe jongo mia ?

Gbe jongo lo a ji?

Nyc ji gbwe jongo 1

Te yalui gbe jongo shili

yera va?

Te yalui yira gbe jongo 1
Penny yira.
Kpele shili' yira (va).
Tia bii gbango.
Ji ba gbango.
Ba I gbani.

How much is this ?

Ditto.

How much is this fish ?

How many eggs for one shilling ?

How much for one egg ?

One penny.

All for one shilling.

They are dear.

This is dear.

They are not dear.

Gbwe jongo mia ba nya

boya la?
Bi majiai panda.

Ge bi humani.

Maye, ge ngeya.

Gi niayenga ngeya 3d.

Gi kurua.

Gi kuruni. Ge luma.

Bise ; Dila ; Ngengeyama.

Kuleji i nyandeni.
Kuleji nyaningo le ; nge

ngeya.

Ji kpele ji shili yira.
Navoi kulongo.
Navoi gbotongo le, ji mu

lila.

Ba kula majia lo ?
Ga majid, lo.
Ngi majiama.
Hai ji I ngeya.
Li miando ta na.

How many will you throw in ?

You cheat me (you did not sell

correctly).

I have not cheated you.
Reduce it, or I do not buy.
I lower it 3d.
I accept.
I do not accept.
Thank you ; take it away ; I am

not buying.

This cloth is not good.
This cloth is spoilt ; I will not

buy it.

All these are one shilling.
The money is short.
The price is too much, we do not

take it.

Do you sell cloth 1
I sell it.

I am not selling.
This thing I have not got.
Go over there, it is there.

VIII. GIVE (Fe and Go).

Fembe, or Fe'be.

Fe.

Gbe lo wa fembe ?

Bo ba fembe ?

Gi fe ngi ye.

Hani ji bumbu bi fe ngi'e.

Gi fe be ( = bi we).

I ngi ndei ve.

I nde, ye, ti fe ngi we.

Ti mehe ve lo wu ye ?

Bi nya kule fembe.

Kpande ve.

Fe nya we.

Ta lo nga fe bi we.

Give (it) to nie.

Give (me).

What will you (pi.) give me ?

What will you (sing.) give me?

I give it to him.

Take this thing and give it to

him.

I give it to you.
He gave him his share,
He says they must give it to him.
Have they given you food ?
Give me my cloth.
Give me the gun.
Give it to me.
That I give you.

USEFUL PHRASES

39

I feni mu we.

Nya go a njei gi gbole.

Nya go a ngurl.

Nga wu go a hege.

Gi bi goi lo.

Gi bi goi lo a three pensi.

I ti goa mehei ( = I ti goa

a mehei).
Sina ga bi go lo a hale.

He gave to us.

Give me water to drink.

Give me the stick.

I give you soap.

I have given it you.

I have given you 3d.

He gave them food.

To-morrow I will give you medi-
cine.

Ngi go a kole. Give him the book.

Sandi go a kole. Give Sandi the book.

Nya go (a) jihu. Give me this.

NOTE. If ' go ' is rendered ' present with ' the construction
is more easily understood.

IX. GOING.

NOTE. The verb ' to go ' is li, past tense ya.
frequently used with a present meaning.

Ya is, however,

Ba li ba wa-oh 1

I gu a lila.

I gu I li.

Nga gu lo gi li ?

Pessima a gu lo i li.

Pessima i ya yl ma.

Pessima i ya ngi ylmi.

Nya longo nga (or ngi) li.
Migbe (or migbe lo) ba li 1
Gi ya ngi la.
Gi ko mi e (for i) ya nft.

Gi ko mi mia i ya na.

Mi lo bi li na bengeme 1

Li bi wa njei.

A mu li pe bu.

Hiye mu li.

Bia bi lima sange ?

Bi lima le 1

Are you coming back ?

He is unable to go.

He cannot go.

I shall be able to go 1

Pessima will be able to go.

Pessima has gone to sleep.

Pessima has gone to his sleeping-
place.

I want to go.

When do you go 1

I am going to lie down.

I do not know where he has gone
now.

Ditto.

Where did you go yesterday ?

Go fetch water.

Let us go home.

Get up, let us go.

Are you going just now ?

You are not going yet 1

40

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Ngi lima le.

Ngi ya yima.

Li bi wa kole.

Bia bi luma bi li va sange 1

Ba li na.

Ba li 'ngwango (huguha-

ngo).

Gi'ila(= Gilila).
Mu li dogboi hu.
Bi ya mige lo fele ge bi lo ?

Bi ya ge mi lo fele ge bi lo ?
Bi ya li le ?
Gi ya Takwa bengeme.
Ngi ya li na.

Gi ya na yira.

I ya hu (or i foa).

Gi ya jijiama.

Li pe bu.

Mu li a pele na ?

Mu li a mbele ( = mbe

wele).

De ngi ma i li kaka.
I yd.
I lini.

Ti gbi ti ya.
A li-oh.
Bi lima mi ?
Ba li mi ?
Bi li mi 1
Ba li lo, be li 1

Mi lo ti ya na ?
Mi lo ba li na ?
Wuseni i ya kole gama.
Gi ya kpande wlme (for
wilima, indefinite form).
I ya kpande wlme.
A mu li mu kpande wili.

I am not going yet.

I am going to sleep.

Go bring the letters.

Are you willing to go now ?

Do not go there.

Do not go far.

I go away, or take it away.

We go into the bush.

Where have you been these last

two days that I have not seen

you?
Ditto.

Have you not gone yet ?
I went to Tarkwa yesterday.
I have never been there, (lit. Not

been there.)
I went there once.
It has gone in (as of a nail).
I am going for a walk.
Go home.

Do we go that road ?
We go this road.

Tell him to go quick.

He has gone.

He has not gone.

They have all gone.

Go (pi.).

Where are you going ?

Ditto.

Where did you go 1

Will you go ? or Will you not

go?

Where have they gone now ?
Where are you going now ?
Wuseni has gone for letters.
I am going shooting.

He has gone shooting.
Let us go and shoot.

USEFUL PHRASES

41

Gi ngi lima go.
Jl bi male e gbia e li mi lo ?
(e = i, he).

Ngi male i gbia.
Ti ya yima.
Ti ya ti yimi.

Ye, bi li.

Li bi wa kakd.

Ngi ya pebu.

Bi ya na yira ?

Bi ya na wo ngova ?

A mu li tei hu.

I ya miaka (we).

I yd poron.

I yd 11111:1111:1.

I yd kpoyei ya.

Ti ya tuwo.

Li bi nwoni gama gbe.

Li mehei gama, bi wala,

mu me.

Li bi pele gama gbe.
Li bi wala kia jina.
Li bi kokoi.
Li bi na gbe.
A de mu li.
Ngi ya ngi mehei me.
Nit yera e li ]
Sangi mia ti yd.
Bia wa Wuseni a li mia.
Wa tieni a li mia.

Ngi yeto bingi ga li lo

dogboi hu.
M i yaka i ya na ?
Kea bi ya lo 1
Bi ya miando, bi wa, bi ji

we.

1 do not know where he has gone.
When you found (lit. 1 met) he

had gone out, where had he

gone 1 ?

I found he had gone out.
They have gone to sleep.
They have gone to their sleeping-
place.

He says, Go.

Go, and come back quickly.
I go home.

Have you ever been there before ?
Ditto.
Let us go home. (lit. Let us go

back into the town.)
He has gone yonder.
He has gone far away.
He has gone to bathe.
It has gone over the sea.
They have gone on in front.
Go and look for the bird.
Go for food, bring it, so that

we may eat.

Go and look at the house.
Go fetch one like this.
Go and find it.
Go and look there.
Pass on, we are going.
I go to eat.

Is one man not going ?
They have just gone.
You and Wuseni go yonder.
You and they go yonder.
(For other similar examples, see

under Pronouns.)
I intended yesterday going to

the bush.

Which direction has he gone]
I suppose you are going now 1
Before you go there come and do

this.

42

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Li ngi gama.

A mu li gengemi.

Mu ya gengeme.

A mu li genge garni.

Gi ya gengeme, or gengema.

Ngia li ?

Bia li, bia ba li ?

Lahai i li lo gbi gengema ?

Go for him.

Let us go to work.

Ditto.

Ditto.

I am going to work.

Shall I go?

Do you go, or do you^not go ?

Did Lahai go to work^ yesterday 1

X. TEWE, DEWE, LEWE, TE, LE = CUT, SURPASS. NDEWE, DEWE,
LEWE = BEAT, ETC.

Kowui dewe.

Male we.

Tetewe.

Tete a ngera ngera.

Tewe botongo.

I njiei dewea (or dewia).

Mbake lewe.

NdT lewe.

Ngi li dewea.

Nge dema.

Fp dewengoi.

A de mu li.

Mu de a ngiyehu.

De a mia we.

Dewe kaka wekei ina.

A mu njei dewe.

Pele male.

I dewia tugo (or lugo).

Njei i nya madewea.

Ngoi dewe i wa.

Numu yira tewe nya gama.

Ngi nemahu lengo.

I dewea ngi ma ji (or a ji).

I dewea ngi ma ji hu.

Koli ye, nga wime gi le

dope ma.

Fo neni ma mbe le lo.
Ke mahei na fo i lewe nani

i gbate gbon.

Cut wood.

Cut off.

Cut in pieces.

Cut it in small pieces.

Cut plenty.

He settled the matter.

Play music.

To be angry.

He is angry.

I am not passing.

Last year.

Pass on, Ave are going.

Let us pass over the hill.

Pass round that way.

Pass to the other side.

Let us cross the water.

Cross the road.

He passed on in front.

The rain detained me.

Send word for him to come.

Send me one man.

He is clever.

He surpassed him in this.

Ditto.

The snail said, ' I can run faster

than the deer.'
Next year we will clear here.
And that king for over four years

increased in wealth.

USEFUL PHRASES

43

I lo i ngi lema.
Nde yira.
Wa ga bi le pu.
Gbe a ndewela.
I yunga lenga
gbele.

a nasia

He left off beating him.

One cut (with a whip).

Come, I will give yon ten cuts.

Stop beating.

He boasted over all of them.

XI. EXPRESSIONS RELATING TO Li = HEART.

Nya IT gbl hindoi ma.
Nya ll lo bima.

Bi 11 lo mi 1
Ngi IT nyania.

Nya ll leingo ngi ma.
Ngi ll dewia (dewea).
Ngi IT i lewe nyoko gbl.
Bi IT i leli.
Numui na a hinda hou IT

ma.

Ma ngi IT lei lo.
Ngi ll helea.

Hinga ti IT nyamungo le.
Bi IT yekpengo le ?
Ngi IT miningo yele kpi.
Ngi IT lengo wa.

I do not care for the man ; I
have no confidence in the man.

My heart is with you, i. e. I
trust you.

Where is your heart ?

His heart is spoiled, i. e,. broken-
hearted.

I am pleased with him.

He is angry.

He was exceedingly angry.

Be of good cheer.

That man is patient.

We will soothe him.

He was troubled.

Men whose hearts are evil.

Is your heart good.

His heart was very heavy.

He was very angry.

XII. Gu = CAN, BE ABLE.

( -In! yenge mia ba guiua? What kind of work can you do 1

1 gu a li la He is unable to go.

Nga gu lo gi li. I shall be able to go.

Pessima a gu lo i li. Pessima will be able to go.

l'>a gu bi ji we ? Can you do this 1

I gu i li. He cannot go.

Ba gu bi kakei ji lo? Can you climb this wall?

Nge ngi do be. I cannot see him here.

44

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Be gu na ma.

E guma.

Ngi gu nga pe lo.

Nge gu nga pe.

Nge pe.

Ti guni a njia gbi lela.

Ba gu ba yengema 1

Can you not do that.

He cannot (do it).

I can do it.

I cannot do it.

Ditto.

They could not say a word.

Can you work ]

XIII. WANT, LIKE, ETC.
Zfc

Nya longo a mehe.
Ngi longo a mehe.
Ngi loni a hani gbi.
Gbo bi longwola ( = lo-

ngola) ?
Nya longo a numu yira

hakei ji va.
Nya longo a bie.
Ngi loni a bie.

Bi longo ange 1

Bi longo a bi navoi 1

Nya longo a njei ngi
bole.

Ngi loni a na.

Ngi loi la.

Gbo bi loi la ? (Not so com-
mon as Gbo bi longwo-
la?)

Gbeva I loni ?

Ngi mbfii ji ta ta ti longo-
rna.

BI loni bi li ?

Nya dolongo a bie.

Ti lolo a ngie nu gbate
va.

NT 'ongwa mehe (is short
for Nya longo a mehe).

I want food.

He wants food.

I do not want anything.

What do you want 1

I want a man for this load.

I want you, or I like you.

I do not want you, or I do not

like you.
Do you like me ?
Do you want your money ?
I want water to drink.

I do not like that, or him.
I do not like it.
What do you want 1

Why did he not want to?

He and his friend were much

attached to each other.
Will you not go ?
I dislike you.
They hated him because he was

a rich man.
I want food.

USEFUL PHRASES

45

Ma = in need of.

Nja gboli mai lo nyama. I want water to drink.

Hani jisia mani lo wuma. You covet these things.
Nji mani lo ngima. He is in want of sleep.

XIV. SEE, LOOK, ETC.= To, QBE.

Have you seen (it) ?

Bi tonga] (pronounced bit

tonga).
Gi tonga.
Ngi toni.
Ngi ya toi.
Gi ngi loi.
Bi ngi loi lo ?
Bi Yamba loi lo ?
I ngi doni.
Wa bi to va.
Bi to?
Bi toa ?
Sina ma to.
Nge ngi do be.
Na gbc.
Li bi na gbe.
Li bi pebu gbc.
Li bi pele gama gbS.

I have seen (it), or found (it).

I did not see (it).

I have not seen (it).

I have not seen him.

Have you seen him ?

Have you seen Yamba ?

He did not see him.

Come and see.

Do you see it ?

Did you see it 1

We shall see to-morrow.

I cannot see it here.

Look, then.

Go and look there.

Go and look in the house.

Go and look at the house.

XV. To HAVE.

Kule lo nya yeya (ni 'yeya

for short).
Ta ni 'yeya.

Ta bi yeya, or Ta bcya.
I m 'yeya.

Mbogbe lo Wuseni yeya.
Ta lo Wuseni yeya.
Numui na nyaha lo ngi

yeya.

I ngi yeya.
I navoi ngeya.
Ha kpande gbi nya yeya.
Nu iQle mia ti bi yeya 1
Ngi lei fere.
Njia nya ma.

I have the cloth.

I have it.

You have it.

I have it not.

Wuseni has the cutlass.

Wuseni has it.

That man has a wife.

He hasn't it.

He has not the money.

To-day I have not gun.

How many men have you got

It has two names.

I have a palaver

46

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

XVI. SICKNESS.

Ngi goihu a lewe (or a, gbia).
Ngi goihu honga.
Ngi lima lema.
Ngi li lo gbalema.
Kole i nya houa.
Koti nya nwona nya go-
we ma.
Buli lo nyama.

Bi woli hu bondango.
Nya gowe vengo.
Ngi higbea wokpo.
Nya higbengo le.
Nya higbengo le ge.
Gbwame na yili.
Hale na jia lu ma.

Hal6 ji gbole.

Bi nei gbia.

Mi mia a gbale bi ma ?

I gbalea gbptongo.

Nya mavulango le.

Nya lui gbandingo.

Blanketi we bi ma.

Fufu gbandi we bi gowe

ma.

Ga mbera (or tewe) gi gbia.
Na vofoeri.
Na bono.
Li bi njei gbandi ba ya bi

gowe gama wua.
Ba bawo lo sina.

He has diarrhoea.
He is constipated.
He is retching.
His heart hurts.
I have caught cold.
The stone cut my foot.

I have a guinea worm (or other

worm).
You are deaf.
My foot is swollen.
I have been sick some time.
I am sick.

I was sick the other day.
Tie up that sore.
Rub that medicine over your

body.

Swallow this medicine.
Put out your tongue.
Where does it hurt 1
It hurt very much.
I have fever.
My body is hot.

Cover yourself with the blanket.
Put a hot poultice on your leg.

I will cut and pull it out.

Suck it.

Suck it.

Boil the water before you wash

(the wound on) your leg.
You will be better to-morrow.

PART II
GRAMMAR

CHAPTER I

GENERAL REMARKS, PRONUNCIATION, EUPHONY,
CHANGES, ETC.

i. STRUCTURE OF WORDS.

A NOTICEABLE feature of the language is the readiness with
which words are built up from simple root forms, (i) by
reduplication, (ii) by the addition of other words, or (iii) by
the addition of one or more prepositions either as a prefix or
suffix.

Example of

(i) Mbu, under ; mbumbu, carry.

(ii) Kpande, gun ; will, throw, or shoot ; moi, suffix of the

agent ; kpandewfl/imoi, shooter, or hunter,
(iii) Ma, on ; hu, in ; guhango, high ; mahuguhango, pronounced

almost mangwango, far ; IQ, leave ; hu, in j Iqhu, lose.

As opposed to this building up is the tendency to cut
out, (i) vowels, (ii) syllables, especially le, (iii) consonants,
especially I.

Example of

(i) Wd kqle for wa a hole, bring the book,
(ii) We for wele, house,
(iii) Ngaui for ngalui, month, egg, moon.

47

48 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

ii. ABSENCE OP MEANING TO ROOT FORMS.

A monosyllabic word expressed by itself rarely conveys
a clear meaning. This can only be ascertained from the
context ; and even a word of two syllables a Mende usually
fails to understand if it be put before him without any hint of
what it may possibly mean. The only words he is at all
likely to recognize are the names of animals, material objects,
etc. In every case the word inquired about must, if a
substantive, and used without qualification, be put to him in
the definite form ; and similarly in his reply the definite form
will be used. A word is much less distinct in the definite
form; and for this reason, and owing to the numerous guises
in which words appear, as will be seen later, the language
is rendered one of considerable difficulty to Europeans.

iii. PRONUNCIATION GENERAL.

Mende having no literature of its own has been reduced to
writing on the basis of the Royal Geographical Society's rules
for spelling unwritten languages. The limitations of those
rules, however, make an accurate expression of the sound of
many words a matter of difficulty ; and as, especially with
regard to the vowels, a closer approximation than that pro-
vided is required, various marks are usually employed to
enable words when written to be more readily recognized.
The accent is on the penultimate syllable ; but when a sub-
stantive is put into the definite form singular, it is moved to
the last syllable. The very few exceptions are specially
marked in this book.

iv. PRONUNCIATION OF CONSONANTS.

The consonants call for no special remarks, except that
most Mendes when kp or gb are followed by i or e insert a w,
as gbi or gbwi, all ; kpele (kpere), kpwele (kpwere), all. The
w will, however, not be written, except in a few sentences in
this book where its insertion will assist the beginner. With
a this practice is rarer.

n = ng is used when the g sound is not carried on to the
succeeding vowel, as, kdna, box = kang-a, not kan-ga.

The difference between I and r is very slight, some words

GRAMMAR 49

preferring the I sound, others the r sound. In those words,
however, in which I is the result of the softening of other
consonants as t, d, nd, the distinctive I sound is properly
retained, as ndawo, or lawo, to open. Even to this, though,
there are exceptions, and the r sound is heard, as in tyli, call,
which becomes dijli, lijli, ruri.

The beginner will often hear what he may take to be a word
slali. This is, however, no word at all, but the last syllable,
sia, of a noun in the definite form plural, followed by the
necessary pronoun ti, they. For example, nwonisia ti ya,
the birds have gone, is pronounced nwoni siati ya. Other
words are, of course, as in all languages, similarly broken in
being spoken.

v. PRONUNCIATION OP VOWELS.

The pronunciation of the vowels a, i, u call for no special
mention.

e has varying values, which are not easily indicated by
marks. A general idea of its pronunciation can generally be
obtained from its combination with the other letters in the
word j but its precise rendering, which is not invariably
uniform, can only be obtained by ear.

The o sounds are as follows :

o = the English o, either short as in dog, or long as in oh.

o = aw.

V = o approximating to u.

The difference between o and Q should be very carefully
noticed, especially when taking words from a vocabulary, or
many errors in speaking may be made. Compare ndome, the
ground, pronounced ndawme, and nd^me, the shirt, pronounced
ndoome.

Only vowels that it is necessary or important should be long
are so marked, but in Part I of this book the short mark has
been occasionally placed over vowels in order to draw the
beginner's attention to the necessity for their being pro-
nounced short. ~ denotes a nasal sound.

Modification of vowels is frequent in speaking, but in writing

the language it is desirable, if possible, to keep to the proper

vowel, e frequently changes into i when owing to a syllable

being added the accent is moved towards the newly-added

4

50 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

syllable. Male, meet, in the past tense is pronounced malta
instead of malea. Vowels are also very commonly subject to
change to fall in with the general run of vowels in the sentence.
i becomes almost a or o ; e becomes i, etc. As dengdma, tell
him, for de ngi ma. In some parts of the country u takes the
place of i in some words, as gbua for gbia, pull out.

The diphthongs approximate as written.

All words except some adverbs end in a vowel. The
exceptions mentioned end in ng.

vi. CONTRACTIONS.

Contractions and the elimination of consonants and vowels
are frequent, and are a contributing cause to the difficulty
a European has in understanding what is said.

a, wa kole for wa a kole, bring the book.

i, tamoi ya/br tamoi i ya, the man went.

g, sao for sago, no.

h, nyanga for nyahanga, women.

I, kpae for kpale, farm.

ngau for ngalu, moon, egg.

pe for pele, house.

we for wele, house.

yakpe for yelakpe, only.

gbeanga for gbelanga, near.
r, ka for kara, teach.

w, de for dewe, cut.

ya, beka for beyaka, this side.

w and y are both frequently dropped when standing between
vowels.

vii. CHANGES OF CONSONANTS.

Changes of consonants are a great source of difficulty to
foreigners learning Mende. Presented under several forms
it is by no means easy to recognize a word, especially a mono-
syllabic one. The changes are made to suit euphony from the
native point of view. The hard sound occurs generally at
the beginning of a sentence, but when the second syllable
does not admit of softening the first must be softened.

GRAMMAR 51

Pronouns, except the first personal pronoun, do not admit of
softening. As examples of the difficulty in recognizing words
under this process, sole or jore, noise, and tuwo, luyo, before,
may be quoted.

Examples.
F into v.

Fe, give. Fembe, give me.

Kpand6 ve, give me the gun.

G into w.

Hege or hewe, soap.

Tuwo, tugo, luwo, lugo, before.

K into g.

Ke, show. Ke a tie, show them.

Bi na ge ange, show me that.
Kaka, side. Kaka wekei ma, the other side.

Wa mu gakef ma, come to our side.

K into w.
Kulongo, wulongo, little.

K into y.

Kaka, side. B5 ka, this side.

Mi yaka 1 which side ?

L into r.

Kei a bi loli ma, master calls you.

Kei a bi ruri ma, ditto.

Mia lo, it is yonder.

Mia ro, ditto.

Bi me lo ? did you hear ?

Bi me ro 1 ditto.

The auxiliary, which will always be found written lo, is
generally pronounced ro. An exception is in the idiom lo a,
where the I sound predominates.

Ngenda lo a ji, this is his. (lit. His share is this, nge = ngi.)

52

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

P into w.

Plme, run. Li a plme ! run ! (lit. Go with

running.)

A mu wime, let us run.
Pele, house. P6 bu, in the house.

Massa we lo a ji, this is master's

house.
Pele, do. Dengima a pele, tell him not to do it.

Li bi ngenge wili, go and work.
Peka, other. Kaka wekei ma, on the other side.

Wa pekei, bring the other.

P into y.
Peka, other. Kaka yekei ma, on the other side.

P into b, rare.
Powe, bow6, the flower.

Jole, noise, shout.
Joso, plug, load.

into j.

Wa jore, do not shout.
Dondo a sole, stop that noise.
Kpande joso, load the gun.
Ngi sosoi lo, I have loaded it.

S into y, rare.
Susungo, jusungo, yusungo, deep.

Tewe, cut, pass, etc.
Toll, call.

Tewe, pass.

T into d, I, r.

Tewe ! cut it !

Bi dewea 1 did you cut it 1

Ngi leweni, I did not cut it.

Li bi ngi toli, go, call him.

Ke a bi ruri ma (lolima), master is

calling you.
Tugo, tuwo, lugo, in front.

W into v.

I dewea, he passed.
I devia, ditto.

GRAMMAR

53

Will (pili), throw, shoot. A mu li kpande wime (wilirne, def,

form of wilima), let us go and
shoot.

A mu li kpande vime, let us go and
shoot.

Mb into b or w.

Mbumbu, lift. Mbumbu, pick it up, or take it.

A mu bumbu, let us lift it.
Ti wumbuni, they did not take it.

Nd into d or I.

Nde, say. I ndea nyama, he told me.

De ngi ma, tell him.
Gbo I lea bima? what did he say t^>

you?
Nda, lay. Nda ! lay it down.

La ndia, put it in the middle.
Ndia, middle. Hei ndende liei, sit in the middle of

the boat.
Ndowe lave, fill the hole.

Ng into w.
Only when followed by o or u.

Ngova, old. Ngovango le, it is old.

Iwovangoi, the old one.

Yela, one.

Ngalu, egg, month.

Ngi, [.
Nji, sleep.

Ng into y.
Only when followed by a, e, or i.

Ngera ngera, one by one.
Nu ylra, one person.
Ngaui ji, this month.
Te-yalui, fowl's egg.

Ng into y.

Ngi ya li na, I have not been there.
Gi ngi loi, I have not seen it.

Nj into y.
Ta nji hu, he is asleep.

54 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Nji, sleep. Ti ya ti yimi, they have gone to their

sleeping-place, i. e. to sleep.
or, Ti ya yima, they have gone to
sleep.

Kp into gb.

Kpoyo, finish. I ya kpoyoai, it is not finished.

Nu yira gboyongo, one man finished,
i. e. twenty.

Kp or gb into b or w.

Kpoto, many, much. Njei lo na botongo, there is a lot of

water there.
Njei wotongo, the water is much, or

deep.

G bptongo ! plenty ! enough !
I ya kpoto na, there is not much

there.
Kpiti, grass, etc. Biti gbia, pull up the weeds.

Kp or gb into y.

Kpate, make. A mu ji gbate, let us mend this.

I mani yate huguhango, he made a
trap far away.

viii. CHANGES OF VOWELS.

The principal change in the vowels is when a substantive is
put in the definite form. This is effected by adding i, meaning
Jte, to the indefinite form. The resulting combination produces
a variety of changes difficult to learn. The accent is shifted
to the last syllable.

Examples.

TJ !* r>~wv, Definite termination.

rfr" How pronounced
termination. ation. and written.

a, Si, e, Goma, gome, crow,

a, ai, ei, Nyaha, nyahei, woman,

a, ai, (as in hay) Kaka, kakei, side,

a, ai, ai, " Wa, wai, big.

(as in why)

GRAMMAR 55

r. v,- Definite termination.
Indefinite Combm- How pronounced
termination. ation. and written.

g, ei,

6,

Pene, pene, ringworm.

g, 6i,

ef,

Ke, kei, father.

(as in hay)

e, 6i,

e,

Pele, pele, house.

I, ">

i,

Loli, loli, dance.

(as in bee)

I, ii,

j.
i,

Ngali, ngali, thorn.

5, oi,

6 or i,

Golo, gole (goli), book.

o, oi,

61,

Me'ndemo, Mendemoi,

Mendeman.

Q, Qi,

Qf,

Dogbo, dogboi, bush.

(as in boy)

9> 9Ji

^ i

i,

Folo, foil, sun.

9> 9"i,

ui,

Nyapo, nyapui, girl.

(almost wl)

9, 9i,

01,

Sasalo, sasalo'i, a partridge

u, ui,

ill,

Ngalu, ngalui, egg, moon.

u, ui,

i,

Kotu, koti, stone.

u, ui,

ui,

Tutu, tutui, a swamp bird,

(almost wl}

a messenger.

ix. WORDS MUCH ALIKE.

The following list includes a few nouns that in their definite
form are much alike, as well as some other similar words.

ngari,

tnorn.

ngare,

a coarse gr;

ngale,

mat.

kule, gulc,

cloth.

kole, gole,

book.

goli,

scissors.

koli,

iron.

kole*, gole,

cold, clean.

gote,

weeping.

gole,

buy a wife.

koli,

search.

kole, gole,

divide.

kole,

barrel.

koli,

leopard.

56

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

kuli,

small.

koli,

snail.

koli,

lizard.

gull

tree.

kene,

elderly person,

keni,

bamboo.

wuli,

tree.

wuli,

oil.

wuli,

small.

ndope,

deer.

ndopui,

child.

ndonde,

Pig-

ndondoi,

millipede.

ndondi,

silence.

Also

lo,

be.

lo,

see.

lo,

send.

lo,

like (verb).

15,

leave.

IP,

day.

loi,

day, rum.

loi,

son.

loe,

country.

loli,

call.

lole?

how many ?

ngera,

one.

ngera,

sweep.

nyi,

bite.

yi,

sleep.

la,

lay.

la,

name.

And many

others.

CHAPTER II

i. DEFINITE AND INDEFINITE FORMS.

THERE is no definite or indefinite article in Mende. Its
place is taken by i, he, which is added to the indefinite form
of the word. The pronunciation of the resulting combination
of vowels has already been explained, see Chapter I, viii.

The indefinite form is used

(i) "When an indefinite meaning is clearly indicated, as
kia gombu na, like fire.

(ii) In negative sentences, as numu gbl na, nobody is there ;
Gl numu loi, I saw nobody.

(iii) When followed by an adjective. The adjective then
takes the definite form. Hindi) wovei, the old man.

(iv) When followed by a numeral adjective, as tamo yira,
one man, or a certain man ; numu lolu, or nu lolu, five persons.

(v) Vocative case, as Ngewo ! God !

The definite form is used

(i) When in English the article tJie is used, as ngeyei lo mi f
where is the rope 1

(ii) When the word is used independently as in answer to
a question, as Gbo bi longola ? Mbogbe. What do you want ?
The cutlass.

(iii) After a possessive pronoun, as nya kule, my cloth.

(iv) When followed by a demonstrative pronoun, as dak-
pal$i ji, this young man.

(v) Vocative case, as ndakpeif young man ! It will be seen
that for the vocative case both indefinite and definite forms
are used.

There are a few words which are not invariably put into
the definite form, the reason for using the indefinite form
being probably euphony. Kana, box, is usually heard only in
the one form ; and substantives having hu as an aflSx may

67

58 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

remain unchanged, or the i indicating the definite may be
added to the first component word, or be put at the end, as
gohu, goihu, gohui, belly. Sometimes it is immaterial whether
the indefinite or the definite form be used, as Jiei ndia, or hei
ndiei, sit in the middle. Occasionally the indefinite is used
when the definite is clearly indicated, or vice versa. The reason
may be euphony or carelessness.

ii. GENDER.

There is no gender to nouns, adjectives, or any other part
of speech.

For human beings different words are used to express the
sex, as

hindoi (def), man. nyahei (def.), woman.

For further examples see Vocabulary of Relationships, etc.,
Part III, vii.

To the names of animals the words hina, hinei, male ; ha,
hei, female, are added, as

nika hinei (def.), bull. te hinei (def.), cock,

nika hei (def.), cow. te hei (def.), hen.

nika ha wai (def.), the big cow.

iii. NUMBER.

The indefinite plui'al is formed by adding nga, a or ni to
the indefinite form singular.

The definite plural is formed by adding sia to the definite
form singular, and also more rarely by adding sia to the
indefinite form plural, nga, the a being modified under the
rules for using the definite.

Examples.

Singular. Plural. English

Indefinite. Definite. Indefinite. Definite.

Maha mahei mahaa maheisia king.

or

maha
mahanga mahangeisia

or
manga

GRAMMAR

59

Singular.
Indefinite. Definite.

Plural.
Indefinite. Definite.

English.

Nyaha

nyahei

nyahaa
nyahanga

nyaheisia
nyahangeisia

woman.

or

Nwoni

iiwoni

nyanga
mvonia

nwonisia

bird.

Pupu

pupui

nwoninga
pupua

nwoningeisia
pupuisia

ant.

pupunga

pupungeisia

Irregular.

Mendemo

Mendemoi

Mend6bela

Mendebeleisia

Mende-

Ngengemo

ngengemoi

(b'ra)
Mendinga
ngengeb'ra
(this form
is often

man.
ngengebeleisia labourer.

used for

Numu or nu
Higbemo

numui
higbemoi

ihigbengoi

the definite)
nunga
higbebera
higbenga

nungefsia
higbebeleisia
higbengeisia
ihigbe'goisia

person.
sick man.

the sick

one.

Hindo

hindQi

hinga

hingeisia

man.

The termination ni added to the indefinite singular seems
to be employed to give a collective sense. Some Mendes do
not appear to know it.

iv. CASE.

There are no case inflections. The nominative, vocative and
accusative cases are the simple word with no adjunct. The
dative and ablative are rendered by the aid of preposi-
tions, the various uses of which are given in their proper
place. After verbs of motion, though, the name of the place
is stated without a preposition, as i ya JBonth, he has gone to
Bonthe.

The genitive case is expressed by placing the possessing
noun first, both being in the definite form, as inaJiei pelei, the

60 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

king's house ; or by inserting a possessive pronoun between
the two nouns, as mahei ngi pelei, the king his house.

v. COMPOUND NOUNS.

Compound nouns are formed by placing the qualifying
noun first in the indefinite form.

Examples.

Indefinite. Definite. English.

Pelenda pelendei doorway.

Ngelegohu ngelegohu heaven.

Njala njalei landing-place.

Fuhaninga (hani, thing) fuhanlsia insects.

Wehinda wehindei conduct.

Diminutives.

Nika lo nika Igi calf.

Te lo te iQi chicken.

vi. SUBSTANTIVES FORMED BY ADDITION OF SUFFIXES TO OTHER
PARTS OF SPEECH.

Numerous substantives are formed by the addition of
prefixes or suffixes to other parts of speech.

Prefix i.

Suffixes ge, hu, la, ma, mo, nyo, ya.

All suffixes are added to the indefinite form.

Uses.

i. This prefix is added to adjectives in the definite form,
and forms a substantive which only appears in the definite form.

It is also added to abstract nouns, serving to emphasize
their meaning, and forming a sort of superlative.

Examples.

(i) ifelegei, the second ; from fele, two.

ipekeisia, the others ; from peka, other,
ihigbengoi, the sick one ; from higbe, sick,
(ii) ikelemei, the end ; from kelema, kelemei, end

(verb, kele).
itatomei, the beginning ; from tatoma, tatomei, beginning

(verb, tato).

imahui, the top ; from mahu, top (prep. mahu).

ingui, the head ; from ngu, ngiii, head.

GRAMMAR 61

Ge or gi, a rare suffix to form abstract nouns.

mamage, foolishness; from mamu, foolish,

nyandegi, beauty; from nyande, fine.

Added to numerals, and with the prefix i, it forms a series
of ordinal words, as

isawagei, the third ; from sawa, three,

ikelemagei, the last ; from kelema, end.

This must not be confused with ga, definite gei, meaning
husk, etc.; as
nwoni gei, oyster-shell. kali gei, empty snake-skin.

Hu, literally inside, is used to emphasize words, chiefly
those of one syllable, as ta, tahu, town (but tei hu, in the
town) ; nja or nje, njehu, water (but njei hu, in the water).
The indefinite form only is used.

La is added to the simple form of the verb to form a verbal
noun. It becomes lei in the definite form. See under Verbs.

Ma is added to the simple form of the verb to indicate
place, as

njl, sleep ; njlma, njimei, sleeping-place.

la, lie down ; lama, lamei, lying down or

sleeping-place.
kele, end ; kelema, kelemei, end.

Mo is added to adjectives or verbs to indicate agent, as

ngenge, work ; ngengemo, ngengemoi, worker.

kowu yale, split wood ; Jcowuyalemoi, wood-cutter.

Mende, Mende ; Mendemoi, Mendeman.

Pu, European ; Pumoi, European.

Nyo denotes companion. Its uses are few.

/tei, sit ; heinyo, Jieinyoi, neighbour.

ko, war ; konyo, konyyi, enemy.

jia, journey ; jianyo, jianyoi, travelling com-

panion.

Sandi, an institution for women; Sandi nyq, Sandi nyoi, com-
panion in the Sandi bush.

Ya denotes quality, condition. It forms abstract nouns.

Ngova, old ; ngdvaya, ngovayei, old age.

mba, friend ; mbaya, mbayei, friendship.

CHAPTER III

ADJECTIVES

i. INFLECTION.

ADJECTIVES are inflected like nouns. They follow the same
rules as to hard and soft consonants, and they have their
indefinite and definite forms, singular and plural.

Singular.

Indefinite. Definite.

Mini

Plural.

mini

Miningo
Yekpe

mimngoi
yekpei

Indefinite,

minia

mininga

miningoa

yekpea

Definite,
minesia

miningoisia
yekpeisia

Yekpengo yekpengoi yekpengoa yekpengoisia J

heavy.
\ good.

ii. SYNTAX.

The adjective follows the noun it qualifies. The rule of
qualification is as follows :

The noun remains (i) in the indefinite form,
(ii) in the singular number.

The adjective may be either in the indefinite or definite
form, singular or plural, according to the meaning required.

Examples.

Haka (indef.), hakef (def.). Load.

A heavy load.

Haka mini.
Haka mini.
Haka mininga.
Haka minisia.
Nya haka mini.

(My load is nya hakei).
62

The heavy load.
Heavy loads (indef.).
The heavy loads (def. ).
My heavy load.

GRAMMAR 63

If a demonstrative pronoun be added the rule is as follows:

The noun is (i) in the indefinite form,

(ii) in the singular number,

the adjective is (i) in the definite form,

(ii) in the singular number,

and the demonstrative pronoun is in the singular or plural
as necessary.

Examples.

Haka mini ji. This heavy load.

Haka mini nasia. Those heavy loads.
Hindo wovei ji. This old man.

Exceptions.
There are a few exceptions to the rule.

(i) The first concerns a few plural nouns which may be
considered as collective nouns, as nunga, persons ; ndenga,
children ; nunga gbi, all persons.

(ii) The word yakpe, meaning the same or only, seems to
follow the noun either in indefinite or definite form

Ngi lo'i yakpei. Her only child.

Foil yakpei na ma. On that same day.

I njia yakpei le. He spoke the same word.

(iii) A further exception is when an adjective joins with mo,
the suffix meaning person, to form a compound noun. The
adjective is then treated as if it were a qualifying noun, and
comes first, as

Kpatemo (indef.\ kpatemo'i (def.), rich man.
Yekpemo (indef.), yekpemoi (def.), good man, but nu
yekpei, the good man, or the good person.

The difference is, that yekpemoi is a complete noun in itself,
independent of any question of qualification, whereas nn yekpei
states the fact, which is the purpose of an adjective, that the
man is good.

64

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Haka gbl hindei na.
Hakei gbl.
Haka yira.
Haka fere.
Haka fere jisia.
Nya yakpei.
Ngi yakpei.
Ngi lo'i yakpei.
I njia yakpei le.
Numu gbT.
Numui gbi.
Nunga gbi.
Hani gbi.
Numu tenga.
Hindei gbi.
Ji nyandengo

va.
Bi wa na gbi.

Further examples.

No load is in that place.
Every load.
One load.
Two loads.
These two loads.
I alone.
He alone.
Her only child.
He said the same word.
Nobody.
Everybody.
All persons.
Everything.
Somebody.

Every place, wherever,
le genge gbi This is useful for every kind

of work.
Bring all of them.

iii. ADJECTIVES ENDING IN NGO.

There is a class of adjective formed from other adjectives by
the suffix ngo, as nyande, fine ; nyandengo.

The ngo form is generally used in the predicative sense, and
le (to be) may be added or not.

Adjectives in ngo are also formed from verbs. When the
verb stem has this termination a past participial sense is
created, and the word so formed can be treated as an adjective.

Examples.

Kula nyande.
Kura nyandei.
Kur6 nyandengo, or \
Kule nyandengo le. J
Numu higbengo.
Numui na higbengo le.
Ti sawango (ti jango).

A fine cloth.
The fine cloth.

The cloth is fine.

A sick man.
That man is sick.
They are three.

This adjectival form is inflected for definite and plural.

GRAMMAR 65

iv. COMPARISON.

There are no inflections to indicate comparison, but as in
many, if not most, African languages, an indirect method has
to be made use of.

Comparative.
(i) Tewe, dewe, tewe, de, meaning to cut, pass, etc.

Nya halei I lewe na ma. My medicine is better than

that.
Hani ji i deni jima. This thing is better or bigger

than this one ; or,
has some better quality
whatever it may be.

(ii) Ma. = to or on, with a word representing size, etc.

Numui na wovango bima. That person is older than you,

i.e. is old to you.

Numui na ndopo bima. That person is younger than

you, i.e. is a boy to you.

Ndamba ngi gbayango hua- The crocodile is stronger than
nga gboto ma. all animals.

(iii) A simple adjective, with the ??#o termination, fre-
quently expresses a comparative when used absolutely.

Bi yepe gbotongo. You talk too much (lit.

plenty).

Mahuguhango (pronounced Too far.
mahungwango).

(iv) The phrase Iflsa, it is better.

I fisa bi ji wili. It is better you do this.

Superlative.

Tewe with 'all,' or other similar word added, forms the
superlative.

Ngilei ji wongo le, i d5wc This dog is the biggest,
ipekeisia ma.

5

66 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

The definite state of the adjective is often sufficiently
emphatic to express a superlative.

Nya longo a ikulongoi. 1 T

* i > I want the smallest one.

Nya longo a ikuloi. J

v. NUMERAL ADJECTIVES.
(i) Cardinal Numerals.

1 y?la or yira (ngera). ' Ita ' is used only in counting.

2 fele.

3 sawa.

4 nani.

5 lolu.

6 woita.

7 wofela.

8 wayakpa.

9 tau.

10 pu.

11 pu mahu yira.

12 pu mahu fere.

13 pu mahu wayakpa.

19 pu mahu tau.

20 nu (or numu) yira gboyongo.

21 nu yira gboyongo mahu yira.

29 nu yira gboyongo mahu tau.

30 nu yira gboyongo mahu pu.

31 nu yira gboyongo mahu pu mahu yira.
40 nu fere gboyongo.

70 nu sawa gboyongo mahu pu.
100 nu lolu gboyongo, or usually hondo, a corruption of the

English.
200 hondo fele.

A hundred is the Mende's limit. Anything beyond that
is * many ' ; and for all practical purposes this is sufficient,
seeing that there are no accounts to keep, nor matters requiring
mathematics, and that precision in "West Africa is unimportant
from the native point of view.

The cardinal numerals come after the noun, which retains
the indefinite form either singular or plural.

GRAMMAR

67

Examples.

I ndoi le fere.
Nwoni sawa.
Wa gboma yira.

I huei wa pu a ngende na.

Yira be I na.
Jia sawa bi do.

She bore two children.
Three birds.
Bring one more.

He killed ten beasts on that

morning.

There is not even one there.
"Walk three paces and stop.

(ii) Ordinal Numerals.

The prefix i and suffix ge are added to the cardinal to form
the ordinal numerals.

First, ihalagei. This is an exception.

Second, ifelegei.

Third, isawagei.

And so on. Any great extension of these forms does not seem
to be in practical use. The cardinals are fallen back on.

Yese also means first adverbially. See under Adverbs.

Some other words seem to acquire an ordinal use, as

ikpakolagei and ikelemagei, the last ; ikakamagei the side part.

Examples.

Pele ihalagei.
Bia yese wa.
Ta yese wa.
Ji yese wani bima.

ikpakolagei.
Pele ikelemagef.

The first house.
You come first.
He comes first.
This one came before

you.

The last house.
Ditto.

(iii) Distributive Numerals.

The distributive numerals are formed by reduplication of
the cardinal numerals, as

Bi ti la ngera, ngera.

I ti dewe a fefele (or felefele).

Lay them one by one.
He sent them two by
two.

68

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

(iv) Multiplicative Numerals.
Hu yela, once.
Hu fele, twice.
Hu pa, ten times.
Hu gbotongo, plenty of times.

The hu is often omitted, as-
Massa ye i bi lahinga yira.

(Hani) pu pu na sawa.
(Hani) nani nani (or na
nani) na sawa lole mia ?

Master says he has
already warned you,
or warned you once.

Three times ten.

How many are three
times four?

(Hani, thing, may be used or not used.)
Bi ya na yira 1 Have you ever been

there ?

Ma is substituted for hu, as
Ngi pe hi ma pu.

I have done it ten
times.

(v) Predicative Form.

Ti jango. They are three.

Ti sawango. Ditto.

Ti felengo. They are two.

Bi yango ! le You are not the only

(yango = yelango).

one.

ngi
bi

CHAPTER IV
PRONOUNS

i. PERSONAL PRONOUNS.
THE personal pronouns are the following

b. c. d. e. f. g, h. i. j.

nga - ngia ngi nya nya nge (a)nge
fbial

bi

i
mu

wu

ti

ba

a

ma

\bie/

ta
( ma "I

bi

be (a)bie
e (a)ngie

bia bia bia

ta ta ta ngi

mua mua mua mu me (a)mue

-f ^ . \ wua wua wua wu w5 (a)wue
\ wuenij

fta, tia~| ,. ,. ,. ,. / v,...

{ ,.' . \ tia tia tia ti t5 (a)tie
\ tieni /

Ngi and nga (first person) are sometimes softened to gi&nd ga.

wa

Explanation.

a. The simple form as used with the aorist and past tenses.
With the vowel lengthened the negative is implied.

b. The form used with the imperative mood.

c. The form used with the present and the future tenses.
With the vowel lengthened the negative is implied.

d. The form used in combining persons. Its use is further
explained below.

e. A lengthened or emphatic form. It is made more emphatic
a repetition of the simple personal pronoun, as, ngia, ngi,

bia, bi, etc.

69

70 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

/. This form followed by be makes a compound personal
pronoun, as ngi be, even I.

t g. The form used with the continuous mood, as, nya lo
wama, I am coming. It is also used when the pronoun is
repeated for emphasis. It is then sometimes followed by lo,
to be. Mua lo mu . . . we it is, we . . .

h. The objective form. It stands before the verb it is
governed by.

Also the possessive form. It precedes the noun, which is in
the definite form. It is used to form the compound personal
pronouns, nya vuli, myself ; nya nda and nya wo, my own, or
mine.

It is, further, the form used in conjugating verbs when they
take the ngo termination. See Chapter VI, iii. Tenses.

i. The negative conditional form.

j. An independent form of the personal pronoun. It has a
special use, as

Me'ndemo (lo) abie 1 Are you a Mende ?

Me"ndemo ange. I am a Mende.

Gender. There is no gender to any of the personal pro-
nouns. This is only ascertained by the context.

Syntactical observations.

(i) A personal pronoun is required between a noun and a
verb.

(ii) The only form of pronoun the use of which requires
special illustration is that under d. In English two per-
sonal pronouns can be joined by the simple copulative and,
and the following verb stands in the plural. In Mende the
construction is different. The first pronoun, of whatever per-
son, is put in the plural, and the second pronoun immediately
follows it, the verb being in the plural and preceded by its
proper pronoun. Hence / and you becomes we you, we ; he
and she becomes tJiey he, they.

The lengthening of the vowel is possibly caused by the
preposition ' a,' with, being merged into the pronoun.

The combination is as follows

Ma bia, or ma bie. I and you (sing.).

Ma ta. I and he.

GRAMMAR 71

Ma wueni, I and you (pi.).

Ma tieni. I and they.

Wa ta. You and he.

Wa tieni. You and they.

Ta ta. He and she.

Ta tieni. He and they.

Examples.

Wa ta a li. You and she shall go.

Wa ta lo wa li. Ditto.

Wa ta mia wa li. Ditto.

Ke ta ta ti ya. And he and she went.

Ye mia wa ta wu lima 1 Who are you going with ?

A mu kei. With our master.

Wa teni a li mia. You and they go yonder.

Ta tieni ti li. He and they have gone.

Mu gbi a hei. Let us all sit down.

Ma tieni mu li. I and they go.

Ma ta (mia) ma li. I and he will go.
Hindei gbi bi li na ma bia Wherever you go we both go.

ma li.

Ti ye lo na ta tieni a fgli They were both there, he and

na. they on that day.

(iii) A similar construction occurs when a noun is combined
with a pronoun, as

Bia wa Wuseni (lo) a li You and Wuseni go there,
mia.

(iv) Another idiom of the language is seen in the following
examples, the plural appearing where the singular is used in
English.

Mua nya iQi mu longa. I see my child at last (what a

mother says after her child's
long absence).

Gi ya mu yS. I go to my own country.

Mu nya lenga gbole mu I will fill all my children's and
goi ve. my own belly.

Ye, mu hei na mbe. He said, Stay here with us.

I ya ti ye. He went to his country.

72 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

(v) Same, or self, is rendered by yakpe.

Nya yakpei. I myself, or I alone.

Bi yakpei ma. You yourself.

Bi yakpei bima. Ditto.

Ngi yakpei, or ta yakpei. He himself.

Ti gbi ti yakpei. They are all the same.

The Mende does not say it is the same, but they are the
same.

(vi) There is a negative use of the pronoun in j as follows

Mabia mue ya hei hinda You and I will not sit down

yira. in one place.

Be, mue sese. You said, Let us not slice it.

ii. DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS.
There are two demonstrative pronouns.

Ji, this. Plural, jisia, jia.

Na, that. Plural, nasia, naa, or na.

Na is sometimes best translated the. The demonstrative
pronoun follows the noun, which stands in the definite form
singular. If it follow noun and adjective, the noun is in the
indefinite form singular and the adjective in the definite form
singular. The demonstrative pronoun alone takes the
plural form, with one or two exceptions. Both ji and na
can be used substantively, taking also the forms iji, ind, inai.

Examples.

Kule ji I nyandeni. This cloth is not good.

Bindi hindei na. Is Bindi there, (lit. That place.)

Naa ti gula 1 Have they fallen ?

Naa ti na. Those there.

Bi ji iQnga. You left this.

Ngi loni d na. I do not like that.

Kea ji na. Like this.

Kea na na. Like that.

Li bi wa na mia. Go bring that (thing) over there.

Ta ya ji ; ta lo a ji. It is not this ; it is this.

Ji ta ya na. It is not that.

Ga na hugo lo. I will attempt it.

GRAMMAR 73

Iji mia. It is this one.

Ji nyandengo le genge gbi This is useful for everything.

va.

Ji nyandengo bo va 1 Is this of any use ?

Ye, mba wai na. He says that man is the senior.

Na gbi bi waila. Bring either.

Bi wa na gbi. Bring all of those.

NOTE. Na, that, must not be confused with na, now, or
na, there.

iii. RELATIVE PRONOUN.

Na, that, plural nasia or nd, is the only one. It is, however,
rather the demonstrative pronoun than a true relative pronoun.
Nuinui na a wa nya ye. The person who comes to me.

A sentence in which a relative would occur in English is
usually broken up into two simple co-ordinate sentences.

iv. INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS.

Ye, who. Gbe, what.
Ye, who, whose. Plural, yea, yeni.

It is followed in all forms by lo, is, are. Ye lo is frequently
shortened to yo.

Ye also means how. For this meaning see Chapter VII, v.

Examples.

Ye lo a bie 1 Yo a bie 1 Who are you ?

Ye mia bie ? Ditto.

Bia bi ye 1 (unusual). Ditto.

Ye lo na 1 Who is there ?

Ye ndc bima 1 or Yo nde Who told you 1

bimal

Ye lo inde bima ? Ditto.

Ye lo bi mbai le ? Who is your friend 1

Yeni lo ta wa be ? Who come here ?

Yea lo ta wa be ? Ditto.

A ye bijei lo wu ji weni 1 With whose name did you do this?

Ye gura lo ? Whose cloth is it ?

Yo ngi wy a ku!6 ji ? Ditto.

Ye mia ? Who is it ]

Ye lo miando 1 Who is over there ?

Bi bi yo va ? For whom are you here ?

74

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Also

What is he (it) like ?
"What is his name ?

Ngi gbiayef lo a ye ?
Ngi bijei lo a ye?

Gbe, what ; igbe, which ; plural, igbea, igbeni, igbo, gbo.
Gbe lo = Gbo.

Gbo ba pe na?

Gbe hani lo a ji ?

Gbe lo a ji ?

Gbo i weni a hakei ji ?

Gbo bi longwola ?

Gbo ba pema?

Gbe yenge mia ba guma ?

Gbo bima?

Bo ba fembe ?

Gbe lo ? or Gbe mia ?

Gbe le ?

Be gbe ? or Gbo ba nde ?

Ye gbe?

Ma gbo we ?

Igbe ? or i gbe le ?

Kole igbe?

Gbe hakeisia mia mia ?

Gbe mia pa pena ?

Bi lei gbo benge bi keni

ange?

Bo bi wa kama ?
Gbe kula lo ?
Gi ko gbo i wenga.

Gbo bi waila ?
Gi ko gbwe mia.
Gi ko gbwe mia aji.
Numui igbe ? or igbe le ?

Other ways
Bi biyei ?
Bi Mende biyei ?
Bi le biyei ?
Ngi bijei lo a ye ?
Ngi gbiayei a gbo ? or
Ngi gbiayei lo a ye ?

What are you doing there ?

What thing is this ?

What is this ?

What has he done with that load ?

What do you want ?

What are you doing ?

What kind of work can you do ?

What is the matter with you?

What are you going to give me ?

What is it ?

What is the matter ?

What do you say ?

What does he say ?

What shall we do ?

Which ?

Which book ?

What are those loads there ?

What are you going to do then ?

What name did you give (lit.

show) me yesterday ?
What do you come for ?
What cloth is this ?
I do not know what has become

of him.

What have you brought ?
I do not know what it is.
I do not know what this is.
Which person ?
of rendering what.
What is your name ?
What is your Mende name 1
What is your birth name 1
What is his name 1
What is its appearance ?
Ditto.

CHAPTER V

THE VERB TO BE

THERE are many forms of the verb to be, as lo, mia, le, ye,
yele, ya.

i. Lo.

The usages of the lo form of the verb to be may be classified
as (i) Substantival, and (ii) Auxiliary.

Lo, substantival.

1. It is used impersonally.

2. It can follow a noun without an intermediate pronoun.

3. It can stand between a noun and an adverb.

4. It cannot be used as a copulative between two nouns.

5. It cannot be used as a copulative between a noun and
adjective, but follows the adjective.

6. It does not appear in a negative sentence, being a
distinction of the positive.

7. It usually follows words like ye ? who ? gbe ? what 1
migbe ? when 1 mi ? where ?

Examples.

Mia lo. (1) It is yonder.

Ta lo na. (3) It is there.

Nya yenge lo be. (3) My work is here.

Ye lo abie 1 (7) Who are you 1

Ye lo na ? (3 and 7) Who is there ?

Ye kule lo ? (2) Whose cloth is it ?

75

76

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Njia wulo lo. (5)

Kpe lo nyama. (2)

Migbele lo bi wa be ? (7)

Migbe lo bi wa be ? (7)

Ye lo i ndeni bima ? (7)

Gbe lo ?

Powe lo.

Bia wa Wuseni lo a li mia.

Bia lo i iQa.

Gbe lo ma pe abie ?

Nya lo ngi kali wani.

Bia lo mi?

Bi mi lo 1

Bi pui mi lo ?

Nya lo.

Nwoni lo?

Jo lo mi ?

Pele nyamu lo.

Nje gbotongo lo be.

Bi bia bi bi lo ?

Numu lo na?

It is a small affair.

I am busy.

When did you come here ?

Ditto.

Who told you ?

What is it?

It is a dove.

You and Wuseni go yonder.

You are left.

What shall we do with you ?

It was I who killed the snake.

Where are you ?

Ditto.

W r here did you put it ?

It is I.

Is it a bird ?

Where is Jo?

The road is bad.

There is much water here.

Are you here for yourself ?

Is anybody there ?

Lo, auxiliary.

As an auxiliary lo is used to emphasize the positive form of
some of the past and future tenses, as

I wai lo. He has come.

A wa lo. He will come.

Ta lo mba mema. He is eating rice.

Lo a.

When it is required to express existence irrespective of
time the form lo a is used. It is used when an attribute is
required to complete the sense.

Gbe hani lo a ji ?

Ye lo a bie ?

Taloaji?

Mendemo lo abie ?

Bia bi Mendemo lo abie ?

Ngi bijei lo a Bindi.

Gbe jongo lo a ji ?

Kpele lo a ji.

Nyanda lo a ji (or nyandei).

What thing is this ?

Who are you ?

Is this it ?

Are you a Mende ?

Ditto.

His name is Bindi.

How much is this ?

It is all these.

It is mine.

GKAMMAR 77

Conjugation of Lo.

Lo, as a substantival verb, is only conjugated in the present
tense.

Nya lo.
Bi and bia lo.
Ngi, i, and ta lo.
Mu and mua lo.
Wu and wua lo.
Ti and tia lo.

Also
Lo ange.
Lo abie.
Lo angie.
Lo amue.
Lo awue.
Lo a tie.
(The negative of lo ange is yd ange. See under Yd.)

ii. Mia.

This is an impersonal form, positive only. It is not conju-
gated and is only used in the present tense. It must not be
confused with mia, yonder. Mia and lo (substantival) are
usually interchangeable.

Examples.

Kemei mia ? Is that the end ?

Tamo mia wo. There was once a man.

Nya wo mia. It is mine.

Ye mia bie 1 Who are you ?

Ta mia. Therefore.

Ta mia ? Is he there ?

Tonya mia. It is true, or Is it true?

Gbe mia ba pe na 1 What are you doing there ?

Ha gbi mia ? (Ha = hani). Is it anything ?

Nya mia. It is I.

Gbejongomia? How much is it?

Gome mia. It is a crow.

Ye mia ? Who is it ?

Ta mia yira. That is one.

Soja mia na angie. He is a soldier now.

78 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Nya mia Jo. I am Jo.

Ngi yeto Jo mia. I thought it was Jo.

Ma ta mia ma li. I and he will go.

Gi ko gbwe mia. I do not know what it is.

Gl ko gbwe mia aji. I do not know what this is.

Ta mia a ji ? Is it this ?

Nya bije mia a Jo. My name is Jo.

Le is a substantival verb representing a statement of fact
without any attribute, unlike lo a, which requires an attribute.
It is unconjugated. It is used with adjectives and verbs
ending in ngo. It seems occasionally to be changed with lo
for euphony.

One of its most important uses is to form the negative
phrase I le, it is not, which is used to transform what would
otherwise be a positive statement. into a negative one. This
is dealt with later in Chapter "VI, vi. on negative construction.

NOTE. It must not be confused with le, yet.

Examples. ,

Nya le. It is I.

Mua le. It is we.

Bi wo le. It is yours.

Gboleilga? What is left?

Komo wa a le. He is a great warrior.

Kurungo le. All right, or It is accepted.

Tonya le. It is true.

Kpandingo le. It is hot.

Bi wo I le. It is not yours.

Bia I le ga bi doli. It is not you I call.

Tia I le. It is not they.

Tonya I le. It is not true.

Ngi lahlngo le. He { u \ warned.

I lias beenj

Mi le ? (rarely used). Where is it ?

Nya le Jo le. I am Jo.

Hakei gboma le ? Is it another guinea-fowl ?

GRAMMAR

79

iv. Ye.

Ye is a past form of the verb to be. It does not stand at
the end of a sentence as the last word, but requires a comple-
ment. It is the only form of the verb to be that is somewhat
fully conjugated.

Present.
Sing. Ngi ye.

Biye.

I ye.
PI. Mu ye.

Wu ye.

Tiye.

Future.

Sing. Nga ye lo.
Ba ye lo.

PI.

A ye lo.
Ma ye lo.
Wa ye lo.
Ta ye lo.

Past.

Ngi ye lo.
Bi ye lo.
I ye lo.
Mu ye lo.
Wu ye lo.
Ti ye lo.

Future continuous.
Nga yema.
Ba yema.
A yema.
Ma yema.
Wa yema.
Ta yema.

For the negative of the above the vowel of the pronoun is
lengthened, the Past and Future losing the lo.

The lo is occasionally transferred to the end of the sentence.

As an auxiliary it is used in the pluperfect tense, and in the
continuous mood with the past tense.

Examples.

Ngi ye lo na.

I ye na.

Ti ye nu woita gboyongo.

Bi ndei a ye lo be sina.

Ke topomamo yela lo i ye

Damasku.

Kina le i ye na, bi wo I
_ yele?

I ye gbengeme be.
I ye gbengi be lo.

I was there.

He was not there.

They were 120 persons.

Your brother will be here

to-

morrow.
And there was a disciple at

Damascus.
Whilst it was there, was it not

thine own ?

He was not here yesterday.
He was here yesterday.

80 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Bi ye mi gbl 7 Where were you yesterday ?

I ye gbl bi (be) 1 Was he here yesterday ?

I, i mbe gbl. Yes, he was here yesterday.

Ti ye nu yira gboyongo. They were twenty.

v. Yele.

Tele is a form that is chiefly used with adjectival and verbal
forms in ngo. It is also a past form which can be used without
an attribute.

Examples.

Ngi lahingo yele. He was warned.

Ngi lahingo a yele. He will be warned.

Ngi gbakisia tewengo yele. His wings were cut.
Kia le i ye na, bi wo I yele ? Whilst it was there, was it not

yours ?

Ya is unconju gated. It is not of common use in its positive
form. In its negative form, i. e. with the lengthened vowel
yd, it stands as a negative to lo in its combination lo a.

NOTE. There are words ya = go and ya = not.

Ya a-nge.
Ya a-bie.
Ya a-ngie.
Ya a-mue.
Ya a-wue.
Ya a-tie.

Examples.

Maha ya a bie. You are not a chief.

Tonya ya na. That is not true.

Powo ya na. That is not a pigeon.

Kpele ya ji. It is not all these.

Ta yana. It is not this.

Nu weka gbl ya na. There is no one else there.

vii. To be omitted.

Where in English the verb to be is expressed, in Mende it
is often left out.

GRAMMAR

81

Tabe.
I bendo.
I na.

Mendemo able 1
Bia mi ?

Hind 6 ji i ya nyande.
Njiei kulongo.
Pelei nyamungo.
Pelei I kpekpeni.
Ta mindo ?
Ta hindei na.
Yambasu hindei na 1
Ngau nani i Sandi hu.

Tiabe? Ti be.

Yira be I na.

Kale ji ta nwonisia va.

Ti nu gboyongo.

Nya la a Jo.

Ngi li i nyalpi.

Bonde nyapQi wele woma

Ta ji?

Nu wa angie.

Examples.

He is here.

He is not here.

He is not there.

Are you a Mende ?

Where are you 1

This place is not good.

The matter is a small one.

The road is bad.

The road is not good.

Where is he ?

He is there.

Is Yambasu there ?

She was four months in the

Sandi bush.
Are they here ? They are not

here.

There is not even one there.
This cartridge is for birds.
They were twenty.
My name is Jo.
Her child was a girl.
The okra tree was behind the

woman's house.
Is it this ?
He is a big person.

CHAPTER VI

THE VERB
i. DIVISION. VOICES.

SEPARATE forms do not exist for transitive, intransitive,
active or passive. The exact meaning can only be judged by
the context. For instance, hei, intransitive, means to sit ;
transitive, to set. Pele, pe, to do, means also to become or
to be done. Gida means either to fall down or to throw
down.

The passive may, however, be rendered by the use of they
with an active verb ; as, lie, has been beaten may be translated
tJiey beat him, ti ngi ndewei lo.

A passive sense may also be obtained by the addition of
the suffix ngo to transitive verbs, as ngi dewengo yele, he was
beaten. This suffix makes a past participial meaning when
added to transitive verbs, and verbs can also be formed from
adjectives by means of the same. The conjugation is the
same in both cases.

ii. MOODS.

With the exception of the continuous mood there is no
inflection of the verb form for mood.

IMPERATIVE MOOD.

The imperative, strictly speaking, consists of only the second
person singular and plural.

82

GRAMMAR 83

Examples.

Singular. Plural.

Intransitive. Li, go ! A li, go !

Transitive. Pa, kill it ! A pa, kill it !

Bi ngi hou. A wu ngi hou, catch him.
Ngi go a kole. Give him the book.]

INFINITIVE MOOD.

Three suffixes are used to indicate the infinitive mood, ma,
la, va.

Ma is used after verbs of motion, as
I ya muama He has gone to bathe.

Such sentences may, however, be rendered
Gi ya ngi mua. I go, I wash.

La is used when the infinitive depends on certain other verbs,
as can, begin, finish, show, etc. This form is preceded by a, a
preposition meaning with, and is thus clearly shown to be a
verbal noun. As such it is capable of taking all the inflec-
tions of a noun.

I guni a lila. He could not go.

This may also be rendered
I guni i li. He could not go.

Va is used whenever ma or la are not strictly applicable
as

Kpoyef I kpekpe gboli va. The sea is not good to drink.
Mu ya me va. We go to eat.

Examples of sentences in which the infinitive is avoided
Ngi yeto bingi ga li lo I intended yesterday going to

dogboi hu. the bush.

Bi fembe ngi me. Give it to me to eat.

Ds ngi ma a na wiri. Tell him not to do that.

84 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

INDICATIVE AND SUBJUNCTIVE MOODS.

The indicative mood calls for no remarks. The subjunctive
mood is the indicative in a subordinate position, preceded by
a particle or having the particle understood.

CONTINUOUS MOOD.

The continuous mood is formed by adding ma to the verb-
stem. It is conjugated throughout by the aid of auxiliaries.
It presents the -ing termination in English, as I am going,
nya lo lima.

iii. TENSES.

The pronoun is inflected as well as the verb, and with the
aid of auxiliaries a great variety of tenses is produced.
The complete conjugation of the verb is as follows

AORIST.

Positive. Negative.

Ngi tewe, I cut. Ngi tewe, I do or did not cut.

Bi tewe. Bi tewe.

I tewe. I tewe.

Mu tewe. Mu tewe.

Wu tewe. Wu tewe.

Ti tewe. Ti tewe.

(Sometimes, but rarely, lo is added to the positive to render
the form quite past time.)

PRESENT.

Nga tewe, I cut. Nga tewe, I do not cut.

Ba tewe. Ba tewe.

A tewe. A tewe.

Ma tewe. Ma tewe.

Wa tewe Wa tewe.

Ta tewe. Ta tewe.

PAST, I.

Ngi tewea, I cut. None.

Bi tewea.

I tewea.

Mu tewea.

Wu tewea.

Ti tewea.

GRAMMAR 85

Positive. PAST, II. Negative.

Ngi teweni, I cut. Ngi teweni, I did not cut.

Bi teweni. Bi teweni.

I teweni. I teweni.

Mu teweni. Mu teweni.

Wu teweni. Wu teweni.

Ti teweni. Ti teweni.

Lo may be added to the positive to emphasize it.

PAST, III.

Ngi dewenga, I have cut. None.

Bi dewenga.

I dewenga.

Mu dewenga.

Wu dewenga.

Ti dewenga.

PERFECT.

Ngi tewei lo, I have cut. Ngi tewei, I have not cut.
Bi tewei lo. Bi tewei.

I tewei lo. I tewei.

Mu tewei lo. Mu tewei.

Wu tewei lo. Wu tewei.

Ti tewei lo. Ti tewei.

PLUPERFECT.

(tewenga,Ihadcut. Ngi ye teweni, I had not cut it.
tewei To.
teweni.

{tewenga. Bi ye teweni.

tewei lo.
teweni.

r tewenga. I ye teweni.

I ye \ tewei lo.
(teweni.

ftewenga. Mu ye teweni.

Mu ye J tewei lo.
Ueweni.

/tewenga. Wu ye teweni.

Wu yeJ tewei lo.

[teweni.

( tewenga. Ti ye teweni.

Ti ye [ tewei lo.
(teweni.

86 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

FUTURE.

Positive. Negative.

Nga dew6 lo, I shall cut. Nga tewe, I shall not cut.

Ba dewe lo. Ba tewe.

A dewe lo. A tewe.

Ma dewe lo. Ma tewe.

Wa dewe lo. Wa tewe.

Ta dewe* lo. Ta tewe.

FUTURE AND CONDITIONAL NEGATIVE.

Nge tewe, I shall not cut, or
I may not cut.
Bg tewe.
E tewe.
Me tewe.
Wg tewe.
Te tewe.

FUTURE PERFECT.

(Kina)ngitewealo, (When) Ngl tewea, I shall not have cut.

I shall have cut.

Bi tewea lo. Bi tewea.

I tewea lo. I tewea.

Mu tewea lo. Mu tewea.

Wu tewea lo. Wu tewea.

Ti tewea lo. Tl tewea.

The emphatic form of the above tenses consists in the
repetition of the personal pronoun either with or without lo,
as nya nga tewe, or nya lo nga tewe. For the form of personal
pronoun used, see Chapter IV, i, g.

IMPERATIVE

Gbe ngi lewe, let me cut.

Tewe, cut. Ba tewe, do not cut.

Gbe i tewe, let him cut. A (or E) tewe, he must not cut.

Gbe mu tewe, or A mu

tewe, let us cut.

A tewe, cut. Wa tewe, do not cut.

Gbe ti tewe, let them cut. Ta (orTg) tewe,they must not cut.

GRAMMAR,

87

CONTINUOUS MOOD

NOTE. The accent is on the first syllable of ' tewema '
throughout.

Positive.
Ngi teweina (lo),

was, cutting.
Bi tewema (lo).
I tewema (lo).
Mu tewema (lo).
Wu tewema (lo).
Ti tewema (lo).

AORIST.

Negative.
I am, or Ngl tewema, I am not, or

was not, cutting.
Bi tewema.
I tewema.
Mu tewema.
Wu tewema.
Ti tewema.

PRESENT.

not

Nya lo tewema, I am cutting. None.

Bia lo tewema.

Ta (lo) tewema.

Mua (lo) tewema.

Wua (lo) tewema.

Tia (lo) tewema.

PAST.

Ngi ye tewema, I was cutting. Ngl ye tewema, I was

cutting.

Bi ye tewema. Bi ye tewema.

I ye tewema. I ye tewema.

Mu ye tewema. Mu ye tewema.

Wu ye tewema. "Wu ye tewema

Ti ye tewema. Ti ye tewema.

FUTURE, I.

Nga ye tewema, I shall be Nga ye tewema, I shall not

cutting. be cutting.

Ba ye tewema. Ba ye tewema.

A ye tewema. A ye tewema.

Ma ye tewema. Ma ye tewema.

Wa ye tewema. Wa ye tewema.

Ta ye tewema. Ta ye tewema.

88 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

FUTURE, II.

Positive. Negative.

Nga tewema, I am about to Nga or nge tewema, I am not

cut. cutting, or shall not cut.

Ba tewema. Ba or be tewema.

A tewema. ] e tewema.

Ma tewema. ? rug.

Wa tewema. ? wS.

Ta tewema. 1 te.

(The deficient persons I have not found.)

NOTE. It is a matter of great difficulty to find a verb that
can be accurately conjugated throughout. Tewe may of course
become dewe, lewe, te, de or le, to suit the euphony of the
sentence.

INFLECTION OF THE NGO FORM

PRESENT.

Nya lahingo le, I am warned.

Bi lahingo le.

Ngi lahingo le.

Mu lahingo le.

Wu lahingo le.

Ti lahingo le.

PAST.

Nya lahingo yele.
Bi lahingo yele.
Ngi lahingo yele.
Mu lahingo yele.
Wu lahingo yele.
Ti lahingo yele.

FUTURE.

Nya lahingo a yele.
Bi lahingo a yele.
Ngi lahingo a yele.
Mu lahingo a yele.
Wu lahingo a yele.
Ti lahingo a yele.

The negative of the above may be rendered

Ti nya lahmi, They did not warn me, etc.

GRAMMAR 89

iv. EXAMPLES OP THE USES OF THE VARIOUS TENSES.

AORIST.

Largely used in narration and for subordinate sentences
without a conjunction.

Ye, ti li ti ngi yenge wili. He said they should go and

work for him.

Ke ti yama ti yetahu. And they return, or returned,

to their home town.

Tamoi i ya wo i nyahei 30. A man went once upon a time

to get a wife.

A mu li mu yenge we. Let us go and work.

Bi ya li le ? Have you not gone yet ?

Gi hugo. I do not understand.

PRESENT.

Ye, nga huei ji fe bi ye. He said, I give you this meat.

A ngi wili ngombui ya. He throws him on the fire.

PAST, i.

Mu waa be bengeme. We came here yesterday.

Ke ti ya ke ti hitia mbei ma And they went, and they

dole tima. reached the rice hungry.

Bi bumbua botongo. You took too much.

Gi menia, hiye. I heard all right.

PAST, II.

This is the form mostly used in negative sentences.
Ye bi tQni ? You sent you 1

Ngi gbeni. I don't care.

Yo njiei leni ? Who spoke?

1 ya lini. He has not gone.

PAST, III.

This form is often used to express a conditional sentence.
Sange mia gi ngi longa. I have just seen him.

Gi kpoyonga. I am just finishing.

Ke i ngi mbai lulinga. And he called his friend.

Bi penga lo, ba ha lo fe. If you do it, you will surely

die.

90 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

PERFECT.

Ngi wai lo angie. I have brought him.

Gbeva bi wai kaka? Why did you not come

quickly ?

Gi toi, or gl ngi toi. I have not seen it.

I kpande wuai. He has not cleaned the gun.

Mu yamai ! (lo is omitted). We are back !

Gbo bi waila? (Note verb form.) What have you brought ?

Bi hiti lo na so ? Did you go all the way ?

Foil i gbiai lo ke nwonlsia ti If the sun came out the birds

wa. would come.

Ngi numu loi. I saw nobody.

Ngi mbpi lo. I have hit it (of shooting).

I ngi hakei loilohu. He has lost his load.

(Note verb form.)

PLUPERFECT.

Kina ti ye welani. When they had finished,

lye pei lo kina bi ye na ? Had he done it when you

were there 1

FUTURE.

Nge wo, ga bi bawo lo. I said the other day, I will

cure you.

Nga ya na wiri gboma. I shall not do that again.

De ngi ma a pele. Tell him he must not do it.

Sina ma to (lo omitted). To-morrow we shall see.

A ti do lo. He will send them.

FUTURE PERFECT.

Kina bi ngi doa lo, bi ngi When you shall have found
wa. (lit. seen) him, bring him.

Doi (the perfect tense) can be used instead of doa.

IMPERATIVE.

Wa li na. Do not go there.

A wa mbome. Bring the hammock.

Wa mba Come to me.

Ta li. They must not go, or shall

not go.

GRAMMAR 91

CONTINUOUS MOOD

AORIST.

Ngi wilama. I am finishing.

Ye, inu lima lo. He said we are going.

Ye, nya be, ye, ngi hama. She said, I too, she said, I

shall die.

PRESENT.

Ta lo nye gbema. He is catching fish.

Ye ke mua warna. And he said we are coming.

Train ta wama. The train is coming.

Train lo wama. Ditto.

Train i wa. Ditto.

Muajiama. We are moving (i.e. in a

boat or train).

Ta wama. He is coming.

PAST.

Kina mu ye jiama. Whilst we were travelling.

I ye kine gulama. It was nearly falling.

FUTURE, I.

Bi kenye a ye wama a Will your uncle be coming this
kpokovQi ji] afternoon 1

FUTURE, II.

Ba hama. You will not die.

-,. T _ f I am not passing (i. e. I do

Nga tema.

-v T b _ , not want you to make

Ngc dema. \

\ way for me).

Nga wama. I am (just) coining.

E totoma. He is not going to begin.

NGO TERMINATION

PRESENT.

Kurungo le. It is accepted ; all right.

Ngi kpakisia tewengo yele Its wings were cut.

Ngi gahu hango yele. He was very tired.

92 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

v. A SPECIAL FORM OP CONJUGATION is USED FOE J say, etc.

Ng, I say, or said.
Be, you say.
Ye, he says.
MS, we say.
We, you say.
Te, they say.

It is used alone, as
N"ge, bi wa a londemi imumui. I said, Bring the small nails.

If it follows nde, say, it is best rendered saying, as

I ndea, ye, ba li na. He said saying, Do not go

there.
Ye, nge wo ga bi bawo lo. He said, I said before I will

cure you.
Te,mu mbei yilia gengebra we. They said, We cooked rice for

the labourers.

vi. NEGATIVE CONSTRUCTION.

The expression of the negative is one of the greatest diffi-
culties in the Mende language. The addition of a single word
the equivalent of not to a positive statement, for the purpose
of rendering it negative, does not occur.

The following methods are adopted.

(i) The one invariable indication of a negative is the
engthening of the vowel in the pronoun attached to the verb.

Ngl li, I go ; Ngl li, I do not go.

(ii) The auxiliary lo, which is an indication of a positive
statement, disappears when the sentence becomes negative.

Nga li lo, I shall go ; Nga li, I shall not go.

(iii) The negation may be rendered more emphatic by the
addition of ya, not (sometimes la), between the pronoun and
the verb.
Ngi toi lo, I have seen him ; Ngl ya toi, I have not seen (him).

GRAMMAR 93

(iv) The phrase I le, it is not, is sometimes added to the
end of a positive sentence to render it negative.

Ji nyandengo I le, this is not good.

(v) When the verb to be is negatived, the lengthened pro-
noun stands alone before the complement.

Tl gbgivngo, Tl gbQtQ, they are not many.

(vi) If the verb or adjective in the positive sentence has
the ngo termination, the negative may be rendered by the
addition of 1 le, or by dropping the ngo and substituting ni,
which is a past tense termination.

Maheungo I le. 1

Ti maheuni. j- They are not equal.

Ma-I-heuni

(vii) GJn, none (positive gbz, all), following a noun in the
indefinite form will also put a sentence into the negative.

Kayei lo ti ma. They are to blame.

Kaye gbi ti ma. They are not to blame.

Ha gbi na. Nothing there.

(viii) For the second persons of the imperative mood the
future tense is used.

(Bi) li, go ; Bd li, do not go.
A li, go ; Wd li, do not go (pi.).

(ix) Yd is the negative of lo a.

Mahei lo abie. You are the chief.

Mahei ya abie. You are not the chief.

Further Examples of Negative Sentences.

Hindei na I kuhama. That (or the) place is not far.

I nyande. It is not good.

Nu gbptQ ! wai. Not many persons came.

Nunga gbptQ ti wai. Ditto.

Nunga gbptpa ti wai. Ditto.

Nunga ti gbQtQni ti wani. Not many people came.

Nga li lo, nge lembi. I will go, I will not delay.

Gl ya li na. I have not been there.

THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Bl ya li le ?

Nge la pe gboma.

Ngi lila, miningo le.

Ngi ya toi.

Ngi la hindei ji we.

I ya wele.

Ye, mu ya wime.

I ya gboyoai.

I ya magboyoai.

Ti ya lini le.

I lini.

I guni a ngi bawola.

I gbotoni.

Ti ngi goni.

Ngi Igni a hale.

Pele I nyandeni.

Hindei na ma-T-guhani.

We pe.

Nya laguli guhango I le.

Gbayango T le.

Bia I le.

Bia I le ga bi doli.

Tonya I le.

Bi wo I le.

Numu gbi na.

Ba nde numu gbl ma.

Nya gbwe gbl na.

Nya lima gbi njiei hu.

Ye, numu gbi e soro.

Navo gb! mu yeya.
I navoi ngeya.
Ke I nu gbl loni.
Bi nemahu gbl na.
Ye, bi nduwinga lo, mbe gbl
na bi me.

Ba 1 ua.
Wa li na.
Ba li lo 1

Beli?

Have you not gone yet 1

I will not do it again.

I cannot take it, it is heavy.

I have not seen it.

I did not do this thing.

He did not do it.

He says we must not run.

It is not finished.

He has not finished.

They have not gone yet.

He did not go.

He could not cure him.

Not much.

They did not know him.

I do not want medicine.

The road is not good.

The place is not far.

You must not do it. Cannot

you do it?
My beak is not long.
There was no strength in him.
It is not you.
I do not call you.
It is not true.
It is not yours.
There is nobody there.
Do not tell anybody.
I have no business there.
I have no heart in the matter.
She said, Nobody shall marry

her.

We have no money.
He has not the money.
And he saw nobody.
You have no sense.
He said, If you clear the

ground you will have no

rice from it to eat.
Do not be afraid.
Do not go there.
Will you go, or not 1

GRAMMAR

95

Tonya ya na.
Nu gboto I na.

Yira be I na.

I ya gbotp na.

Mabia mue ya hei hinda yira.

Be, mue sese.
Ye, mu ya li.
I pelebu mbe.
Gbeva bi bere wuai 1

Ba li huguhango (ngwango).
Glko.
I bendo.
Ng5 wa.

Ha kpande gbi nya yeya.
Ma-I-guhani.
Ta ya na.
Kowe yana.

Li bi njei gbandi ba ya bi
gowe" gama wua.

De ngi ma a na wiri.

That is not true.

There are not many persons

there.

There is not even one there.
Not much there.
You and I will not sit down

in one place.

You said, Let us not slice it.
He says, We must not go.
He is not in the house here.
Why have you not washed

your trousers?
Do not go far.
I do not know.
He is not here.
I shall not come.
To-day I have no gun.
It is not far.
It is not this.
It is not an eagle.
Boil the water before you

wash (the wound on) your

leg.
Tell him not to do that.

CHAPTER VII

ADVERBS

THERE are adverbs of place, time, manner, and of affirmation
and negation ; also many adverbial phrases of the same
nature.

I. ADVERBS OF PLACE.

The number of words used solely as adverbs of place is very
small. They are supplemented by other parts of speech used
as such. There are, further, many words which can be used
either as adverbs or prepositions.

(1) The following are pure adverbs of place

Be, here. Miando, yonder.

Be-ndo, here. Mi 1 where ?

Mbe, here. Mindo ? where ?

Na, there. A or O ? where ?

Mia, yonder. Polon, far.

(2) The following are used also as prepositions

Mbu, beneath. Lugo, Luwo, or Tuwo, or tugo,

Bu, beneath. in front.

Ma, on, above. Gulo, in front.

Mahu, on the top, above. Poma, behind.

Hu, inside. Woma, behind.

Kpela, near. Ndia, middle.

Gbea, near. Gama, towards.

Gbeanga, near. Nga, on top.
96

GRAMMAR 97

(3) The following adverbial expressions occur

Kuha (adj.), far (in various Ngitiya, outside.

inflections). Ngeleya, aloft.

Hinde ji, here. Kaka, side.

Hinde na, there. Kakei ji, this side.

Domei, on the ground. Kakei na, that side.

Examples of the uses of the foregoing.

Be, here (not to be confused with be, even, also). Ee-ndo
is a strengthened form.

Wa be. Come here.

Nya yenge lo be. My work is here.

Ta be. He is here.

I be-ndo, or I be. He is not here.

Massa ye wu yama be. Master says come back here.

Mbe, here, to me, with me, etc.

Mu yama mbe ? Shall we return to where we

came from?

Ngi yama mbe-oh ! I am going back home !

Wa mbe. Come to me.

Mbe ka. This side.

Lole mia mbe ? How many are there here 1

I ye gbl bi (be) 1 I, i mbe gbl. Was he here yesterday ? Yes,

he was here yesterday.

Nu ji mbe i ndea bima. This person here told you.

Gbeva bi luma mbe ] Why don't you answer me ?

Na, there (not to be confused with nd, now).

Ta na. He is there.

Mi lo bi li na gbengeme ? Where did you go yesterday

I na. He is not there.

Ngi ya ngi na gbwe. I am going to look there.

Mi lo gbl Yamba i yenge na 1 Where did Yamba work

yesterday ]

Mu yd na. We went there.

Mia, yonder. Miando is a strengthened form.
Mu yama miando. We return yonder.

7

98

Mi, where ; also mindo, mi lo, lo mi.

Jo lo mi ?
Bi pe lo mi ?
Bi ye lo a mi 1

Bi were lo mindo ?
Wu ndewe ta mindo?
Bia mi ?
Bi mi lo ?
Bia lo mi ?
Ta mindo 1
Talomi?
Tamilo?
Bi mbai lo mi ?
Bi hiya mi?
Bihi mi lo?
Bi pui mi lo ?
Bi nda mi lo ?
Bi li mi lo lo f ele ji hu gi bi
loni?

Bi mi lo gel

Kole ji hi mi lo ?

Ma li mi lo 1

Mi lo ti ya na ?

Mi yaka.

Bi ye mi ? or Bi ye mi lo ?

Mindo bi yi lo gbue 1

Gi ko mi mia i ya na.

Gi ko mi i ya na.

Gi ko mi lo i ya na.

Gi ko mi le i ya na.

Bi ya gbl mi lo 1

Mi lo gbi Yamba i yenge na 1

Where is Jo 1
Where is your house ?
Where is your home or

country 1
Where is your house ?
Where is your brother ?
Where are you ?
Ditto.
Ditto.

Where is he ?
Ditto.
Ditto.

Where is your friend ?
Where have you come from ?
Ditto.

Where did you put it ?
Ditto.
Where have you been these

last two days that I have

not seen you?
Where have you been ?
Where is this letter from 1
Where shall we go ]
Where have they gone ?
Which direction ?
Where were you ?
Where did you sleep last

night ?
I do not know where he has

gone.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto.

Where did you go yesterday?
Where did Yamba work

yesterday ?

A bi kei ?
O Jo?

A or 0.

Where is your master ?
Where is Jo 1

GRAMMAR 99

Polon or poron, far.

I ya miando poron. it has gone far away.

I ya poron. Ditto.

Numui na gi toni ; i ya I did not see the man ; he has
poron. gone far.

M bu or bu, underneath.

Li bu. Go underneath.

Gbia mbu. Come out from under.

Yo na mbu ? Who is under there ?

Ma, on.

Gbele ma. Leave off, let go.

Ho ma. Catch hold.

Hani gbi ma. There is nothing on it.

Ngi pe hi ma pu. I have done so ten times.

Mahu, on the top.

Nda mahu. Lay it on the top.

Te mahu. Raise it up.

Hu, inside.

Mbawe lo hu. It is full of soap.

Kale lo hu. The cartridge is inside.

Ta lo hu kru. There is a little inside.

Ngalui i la hu yia nani. The moon is four days old.

I kpia hu. She takes it out.

Kpela, gbea, gbeanga, near.

Ba pu gb'ra. Do not put it near.

Ba do kpela. Do not stand too near.

Lugo, in front, luwo, tuwo, tugo.

I dewea lugo. He passed in front.

Ti ya tuwo. They have gone on in front.

Tia tuwo. They are on ahead.

100 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Gulo, in front.

Li gulo. Go in front.

Ta gulo, Tia kulo (but ngi He is ahead, they are ahead.

gulo = in front of him, see

Prepositions).

LQ kulo. Stand in front.

Li kulo bi wime ngi to. Run on and look for him.

Poma, woma, behind.

Ta poma. He is behind.

Na woma. Afterwards.

Ndia, lia, middle.

La ndia. Lay it in the middle.

Pu ndia. Put it in the middle.

Ngiri ndia. Tie it in the middle.
Gun yiri ndia, or Gurl yiri Tie the stick in the middle.

ndia we.

Hei ndia, or Hei ndiei Sit in the middle.

Wa ndia. Come into the middle.

Gama, towards.

Wala gama. Bring it to me, or forward.

Gbo bi wa kama. What do you come for ?

Nga, on top.
Pu nga. Put it on top.

Kuha, far. This is properly an adjective meaning high.

Ta kuhama. It is far.

Mahuguhango (pronounced Ditto.

MaKngwango).

Ma I guhani. It is not far.

I guhani. Ditto.

I kuhama. Ditto.

Numui na gl toni i ya ku- I don't see that man, he has

hama. gone far.

Numui na gl toni i ya mahu- Ditto.

guhango poron.

Bia kuhama loma poron ? Can you see far (from where

you are) 1

GRAMMAR

101

Hinds ji, hinde na, here, there (slight variations in
pronunciation).

Hinde ji.
Hindei na.
Ta hingdei na ?
Vandi hindei na 1
I hindei ji.

This place.
That place.
Is he there 1
Is Yandi there ?
He is not here.

Ndomei, on the ground. Ndome is a noun meaning ground.

Pa ndomei.

Put it on the ground, or floor.

Ngitiya, outside, in the yard, etc.
Pili ngitiya. Throw it outside.

Jia loi i Igma ngitiya. A small child was passing in

front.

I le ngeleya.

Ngeleya, aloft.

He climbs aloft.

KaJca, side ; kaJceiji, kakei na, this side, that side.

Kaka wekei (or yekei) ma.

Mi yaka ?

Bg ka.

Li bi pu miaka ( = mia yaka).

Mi aka ( = mi-yaka) i ya na ?

The other side.
Which direction ?
This side.

Put it on the far side.
Which direction has he gone
now?

ii. ADVERBS OF TIME.

(1) They are as follows
Na

Sange.
T5t5.
Ha.
Sina.

Gbenge, gbengeme, or gbl.
Sina ndambai, or Sina nda-

mbuai.

Gbenge ndamb(u)ai.
Gbue, or kpindiji.
Ge, gege, or howe.

Now.

Just now.

Early.

To-day ; often simply now.

To-morrow.

Yesterday.

The day after to-morrow.

The day before yesterday.
Last night.

Some time ago ; a few days ago;
recently.

102 THE MENDE LANGUAGE

Wo. Formerly.

Wogba, wokpo. Ditto.

Wo polon. Ditto.

Ke yakpe. At once.

Pen, or pei. First.