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of the place, and their language has all but superseded, and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.
Yese. Ditto.
Pepg. Often.
Kunafo. In future.
Kunaka. Ditto.
Le. Yet, still.
No Mende word. Soon (for examples see under 4).
Ngova, gba, etc. (also by Before.
subjunctive sentence).
Kina. When (is also a conjunction).
Kina gba. Since. (For examples of kina
see under conjunctions).
(2) The following are nouns which are used as adverbial
expressions of time in various combinations
Kpele, kpe, gbe (migbe lo = Time.
when).
Kpoko volp. Evening.
Kpindi. Night.
Ngenda. Morning.
Ku, folo, lo. Day.
Fo. Year.
Ngalu, ngau. Month.
There is no word for week. It is translated seven days.
Examples.
Na, now.
A wa na. Come now (pL).
Ye na mu hei na. He says now we are to sit
down here.
Sange, just now.
Bi lima sange ? Are you going just now ?
Sange mia gi ngi longa. I saw him just now.
Sangi mia ti ya. They have just gone
GRAMMAR 103
Tete, early, coupled with ngenda.
Sina ngenda tete mu li. We go to-morrow very early.
Ha, to-day, sometimes means simply now.
Mu lovoni ha. We have not been unsuccessful
to-day.
A wa lo ha ? Will he come to-day ?
Sina, to-morrow.
Sina ndamb(u)ai. The day after to-morrow.
Sina mu li dogbo wai hu. To-morrow we go ' bush,' or
up-country.
Sina ma to. To-morrow we shall see.
Sina ndambuai a wa lo. He will come the day after
to-morrow.
Gbengeme, gbenge, gbt, yesterday.
Bengeme ndamb(u)ai. The day before yesterday.
John Bull i li lo gbl ge- Did John Bull go to work yes-
ngema ? terday ?
I ye gbl be 1 Was he here yesterday ?
Gbue, last night; also guc.
Ti yi gbue. They slept the night.
Mindo bi yi lo gbue? Where did you sleep last night?
Bi ndo gboli lo gbue ? Did you drink spirits last night?
Bi na gboyoa gue ? Did you finish that last night ?
Ge, recently, or gege.
Bi ya mi ge lo fele ge bi lo ? Where have you been recently ?
Bi ya ge mi lo fele gc bi lo ? Ditto.
Bi mi lo ge ? Where have you been lately ?
I ye lo be ge. He was here just now.
Howe, recently.
I ye lo be howe. He was here a short time since.
104 THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Wo, wogba, wokpo wo poron, formerly.
Tamo yira mia wo, There was once a man.
Ngi higbea wokpo. I have been sick a long time.
Ji wo bi wa bi hea be 1 How long have you been sitting
here?
Kea wogba mu wai be. It is a long time since we came
here.
Bia wo na welema 1 Have you done that before ?
Ji wo gi ndea, nge, ba dogboi I told you before not to clear
luwi. the bush.
Gi hani longa wo poron. I saw the thing long ago.
Gi hani longa wo hiigu- Ditto,
hango.
Ke yakpe, at once.
Bi ji wiri keyakpe. Do this at once.
Pen, pel, or pe first.
Ji wiri pe. Do this first.
Mu hei pen foil gbia. We sit here until sunrise.
Mawulu pen njei i wa. Wait until the rain comes.
Yese, first.
Ta yese wa. Ho comes first.
Bia yese wa. You come first.
Ji yes6 wS. Do this first.
Ji yese wili pen. Do this first.
Ji yese wani bima. This one came before you.
Pepe, often.
Bi wama be pepe. Do you often come herel
Kuna/Q, kunaka, in future.
Kunafo ba ji wiri. In future you will do this.
Kunaka. ba ji wiri. Ditto.
Kunafo ba pe he. In future do not do so.
Le, yet.
Bi ya li le ? Have you not gone yet ?
GRAMMAR
105
(3) Before, formerly, etc.
Before is expressed in a variety of ways, as illustrated below.
See also pen, wo, yese.
Bi numui na golo ngova 1
Gl ngi golo ngova.
Gi ngi go ngova gbl.
I ngenda ve lo mu we I ya li.
Ji wili pen bl ya li offici hu.
Bi ji wl gba ngi ya li.
Ji lo ba pe bi ya li gengemi.
Bi wani pele ji ngova ?
Bi na doilo ngova, or ngova-
mal
Ji yese wani bima.
Bi ya miando bi wa bi ji we.
Ma li lo pen ngelei I ya wa.
Ji wo ngi ndea, nge, ba
dogboi luwi.
Bia wo na welema ?
Bi ya na wo ngova ?
Bi ya na yira 1
Did you know that person before ?
I knew him before.
I did not know him before.
He said good-bye to us before
he left.
Do this before you go to the
office.
Do this before I go.
Do this before you go to work.
Have you come this road before?
Have seen that before ?
This one came before you.
Before you go there come and
do so.
We will go before daylight.
I told you before not to clear
the bush.
Have you done that before ?
Have you been there before 1 ?
Have you ever been there ?
(4) Miscellaneous expressions relating to time.
Be gbele.
Ku yekci ma.
Lo yekd ma.
Ngau Igle mia a wa ?
Bi lima yengema
woita va.
FQ lole ?
FOlQ yira.
Fo yira.
Lo lole ?
Ku fere, or Lo fere.
Foil ji hu.
Just now.
Another day, another time.
Ditto.
In how many months will he
come?
ngau You are going to work for six
months.
How many years ?
One day, i.e. period of daylight.
One year.
How many days 7
Two days.
To-day (a more emphatic form
than ha).
106
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Foil ji kpen.
FQ!Q ngundiei.
Ku gbi ma.
Ye, ikpeme i leinga.
Ke i huei wa pu a ngende na.
Migbele lo bi wa be?
Ye, bi ngi mawulu kru.
Ngau nani i Sandi hu.
Ke i ya hu-i-yi fele.
Fo yira soi gi bi loi.
Fo yira i dogboi hu.
A kpindi.
Kpindi ji.
Fo dewengoi.
Fo neni ma mbe le lo.
Bi li mi lo lo fele ji hu gi bi
loni?
Ngalui i la hu yia nani.
Ma li lo a ngenda vpli.
Nga yi pu niahu lolu nya
wama.
Nga yi woita iwofelema nya
(lo) wama.
Lo wofera nya wama.
Kpindi ji pi ngi yini.
Ti me a kpindi na.
Foil gbla ke mu ya.
Ngi yeto bingi ga li lo dogboi
hu.
Gi ko ; be (i. e. gbe) ngewo.
A wa lo kaka.
Tato kaka.
Yeka a gbowu nyama ji va.
Bi gbaha pei ji va.
All this day.
Midday.
Everyday.
He says the time is late.
And he killed ten animals that
morning.
When did you come here ]
He says, Wait for him a little.
She was four months in the
Sandi bush.
And he went away for two
days.
I have not seen you for a whole
year.
He was one year in the bush.
To-night.
Last night.
Last year.
Next year we will cut (the
bush) here.
Where have you been these
last two days ?
The moon is four days old.
We will go at sunrise.
I will come in a fortnight.
I will come in a week.
Ditto.
I did not sleep all night.
They ate that night.
At sunrise we go.
I intended yesterday going to
the bush.
I don't know ; wait till day-
light.
He will soon come.
Begin soon.
I shall soon be tired of this.
You will soon be tired of
this.
GRAMMAR
107
Bi na wei lo bi wa sange.
Bi luva gbl mi lo ?
I tewea poma kpen.
Kina gba ngi wani ngi bi loi be.
Ti yi na sawa.
Kia ha wu wani migbe mia i
lini?
Kina ha gba wu wani gbe
yenge lo wu peni ?
Kpindi wa.
Kpindi welea.
Ngelewo sina mu li na.
Lo woita i bumbu ndome.
Mahei na fo i lewe nani i
gbate gbon.
Ngau lole mia mu kei a wa ?
As soon as you have done that
come.
Where did you spend the day
yesterday ?
He spent all the day cutting.
Since I came I have not seen
you here.
They spent three days there.
How long is it since he went
away 1
Since you came here what work
have you been doing ?
Night comes.
Ditto.
We will go there at daybreak
to-morrow.
After six days he picked hire-
self up.
That king for over four years
increased in wealth.
In how many months will
master come?
iii. ADVERBS OF AFFIRMATION AND NEGATION.
I or E. Yes.
Er er. No.
Sao, sago. No (emphatic).
Hiye. Certainly.
Kere 1 Is it not so 1
Ya, la, ma. Not.
A question is often answered in a few words similar to those
used in asking the same.
iv. ADVERBS OF MANNER, INTENSITIES, ETC.
Adverbs of manner follow the verb they modify. They are
numerous, numbering in all some hundred and fifty. A
large proportion of them seem to have a very limited use,
and are possibly only employed to modify certain verbs to
108 THE MENDE LANGUAGE
which they specially belong. In their etymology they seem
to have no connection with any other part of speech. In
English, adverbs are largely formed from adjectives by the
addition of the suffix ly, other European languages having a
corresponding suffix. But Mende, though richer than some
other African languages in adjectives, does not adopt any
similar formation. An approach to it may, however, be con-
sidered as made in the use of the preposition a, with, with a
noun, as a pime, with running, a Icaso, with cunning, a tonya,
with truth. Some adjectives also, as gboto, many, are used as
adverbs.
Examples.
I ya a pime. He ran off.
I penga a mamage. He acted foolishly.
Tewe gbotongo. Cut plenty.
Tewe gboto. Ditto.
I mea gbi. He ate all.
I pei lo a nguwumage. He did it of his own accord.
I ndoi le gboto. She bore plenty of children.
I ndenga le gboto. Ditto.
The following adverbs of manner, etc., are in common use-
Gbama. To no purpose, for nothing,
Gboma. Again.
Gbori. Very much.
Ka. Very much.
Kaka. Quickly.
Lele. Slowly.
Le. A little.
Lome-lome. Cautiously.
Lenga. Together.
Tenga. Perhaps.
Ni, or hi. So, thus.
Panda. Properly.
Tg (much drawn out in Continuously.
speaking).
Wa. Very (is the adj. great).
Yeka, yeke, kine. Nearly.
GEAMMAE
109
Examples.
Kpekpengo le gbama.
I fei lo nya we gbama.
Wa gboma yira.
Wa fere gboma.
Wa gboma fere.
Hokei gboma le 1
Bise, ka, ka.
Ndakpei ! je ga nguri-oh.
I lembinga ka.
I po, ka ka.
Wa" kaka.
Pe kaka.
Jia lele.
Jia lome-lome.
Maw'u (mawulu) le.
Tato le, or Tato gboma.
Wu fere a li a lenga.
Pehi.
Pe panda.
Ba dola sowi.
Bi wolonga te, be gbs ?
I ye jiama te, ke i numu gbi
loni.
Ba nyoko we gboma. 1
Ba ya na wi gboma.
Tenga mu li dogboi hu sina.
Kunafo ba pe hi.
Kunafo ba na nyoko wili. 1
Njei yeka i wa.
I ye kine gulama.
Yeka i ha.
It is good for nothing.
He gave it to me for nothing.
Bring one more.
Bring two more.
Ditto.
Is it another guinea-fowl ?
Thank you very much indeed.
Friend ! hurry up with the
stick.
He delayed very much.
He cut hard.
Come quickly.
Do it quickly.
Walk slowly.
Walk cautiously.
Wait a little.
Begin again.
You two go together.
Do it so.
Do it properly.
Do not stand too near.
You have cried a long time,
will you not stop now ?
He was walking continuously,
and he saw nobody.
Do not do so again.
Ditto.
Perhaps we shall go into the
bush to-morrow.
Do not do it so in future.
Ditto.
The rain will soon be here, (lit :
The rain has nearly come.)
It was nearly falling.
He is nearly dead.
Nyoko is a noun, meaning ' manner.'
110
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
v. How?
The English hoiv is expressed in many different ways as
the following show
Fo lole bi kenye ji hu ?
How many years have you been
in this country ?
How many are there there 1
How many men have you
obtained ?
How many men have you ?
How much is this 1
How is it then ?
How am I to do it 1 What am
I to do 1
Te, ma ye pe mu mbei ji me 1 They said, How are we to eat
this rice 1
Show him how to do it (how I
do it).
How many years? how many
days?
How do you call that bird ?
Lole mia a na ?
Nunga lole bi soa ?
Nu lole mia ti bi yeya ?
Gbe jongo lo a ji 1
I ye na ho ?
Ta mia ga ye pe ?
Ke angie ga ye pe.
Fo lole? lo lole?
Nwoni na ba ye toli ?
Ji wo bi wa bi hea be ?
Lo lole bi ji weni?
Ji a hije be a li Mofwe jia
lole?
Be ta Mofwe jia lole ?
Ba ye ji luli ?
Nga tuli a ...
Ta, or ti, tuli a ...
How long have you been sitting
here?
How often have you done this ?
How far is it to Mofwe ?
Ditto.
How do you call this ?
I call it ...
They call it ...
Kia ha wu wani migbe mia i How long is it since he went ?
lini?
Ngau lole (mia) mu kei a wa ? In how many months will
master come ?
CHAPTER VIII
PREPOSITIONS
THERE is only one preposition properly so called in the
Mende language, viz. a, with. The others are all postposi-
tions. As, however, the word preposition is a recognized
grammatical term it is more convenient to adhere to it. The
reason for the idiom is not far to seek. A large number of
the words used as prepositions are actually nouns, and the
others, of which the derivation is not immediately apparent, are
probably so by origin. Taking, therefore, the phrase Ta pelei
woma, he is behind the house, it is seen at once that it can be
translated, ' He is (at) the house's back,' woma being a noun
meaning back, and the qualifying or possessing noun coming
first in Mende as it also does in English. The noun, therefore,
which is employed as a preposition is placed last.
There are no words for from, without and out. Prepositions
representing in or at, etc., are used coupled with verbs whose
sense is exit. Examples are given below.
List of Words used as Prepositions.
(1) Preposition preceding the noun a, with
(2) Prepositions following the noun.
We or ye (according to To.
euphony)
Ma. To.
Gama. To, towards.
Va. Of, for, and also the to in the
infinitive mood.
Maha. Upon.
Gulo, lugo. In front.
Tenga. Together with.
Ill
112 THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Of the above, ma, gama, malm, gulo, tenga are used also as
adverbs ; va (as fa) is used as a conjunction. A and we there-
fore are the only ones that can be classified under prepositions,
and under no other part of speech.
(3) Nouns used as prepositions. They follow the noun
they govern.
Ngama (yama) (lit. eye or a Before.
face).
Labu (inouth under). Ditto.
Woma. Behind.
Kaka. Side.
Kpela. Near.
Ngeya (lit. hand). With.
Ndia. Middle.
Mba. On top.
Ya (lit. edge). Ditto.
Mbu. Under.
Hu. In.
Gohu. Inside.
EXAMPLES.
a, with, etc.
Following the verb gbate, make, construct.
Ti hege gbate a gull ji. They make soap of this tree.
Following the verb gili, think.
Ye, ba gili d na. He said, Do not worry about it.
Following the verb go, give, or present with.
I ti goa a mehe. He gave them food.
Sina ga bi go lo a hale. To-morrow I will give you
medicine.
Following the verb gu, can.
I gu a lila. He cannot go.
Following the verb henga, dream.
Ke nyapui be i hengd a pumoi. And the girl dreamt of the
white man.
GRAMMAR 113
Following the verb jd, touch.
Ba ja a tie. Do not touch them.
Following the verb ke, show.
Ke angie ga ye pe. Show him how to do it (how
I do it).
Ke i hugenga a ngi hini. And she told everything to
her husband.
I ngi mayia ge a ngi kei. She complained to her father.
Following the verb li, go.
Mu li a pele na mu waila. We go the road we came.
Li a ngie. Take him away.
Following the verb IQ, want, like.
Nya longo a mehe. I want food.
Gl loni a na. I do not like that.
Following the verb dylQ, dislike.
Ti lolo a ngie nu gbate va. They disliked him because he
was rich.
Following the verb ndondo, cease.
Ndondo a sore ! Stop that noise !
Following the verb tytQ or tatQ, begin.
I tpto a wola. She began to weep.
I toto a nyandela. It is beginning to improve.
Following the verb wa, come.
Bi wai lo a njiei 1 Have you brought a complaint ?
Bl wai lo a ngie ? Have you brought him ]
Wa kole = wa a kole. Bring the paper or book.
Following the verb yqnga lewe, boast.
Ke i yonga lenga a nasia And he boasted over all of
gbele. them.
Following the verb pe or we, do.
Gbo ba pe a guri na. What are you doing with that
stick.
8
114
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Other verbs sometimes admit of the same construction.
I ti dewe a fefele. He sent them two by two.
We or ye, to, for.
Wala nya ye.
Tg, ngi wala bi ye.
Ye lo bi wani a go!6 ji ngi ye ?
Ye lo i kole f e bi ye ?
Te, ma kulu ngi ye.
Ji lo nya we.
Gbele, be luma nya we ?
I ya miaka (we).
I yala a pime ngi lenga we.
Ta pe yakama we.
Wa yenge silgi we.
Mu mbei yilinga gengeb'ra we.
I ya ngi yei ye.
De ngi ma.
Wa kakei ji ma.
Wa bi gbo nya ma.
Hou na ma.
Mbowe yakpa koti ji ma.
Njia nya ma.
Ke ti hitia mbei ma.
A gbe sore ma.
Ndole ti ma.
Be gu na ma.
Lo yekd ma.
Bring them to me.
I was told to bring them to
you. (lit. They said, I
bring to you.)
Who have you brought this
book for?
Who gave you the book ?
They said, We do not agree to
him.
Lift this for me.
What is the matter that you
do not answer me ?
He has gone in that direction.
He ran off with it to his
children.
It is somewhere round about
the house.
Do not work for the spider.
We have cooked rice for the
labourers.
He has gone to his own
country.
Ma, to.
Tell him.
Come to this side.
Come and help me.
Catch hold of that.
Sharpen the knife on this
stone.
I have a complaint.
And they reached the rice.
Leave off making that noise.
They were hungry.
Cannot you do that.
Another day.
GRAMMAR
115
Koti nya nwona nya gowe ma.
Huei ji i ndowi boa ndole ma.
Ba ngi lo lo pele ma.
I ndom6 gbia ngi ma.
Nda table ma.
Nji bi gbakima.
Ke i ngi lokoi loa domema.
I nye gbia njef hu, i pua ngiye
ma.
Gbonda ngi ma i wa.
Mu li jieisia ma ke mu wai.
Nga na ma kolo.
I hite peli wai ma.
I gombui doa kpalema.
Ke ti punga ndolema.
I tonga ti ma pelihu.
Mu gbi mu hite mu yei ma.
Nya gbai lo bima.
Nya gbai bia.
Ngi gbai lo nyama.
Jo ngi gbai lo Wuseni ma pun
yira.
Ta ngi banga ti gboni hini yira
ma.
Gele na ma, or gele ma.
A stone has cut my foot.
This animal dug the hole in
the ground.
You will see it in the road.
He took off his shirt.
Lay it on the table.
Lower it on your shoulder.
And he pointed his hand to
his shirt.
He took the fish out of the
water and put it on the
bank.
Compel him to come.
We have been for a walk and
we have come (back).
I shall try that.
He reached the road.
He put fire to the farm.
And they planted it in the
ground.
He followed them into the
road.
Let us all go and meet our
mother.
You are indebted to me.
Ditto.
I am indebted to him.
Wuseni owes Jo one pound.
She and her friends shared
one husband.
Stop that.
Ma is generally used after the verb to go when a place is not
specified. When the place is mentioned by name no prepo-
sition is necessary. When another verb stands subordinate to
the verb to go, the subordinate verb is treated as a pure
infinitive, as ti ya yima, they have gone to sleep ; or as a
verbal noun having the suffix ma, which takes all the in-
flections of a noun, as ti ya ti ylme (indef. ylma), they have
gone to their sleeping-place.
116
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
MU li Sekondi.
A mu li nya kpai.
I ya gboma.
I ya ngoli boma.
Mu ya yengeme.
Ke i ya jejiame dogboi hu.
Li bi yengeme.
Gi ngi lima go.
Ke ti ya mehe go'eme.
Gbo bi wa pema nya gbeanga ?
I ya nye gbeme njei hu.
We are going to Sekondi.
Let us go to my farm.
He has gone to the w.c.
He has gone to piss.
We go to work.
And he went for a walk in
the bush.
Go to your work.
I do not know where he has
gone.
And they went to find food.
What are you coming to do
with me ? (lit. Near ine.)
She went to catch fish in the
water.
Gama, towards, at, etc.
Li bi nwoni gama gbe.
Li mehe gama bi wala mu me.
Kole ji wumbu bi kei gama.
Wala gama.
Ti wa nja yela gama.
Fomemoi i hei lo se!6 gama.
Numu yira lo nya gama.
Numu yira do nya gama.
Numu yira tewe nya gama.
Wuseni i ya kole gama.
Li bi pelei gama gbe.
I hei lo sele gama.
Wuseni lo Sandi gama.
Li ngi gama.
Go look for that bird.
Go and bring our food.
Take this letter to your
master.
Bring him forward.
They came to some water.
A man with a whip sat at the
banana tree.
One person is with me.
Send one man to me.
Ditto.
Wuseni has gone for letters.
Go and have a look at the
house.
He sat at the banana tree.
Wuseni is with Sandi.
Go for him.
Va, for, of.
Gboyei I gbekpe gboliva. Salt water is not good to
drink.
Hale wu pundisia va. Medicine for your mosquito
(bites).
GRAMMAR 117
Mu ya me va. We are going for food.
Kale ji ta nwonisia va. This cartridge is for birds.
Ti lolQ a ngie nu gbate va. They disliked him because he
was a rich person.
Ke nya va navo gbl nya yeya. And as for me I have no
money.
Bia lo nya va. You belong to me.
Bi nya va You are not here for me.
Bi be yo va ? Ngi be bia va. For whom are you here ? I
am here for you.
Ke i ya dogboi hu nduwi va. And he went into the bush to
clear a farm.
Hani ji I kpekpeni hani gbi This thing is good for nothing.
va.
Ji nyandengo bo va? Is this good for anything ?
Ye, ngi wala bi va. He said I was to bring it for
you.
Mahu, upon.
Pu kaha mahu. Put it on the box.
Nda table mahu. Put it above the table, i. e. on
something on the table (on
the table is ma).
Gulo, before.
Lo ngi gulo. Stand in front of him.
Ta pS gulo. He is in front of the house.
Li bi hei ngi gulo. Go sit down in the way for him.
Ta ngi gulo. It is in front of him.
Tenga, along with, towards.
Be yepe nya lenga 1 Will you not talk with me ?
Moremo a ti lenga. Some of them were More men.
Yama, ngama, before.
Kpti ngi yama. Count it in front of him.
118
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Labu, before.
Ta (lo) pe labu.
Guld ngi labu.
It is in front of the house, i.e.
just at the door.
Throw it down in front of him.
Luwo, tuwo, lugo, tugo, before.
Ti tenga ta jia ngi lugo, ipe-
keisia ngi woma.
Ta pe lugo.
Pu ngi lugo.
Some walk in front of him,
some behind.
He is in front of the house.
Put it before him.
Woma, behind.
Ta njei woma.
Ta lo nya woma.
Ku sawa woma.
Na woma.
Li pelei woma.
Njiei jigande bagbianyawoina.
A mu li njei woma.
Numu yira pe gohu numu yira
lo pe woma.
Ta pelei woma.
He is across the water.
He is behind me.
After three days.
After that.
Go behind the house.
Do not repeat what I say.
Let us cross the water.
One person is inside the house
one is outside.
He is outside the house.
Ta pe yaka ma we.
Kdka, side.
It is somewhere round the
house.
Gbela, gbeanga, near.
Ba lo gbi ngombui gb'ra.
Ba pu gb'ra.
A mu jia njei gbeanga.
Tia mu gbeanga.
Ti la mu gbela.
Gbo bi wa pema nya gbeanga 1
I kpale la tei gbela.
Do not stand too near the fire .
Do not put it near.
Let us walk close to the water.
They are near us.
They approach us.
What are you coming to do at
my place ?
He laid out a farm near the
town.
GRAMMAR 119
Ngeya, with.
Mbogbwef lo Wuseni yeya. The cutlass is with Wuseni.
(lit. The cutlass is in Wu-
seni's hand.)
Ta bi yeya. It is with you.
I ngi yeya. It is not with him.
Lia, middle.
Hei ndendei lia. Sit in the middle of the boat.
Mba, upon.
Te wumba, or Te bi wumba. Raise it on your head.
Ngulu wumba. On the tree-top.
Ke i gbole gbia wumba. And he took off his hat from
his head.
Ti punga ngi wumba. They put it on his head.
Bi bore wS bumba ( = bi wumba). Put on your hat.
Ya or nga, upon.
Pu ngombui ya. Put it on the fire.
Hele foil ya. Hang it in the sun.
Nguli ya. On the tree.
Kowl pu kolT ya. Put wood in the fireplace.
I ya kpoyei ya. It has gone over the sea.
Ke i bumbui welenga nga. And he set the fish-trap on top.
Ngelewo i wa kale ya. At daybreak he came to the
fish-weir.
Ke i mbombui gbia kale ya. And he took the trap off the
weir.
Mbu, under.
Pe bu. Indoors.
I gbia pebu. He comes out of the house.
Yo na mbu ? Who is under that ?
Li bi pebu gbe. Go look inside the house.
Gi ya pebu. I go home.
IIu, in, inside.
NOTE. Hu is used as an affix to emphasize nouns which are
material objects. It is attached to the indefinite form, as nja,
120
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
njdhu, water ; but njei hu, in the water,
but tei hu, in the town.
Ta, tahu, the town ;
Nya guri hu.
I hitia ngull hu.
Plli njei hu.
Pu njei hu.
Kole ji pu kaiia hu.
Ta nji hu.
Mu de ngiyeihu.
A mu li tei hu.
Gbeva bi lembi hu ?
Bi li milo lo fele ji hu gi bi
loni?
Njei lo pele hu.
I de ngeleya nguli hu.
Foil ji hu.
Ba gbia fofu (or fof ui) hu.
Wa pe gohu.
I am in the tree.
He came down the tree.
Throw it into the water.
Put it in the water.
Put this paper in the box.
He is asleep.
Let us cross the hill.
Let us return home, or Go into
the town.
Why are you late?
Where have you been these
last two days ?
The road is under water.
He climbs the tree.
To-day.
Do not expose it.
Come inside the house.
FROM, OUT, WITHOUT, ABOUT.
There are no separate prepositions f or from, out, without and
other similar words which have a sort of negative sense.
They are expressed by words signifying positive position
coupled with a verb of motion from.
Examples of From.
Bi na kpia ngi yeya. Take that from him.
Bi na bumbu ngi yeya.
Nga nyahei gbia lo bi yeya.
I nya yahumanga (to steal is
huma).
Sumba geya ( = ngi yeya).
Ho ngeya.
I hijea ndome.
Ditto.
I will take the woman away
from you.
He stole from me.
Snatch it from him.
Ditto.
He got up from the ground.
Out.
I gbiai lo pebu.
Gbia ndendei hu.
He has gone out of the house.
Get out of the boat.
GRAMMAR 121
Ta pelei woma. He is outside the house.
I gbia dogboi hu. He came out of the bush.
I nye gbia njei hu. He pulled the fish out of the
water.
Without.
Bere gbl ngi ma. Without trousers.
About.
De nya ma kina ti ye ha jiani. Tell me about their palaver.
Wu ye ha jiani ? What was the discussion about
to-day ?
Huge ange panda. Tell me all about it.
Ndapi ti koni nda loni gbo ma ? What did you fight about ?
Ndapi nda hije gbo ma ? What did the fight ariseabout?
Gbo wani a ndapi ? Ditto.
Njiei na lo navo va. The affair was about money.
CHAPTER IX
CONJUNCTIONS
CONJUNCTIONS in the Mende language are few in number.
A sequence of short direct sentences is made use of, each
preceded by ' Ke, and ' ; or, if the subject is getting out of
control, ' tamia, also, further ' is put in to keep up the
connection. Disjunctive conjunctions proper do not exist.
The contrast of a positive sentence with a following negative
sentence, or vice versd, either with or without the assistance of
a conjunctive conjunction, supplies the necessary distinction.
Some of the words in the following list of conjunctions
might equally well be treated as adverbs.
Ta, and ; only joins nouns, not sentences.
Ke, and ; it can also be translated but. It is, however,
not an emphatic but, which does not occur.
Be, even, also, too.
Jibe, kebe, although.
Ina, if, supposing.
Kina, kea, kia, when, while, like.
Ji, ivhen, if.
Ko, so that.
Ngiye, except.
0, or, or nor.
Tabao, neither.
Tamia, also, further.
Therefore = Jiva, tamia, famia, fa le, ta ji, ta va.
But. No word. See examples.
122
GRAMMAR 123
And, ta, ke.
Hindoi ta nyahei. The man and the woman.
Ji ta ji le. It is this and this.
Ke i ya. And he went away.
Nyahei na ke ngi loi ti ya That woman and her child went
dogboi hu. into the bush.
Foil gbia ke mu ya. At sunrise we go.
Ji ta ji ti mahe-u lo. This and this are equal.
Pronouns joined together have a special construction, which
see under ' Pronouns.' A similar construction prevails when
pronouns are joined with nouns.
Ke ta ta ti ya. And he and she they went.
Ma Wuseni mu ya. I and Wuseni we went.
Hindei gbi bi lina, ma bia ma Wherever you go, you and I
li na. will go together there.
Bia wa Wuseni a li mia. You and Wuseni go there.
Ke ta ngi kei, ti gome. And he and his father met.
Mu li ma nya ndewe. Let us go, I and my brother.
Be, even, also, too, Ji be, ke be, although.
Be never occurs as the first word in the sentence. It follows
ji and ke, and the meaning of the combination is although.
Be may be regarded as an adverb, but it is more convenient
to treat it with conjunctions. It must not be confused with
be here.
Nya be ge bi go. I will certainly not give you
any.
Ndakpaloi be I pe loi koti- And the young man did not
ma. build the house on the rock.
Ke bawe be i gbale la. And the ' maggot ' also laid out
a farm.
Yira be I na. Not even one is there.
Ke be nyawo i le gbe i wa i Although ( = and indeed) he is
ji wiri. not mine (one of my men),
let him come and do this.
If = ina, etc.
If is rendered in a variety of ways. The conjunction ina
124
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
may be employed, or a leading conditional sentence, in the
perfect tense, etc.
Ina ga wa lo nga nde lo bima.
Nga ye wama nga nde lo bima.
Ina nge wa nga nde lo bima.
Foil gbiai lo ke nwoiiisia ti
wa.
Bi nduwenga lo, be mbei me.
Bi penga lo, ba ha lo fe.
Ye, bia bi lini siloi yengeme,
be mehe nene me.
If I come I will tell you.
Ditto.
If I do not come I will tell you.
If the sun came out the birds
would come.
If you clear the ground you will
not eat the food.
If you do it you will surely die.
He said, If you go and work for
the spider, you will not eat
nice food.
Kina, kea, when, as, etc., etc.
Kia ji na ; kia na na.
Kia ngombu na.
Li bi wala kia ji na.
Kea wogba mu wai be.
Kina i ngi vogba kasiloi i
gbenda.
Kea bi nya gbe ge bi go.
Kina gba ngi wani ngi bi loi
b5.
Kia wo bi nya njei gbeni
nga bi wa lo.
Kia na mabie mu longa.
Kea bi ya lo.
Kia ha wu wani migbe mia
i lini ?
Like this ; like that.
Like fire.
Go bring one like this.
It is a long time since we came
here.
When it beat him the spider
snatched the fruit.
If you drive me away I will
not give you any.
Since I came I have not seen
you here.
Since you drove my mother
out in former times I will
kill you.
Since now we see each other.
. I suppose you are going.
How long is it since he went ?
So that, in order that, ko, or usually only consecutive
sentences.
Ji gbate gi ko l lo. Do this so that I may know.
Gbate kea gi ji we la. Do this so that I can do it
myself.
Ko i ngi gole. So that he might try him.
1 Kg here means ' know.'
GKAMMAR 125
Therefore, ji va, fale, famia, ta ji, ta va, tamia.
Ta ji bi hanga. Therefore you have died.
Ta va, ye, mu lima na. Therefore he said, Let us go
there.
Ngi yenge I nyandeni ta- His work was not good, so I
mia (or famia) ngi ngi dismissed him.
gbeni.
Tamia, further.
Nge", a nya la ge ; tamia a I said, She must not mention
nya hinda huge a ngi wo- my name ; further, that she
ngeisia. must not talk about my
affairs to her relations.
Tamia ga ye pe 1 So how am I to do it ?
Except.
Numu gbi nya loi jolo ke a Nobody shall marry my daugh-
pe lo kotima. ter except he build a house
on the rock.
Neither, nor ; either, or, tabao, o.
Ngi ye (or yema) ji tabao gl ye I said, Neither this nor that.
(or yema) ji.
Ndakpaloibe ipe loi kotima, The young man neither built
nyapoi be I ngi loko wuai his house on the rock nor
mbei bu. did the woman put her hand
under the rice.
Ji fere le nga yema. I said neither of these.
Gi ye ji, gi ye ji. Ditto.
O kea iji be na? Or one like this 1
Ji, when.
Ji wo ngi ndea nge, ba dog- I told you before not to clear
boi luwi. the bush.
Ji wo bi wa bi hea be 1 How long have you been sitting
here?
But.
The contrast of positive and negative sentences supplies the
equivalent.
Ye, Bi ji wT, tamia ye, ba na He said do this, but not that
wi. (lit. further he said, do not
do that).
CHAPTER X
INTERJECTIONS
The following are the most common
OH, suffix, added especially when calling out in a loud
voice to add emphasis, as A mu li-oh, let us go.
E is also used in this sense as Sandi-e, i. e. calling Sandi's
name.
O, 0; ONgewo, God.
Ko ! ah ! an exclamation of surprise.
II ah I ditto.
Ombo ! don't ! ndakwe' mbo ! friend^ don't ! an exclamation
of warning.
Sio, a curse = don't care.
Uhu (er-her), an exclamation of pleasure on grasping a fact.
Hoe ? An interrogative particle, equivalent to shall we ?
126
PART III
VOCABULARIES
NOTE. The accent in the definite is on the last syllable.
I. FURNITURE, UTENSILS, ETC.
Indefinite.
The English word.
Definite.
Kpakali.
Hewuru.
kpakali.
hewuri.
Kpuko.
The English word.
Tenti.
kpukgi.
tenti.
Kaha.
kana.
Kpangba.
Ndivale.
kpangbe.
ndlvale.
Fe
fei.
Mita.
mite.
The English word.
Mbowa.
mbowe.
Sani.
sani.
The English word.
Mbola.
Peleti.
Kalu.
mbole.
peleti.
kalui.
Mboli.
mboli.
Meme.
meme.
Fftji.
Washi = watch.
faji.
Kpegbe.
kpegbe.
English.
table.
arm-chair
seat, stool (lit. sit-
wood).
bed.
pillow.
mosquito-net,
box, chest,
broom.
broom or fly-brush,
pot.
spoon,
fork,
knife,
bottle,
glass,
cup.
plate,
basin,
ditto
looking-glass,
(brass) kettle,
clock,
comb.
No Mende word. Mori word is Fayafdnl, pen.
No Mende word. [Mori word is Liiave, ink.
127
128
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Parts of a pot.
Indefinite.
Definite.
English.
Fei dagbola.
f ei dagbole.
stopper.
Fei mbolo.
fei mboli.
neck.
Fei kohu.
fei kohu.
body.
Fei togbula.
fei togbule.
bottom.
Samba.
sain be.
broad, open basket.
Tekpe.
tekpe.
closed basket.
Kaha.
kahei.
basket.
Konda.
konde.
mortar.
Ngala.
ngale.
mat.
II. IMPLEMEKTS, ETC
Mbowa.
mbowe.
knife.
Mbogba.
mbogbwe.
cutlass.
Kpogbo.
kpogbwe.
hammer.
Hipo.
hipoi.
heavy hammer.
Kpakpa.
to hammer.
Kpato.
kpatoi.
cutlass.
Konu.
koni.
axe.
Gbanya.
gbanye.
pincers.
Buma.
bume.
gimlet.
Kegbwi.
kegbwi.
awl.
Kali.
kali.
hoe.
Sowi.
sowi.
saw.
Gene.
gene.
saw (Not known by
all Mendes).
Goli.
gQli-
scissors.
Londema.
londeme.
nail.
Londema mumu
londema mumui.
small nail.
Ndoli.
ndoli.
hook.
III. COLOURS ADJECTIVES.
Teli.
dedeli, telingo.
black.
Kole.
gogole, golengo.
white.
Kpou.
kpogbou, gboungo.
red, brown.
Bulw.
bulungo.
blue.
Pune.
punengo.
green.
Ngahupu.
ngahupungo.
variegated.
VOCABULAKIES
129
Indefinite.
Kani gbolo.
Kani gple.
Tongo bolo.
Tongo.
Kolu.
Sumbu.
IV. METALS.
Definite,
kani gboli.
kani g<?li.
tongoboli.
tongoi (tongwe).
koli.
sumbui.
English.
gold,
silver,
copper,
brass,
iron,
lead.
V. PARTS OF THE BODY.
NOTE. In addressing any question to a Mende about the
following, the beginner is recommended to prefix ngi, his, to
each word. The softened form of the initial consonant must
then be used, also the definite form.
Indefinite.
Ngu.
Tawa.
Ngama.
Hokpa.
La.
Ne.
La guru.
Ngongolu.
Yele-yongolu.
Bato.
Kpono.
Kpokpo.
Ngoli.
Ngonge (?).
Mbolo.
Mbo gohu.
Mbp woma.
MbQli gQtu.
Ngama bweka.
Kpele.
Ngundia.
Njombo.
Ndega.
Definite,
ngui' (wui).
tawe (dawe).
ngame (yame).
hokpe.
lei.
nei.
laguri.
ngongoli (yongoli).
yele-yongoli.
bato'i.
kpone (gbone).
kpokpoi.
ngoli (woli).
ngonge (gonge).
mboli.
mbo gohui.
mbo womei.
mbpli gQti.
ngama bweke (ya-
mabweke).
kpele.
ngundiei (wundiei).
njomboi (yomboi).
ndege.
English.
head,
forehead,
face, eye.
nose,
mouth,
tongue,
lip.
tooth,
front-teeth,
back-teeth,
brain,
chin,
ear.
back of head just
above the neck,
neck in front,
throat itself,
back of the neck,
apple in the throat,
eyebrow, or eyelash.
i
beard.
hair of the head,
hair of the body,
plumage of birds,
hair round the
private parts.
130
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Indefinite.
Definite.
English.
Kglo.
kole (gole).
skin.
Ndlma.
ndimei (Hmei).
chest.
Ko.
koi.
belly.
Kohu.
kohui (gohui) or
belly.
koihu.
Gombu.
gombui.
lower part of the
belly.
Hama.
hame.
waist.
Poma.
pomei (womei).
back.
Kaka.
kakei (gakei).
side.
Ngoto.
ngotui.
backside.
Ngovvo.
ngowi.
back below the
waist.
Hokpo.
hokpoi.
navel.
Yovota.
yovotei.
testicles.
Mbulo.
mbule.
penis.
Ngoli.
ngoli (woli).
tail.
Nini.
ninT.
breasts.
Toko.
tokoi (lokoi).
hand, lower arm.
Yeja loko, or yejama
yeja lokoi.
right hand.
loko.
Kowo loko, or ko-
kowo lokoi.
left hand.
woma loko.
Kpaki.
kpaki (gbaki).
shoulder, upper arm.
Kpambu.
kpambui (bwa-
arm-pit.
mbui).
Noko.
nSkoi.
elbow.
Lokoyuo.
lokoyul.
finger.
Ngengalu.
ngengalui.
finger-nail.
Loko hina.
loko hinei.
thumb.
Loko vele.
loko vele.
palm of hand.
Kowo.
kowe (gowe).
foot, leg generally.
Lowe.
lowe.
hip.
Tohu.
tohui.
hip.
Kpala.
kpale.
thigh.
Ngombi.
ngombi (gombi).
knee.
Haka.
hakai.
lower leg, calf.
Gbowo.
gbowi.
ankle.
Kowola.
kowolei.
ankle.
Gowoyuo.
gowoyui.
toe.
VOCABULARIES
131
Indefinite. Definite.
Gowo hina (short gowo hinei.
for gowo yuo hinei).
Kowo digbe, or kowo digbi.
digba.
Kaka.
Ndata.
G o wo- woma-lata.
Kale.
Lihft gale.
Nyene.
Kohugbia.
Kpukpula.
Sondo higbe.
Legeli.
Kpama.
Geli.
Kanya.
Kegeri.
Bombo.
Nyenye.
Pene.
Noho.
Sugbu.
Kpokpolu.
Pupu.
Ndivo.
Fehani.
Bweli.
Kala,
Bolo.
kakei (gakei yakei).
ndate (late),
gowo-woma-late.
kale (gale).
Hhu gale,
nyeue.
VI. DISEASES.
kohugbiei.
kpukpule.
sondo higbe.
legeli.
kpauie.
geli.
kanye.
kegeri.
bombui.
nyenye.
pene.
nohoi.
sugbui.
kpokpolui.
pupui.
ndivo'i.
fehani.
bweli.
kale or kae.
boll.
Kporo, kporongo (adj.).
Gbale (verb).
Ball (verb).
Kale higbe. kale higbei.
English,
big toe.
heel.
rib.
vein or tendon.
tendon at back of
ankle,
bone,
backbone,
liver.
diarrhcea.
ditto.
dysentery.
ulcer.
sore.
sore.
gonorrhrea.
yaws.
small-pox.
chicken-pox.
ringworm.
craw-craw.
a wasting skin dis-
ease.
leprosy.
freckles.
small boil.
tumour.
bad boil.
a boil that travels.
a worm of any kind,
tapeworm, guinea-
worm.
lame.
to pain.
to vomit.
rheumatism.
132
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Indefinite.
Nji higbe.
Popole.
VII.
Hindo.
Tamo.
Kena or kene.
Kena wova.
NdakpalQ.
Hini.
Boilopo.
NdopQ.
Nu dogbe.
Ke.
Mba
Nyaha.
Nyapo.
Nyalo.
Nje.
Mama.
Definite.
English.
nji higbei.
sleeping sickness.
popolei.
a skin disease leav-
ing white patches
on the (black)
skin.
KELATIONSHIPS,
TITLES, ETC.
hindoi.
man.
tamoi.
man.
kene.
elderly man.
kene !
sir!
kena wovei.
old man.
ndakpaloi.
young man.
ndakpwe !
young man ! Used
by men to each
other when no
name is expressed
hini.
husband.
boilQpoi.
servant.
ndopoi.
boy.
nu dogbe.
young man.
kei.
father, master.
keke !
my father ! sir !
nya kei
my father ! my mas-
ter !
mbai.
friend or companion
of the same sex.
mba ! \
mbgi ! /
( friend ! used by
-! women to each
[ other.
nyahei.
woman, wife.
nyapui.
girl, young woman.
ngi nyahei.
his wife.
ngi nyapui.
his concubine.
nyaloi.
girl as opposed to
boy.
nji.
mother.
Ye!
mother ! madame !
mame.
an elder person of
either sex.
VOCABULARIES
133
Indefinite.
Kpawo.
Njamo.
Ndiaruo.
Kombi.
Lemo.
Ke.
Ndewe, nde.
Nde nyalp.
Lp.
Njl wulp.
Kenya.
Mania.
Mbela.
Njlmo.
Maha.
Definite,
mame !
mame na.
mama wovei.
mama !
kpawQi.
njamoi.
njamo !
ndiamoi.
kombi (same as
ndiamoi).
nya njamoi.
lemoi.
pappa.
kei.
keisia.
ngi ndiwi, or ngi
ndl.
ngi nde wai.
ngi nde wull, or wu'i.
nde nyalpi.
ngi nde nyalpi.
loi.
njT wulT.
kenye.
mama.
mbile (mbiri).
njlmoi.
ngi yemoi.
ndengesia.
mahei.
English,
mother ! A title of
any old woman,
that old woman,
the old woman,
mamma. Used by
an infant to its
mother,
widow,
friend. Used by
men or women.
friend.
my friend.
natural father.
what an infant calls
its father.
not necessarily the
natural father
rather master.
ancestors.
his brother.
his big brother.
his little brother.
sister.
his sister.
son, daughter.
aunt.
uncle.
grandfather or
grandmother.
brother-in-law or
father-in-law.
mother-in-law
his mother-in-law.
children, also fol-
lowers.
chief.
134
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Indefinite.
Sama.
Felanga.
Mba wa.
Kpia Ip.
Jia 15.
Definite,
same.
felangesia.
mba wai.
kpia Ipi.
jia Ipi.
pgndoi.
English,
wealthy person or
distinguish ed
person,
twins,
elder brother or
senior ; applied
to things also,
first-born,
a child that can
just walk,
orphan.
VIII. SEASONS, TIMES, ETC.
Hawa. hawa. hour.
Ku. ku'i. day.
Lo. loi. day.
Fplp. foil. day or sun.
Ngalu, ngau. ngalui, yalu'i. month.
Fp. fpi. year
(No word for week.)
Hama. hame. wet season.
Ngpvp. ngpvpii (ngevp). dry season.
Kpele. kpelei. season.
Kpe. kpei. season.
Kpelema. kpelemei. time.
ngelewo, ngewo, at daybreak.
ngewa.
Ngenda vplQ. ngenda vpll. morning sun.
Ngenda. ngende. morning.
foil gbla. at sunrise.
(Fplp hijengoi, the risen sun, but this is apparently not
used as a mark of time.)
Fplp ngundia. fQlp ngundiei. noon.
Kpoko vplp. kpoko vpll. 1 afternoon and
kpoko vp'i. J evening.
fpli gula. at sunset.
Kpindi. kpindi. night.
Kpindi lia. kpindi liei. midnight.
VOCABULARIES
135
Months.
Definite.
Pegbe.
Vui.
Nyaha woli.
Burui.
Goli.
Cheje.
Nanoi.
Dawi.
Sai.
Galui.
Lubuyalui (pron. almost lu-
bwiale).
Pondoi.
English (roughly).
January.
February.
March.
April.
May.
June.
July.
August.
September.
October.
November.
December.
Po kpwele.
Moto kpwele.
Duwe kpwele.
Dokwaiambwehu.
Mbawu kpwele.
Wugbia kpwele.
Mbale kpwele.
Kova kpwele.
Rice Seasons.
Bush cutting time.
Burning time.
Clearing time for small bush.
Clearing time for bigger bush,
(lit. Big clearing in the rice.)
Rice planting time.
Weeding time.
Rice cutting time.
Slack or fallow time.
IX.
Indefinite.
Pele, wele, pe, we.
Kongo.
KundO.
Kundehu.
Sokuihu.
Pels la, or pele nda.
Nete.
Ndaoma.
HOUSE, AND ITS
Definite,
pglei, welei.
kuugyi.
kunde.
kundehu.
sokuihu.
pele ndei.
nete.
ndaome.
PARTS.
English.
house.
annex, outhouse,
room.
corner, recess.
corner, recess for a
bed.
corner, etc. Some-
times used for
Icundehu.
doorway.
door itself.
window.
136
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Indefinite.
P yasehu
piasihu).
Pe gohu.
Kulahu.
Ndia wulu.
Kpekpahu.
Dingbo.
Pojunge.
Nde kpenge.
Sema.
Keni.
Konu.
Njasa.
Towa.
NdomS.
Ndowa.
Pewumba.
Pewunga.
Kata.
Katehu.
Kate la.
Ngore" la.
Ngitiya.
Pe woma.
Pe bu.
Ta pe lugo.
Ta pe labu.
Ta pe tawe.
Ta pe gulo.
Ta pe lamei.
Doli.
Dolimo.
(pr.
Definite.
p< yasehii.
pe gohu.
kulahu.
ndia wuli.
kpekpahu.
dingbo'i.
pojunge.
ndekpenge.
seme.
keni.
kom.
njase, yase.
to we.
ndome.
ndowe.
pewumba.
pewunga.
kate.
katehu.
kate lei.
ngore lei.
English.
verandah.
the inside of the
house,
ridge-beam,
ditto,
ditto,
long posts of a
house,
rafter,
cross-beam .
bamboo. Used in
construction,
'nduvu' palm
branch used in
construction,
thatch, generally,
side posts, whether
forked or not.
floor,
hole.
house-top.
fence.
garden, compound.
gate.
ditto.
Outside.
Behind the house.
Indoors.
It is in front of the house.
It is at the door.
It is just beyond the doorway.
It is in front of the house.
It is just inside the entrance.
X. GAMES, DANCES, Music, ETC.
dol!. dance, play,
dolimoi. dancer.
VOCABULARIES
137
Indefinite.
Sangba.
Segbula.
Mbiri.
Fanga.
Bulu.
Mbaka.
Ba.
Ndapi.
Ngule.
Tegoko.
Nguru.
Kpiti.
Kowu.
Nguru bpwa.
Nda, la. '
Definite,
ngeya loli.
kogba loli.
mbembe loli.
kpala loli.
sohina loli.
wundai.
jeke loli.
kosi loli, or
ndoso loli
ko Igli
kan<rbumbu loli
sangbai.
segbule.
mbiri.
fange.
bului.
mbake.
ndapi.
ngule.
tegokoi.
English.
a skipping dance,
somersault,
two persons swinging round
on a rope until one falls,
a dance on stilts in costume,
a dance with a string tied to
the big toe.
a dance round the fire,
dance with rattles,
a conjuring play.
war dance.
a play of cutting wood and
narrowly escaping cutting
the hand.
drum.
a rattle made of a calabash
with beads.
a big drum.
drum with strings on the
side to press on.
trumpet.
music ; any stringed instru-
ment.
a musical instrument with
notes which are tapped.
wrestling.
song, or to sing.
board for playing the game
of ti, a game played with
pebbles on a board of a
dozen holes.
XL TREES, PLANTS, ETC.
General.
ngurl.
kpiti.
kowl.
nguru bowe.
lai.
tree.
plant, weed, grass.
wood, fallen tree.
flower.
leaf.
138
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Indefinite.
Tifa.
Kale.
Mbeke.
Foni.
Yani.
Ngara.
Pote.
Nyo.
Nyoko.
Gbelinyo.
Keti.
Mba.
Kokovaia.
Bongo.
Manika.
Jobo.
(1) Vubata.
(?) Bagiba.
Sangenya.
Wuja wuru.
Pava.
Fase.
Sandi.
Tupu bongo.
Gorofeli.
Gete.
Peude.
Pendege.
Yake.
Gobe.
Yele.
Mbawu.
Definite. English,
tife. leaf, twig,
kale. seed,
mbeke. branch.
Grasses and Grains.
fom.
yam.
ngare.
pote.
grass.
a spreading grass.
a very tall coarse grass.
a grass the seeds of which
are eaten,
maize.
sugar-cane,
millet,
guinea-corn,
rice.
nyoi (newee).
nyokoi.
gbelinyoi.
ketl.
mbei.
Descriptions of Rice.
kokovaia, or slow growth ; several heads
kokovaiye. to one stalk; grows any-
where.
bongoe. short thick grain ; planted
in mud.
manikei. long grain.
joboi. long grain, sweet flavour.
vubatei."^ the same rice, plentiful grain
bagibei.J in ears.
sanganya. ripens slowly.
wuja wurl. small grain, black, grows
quickly.
pave. tasteless, grows slowly.
fase. ditto.
sandi. ditto.
tupu bongoi. striped.
gorofeli. l u g haired.
gete. short grained.
pende. early rice, short.
pendege. ditto.
yake.\ American rice, grows in
gobe./ water.
yele. requires cutting quickly after
ripening.
mbawuT. ear of rice.
VOCABULARIES
139
Palms.
Indefinite. Definite. English.
Tokpo. tokpoi.
Kewe. kewe.
Nduvu. nduvui.
oil palm,
fan palm,
rafia vinifera.
Keri. keri.
Madra. madra.
sharp-leafed palm ; grows on
edge of brackish water ;
used for making mats.
Neither are pure Mende
words.
Sema (?), also seme, 01
semi. bamboo.
semi.
Keni. keni.
ditto.
Kavu. kavui.
palm with very slender leaves
and stem.
Pamba. pambe. screw palm.
Kpura. kpure, kpurai. rattan.
Ngavu. ngavui. inferior date palm.
Pulolu, or pu- puloll. cocoanut palm,
dolu.
Products of Palms.
Town. tow!.
Town. tewi.
oil palm nut.
ditto.
Kale. gale. kernel.
Kaje. kaje. piassaba fibre of the nduvit.
Kenji. kenji. seed of the nduvu.
Nini, or nini- nini, or ninihe. flower of the oil palm,
ha.
Tokpo lo. tokpo loi. palm wine.
Ngulo gbou. ngulo gbouT. palm oil.
Konu. koni. branch of the nduvu.
Dangulo. dangule
palm kernel oil.
Foods.
Mana. mane.
Sele. sele.
plantain,
banana.
Saro. saro'i. orange.
Dumbele. dumbele. lime, or orange.
Dumbele nye- dumbele nyenye. lime.
nye.
Fakali. fakali.
pawpaw.
140
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Indefinite.
Definite.
Nesi.
nesi. p:
Belu.
belui. pi
Bondo.
bonde. ol
Kojo.
Gbola.
Tola.
kojl. gi
gbole. gi
tole. b
Towa.
towe. p
Puje.
Tolo.
puje. pi
toll. k
Ngengele.
Yawa.
Ngawu.
Mbole.
ngengele. ci
yawe. 01
ngawl. yi
mbole. y
Njpwi.
Tanga.
Nikili.
njowi. s'
tange. a
nikili. g^
Trees.
Tingo.
Nja wulu.
Hege gulu.
Yowulu.
Kata wulu.
tingi. n
nja wuli. s(
hege gull. d
yowuli. d
kata wuli. ti
Nguwo.
Bo wulu.
Hendo.
Tijo.
nguwe. si
bo wuli. b
hendoi, or hende. a
tijoi. a
Mbele.
mbele. a
Sema.
seme. a
Kpatp.
Mambo.
Timipofo.
Gboji.
kpatpi. ?
mambui. \ a
tiraipofoi. /
gboji. a
Bom.
bom.
English,
pineapple.
pineapple (not so much used),
okro.
garden egg.
garden egg, different variety,
bean,
pumpkin,
pepper,
kola,
crincre.
onion,
yam.
yam.
sweet potato, or any potato,
cassada.
ground nut.
mangrove.
soap tree, or sea apple.
ditto.
ditto.
tree used for hedges. Sierra
Leone English, ' pig nuts.'
silk cotton tree,
baobab.
a red hardwood tree.
a hardwood tree with fibrous
bark.
a hardwood tree with but-
tresses.
a big forest tree.
a kind of wild walnut.
a tree with soft nuts with
velvety shell ; edible,
a tree with a yellow plum-like
fruit with pleasant taste,
a sap tree with large fleshy
leaves. The juice is said
to cure toothache.
VOCABULARIES
141
Indefinite.
Yogbu yambe.
Bondo.
Guava.
Bobo.
Kobo.
Jenje.
Gomo.
Jiawa.
Hole.
Manga.
Dawu.
Kama.
Fale.
Poni.
Definite. English.
yogbu yambe. a tree with red fruit size of
an apple, rough skin, red
inside.
bonde. tree with flowers like apple
blossom. The red seeds
from pods, which grow in
clusters, make an orange
dye.
guava. guava.
Rubbers.
boboe. funtumia.
koboe. a rubber tree,
jenje. a rubber vine,
gomoe. a rubber tree,
tree from
exudes,
jiawai. a rubber tree inferior
boboe ; 1 the kickxia.
hQle. a tree with a juice used for
catching birds.
Plants, Flowers, etc.
also another
which gum
to
Tawa.
tawe.
tobacco.
Tawa vuka.
tawa vuke, or
snuff.
tavuke.
Vonde.
vonde.
a plant
mange.
dawui.
kame.
fale.
pom.
juice is drawn up into the
nostrils for snuff,
a parasitic plant on fan
palms ; has sharp cones
at base.
a vine; the leaves crushed
put into a pool kill the fish,
a plant with coarse leaves
which are used for sand-
paper.
mushroom, or fungus,
a plant for making baskets ;
the red pod at the root is
eaten.
142
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Indefinite.
Definite.
Kpula.
Fore.
kpiile.
fore.
Nengbe.
Pupende.
nengbe.
pupende.
Nyomba (1)
nyombe.
Njowe.
Fande wulu.
njowi.
fande wuli.
Mbalu.
mbalui.
Hua.
XI
huei.
Ndopa.
Nika.
ndope.
nike.
Nika ba.
nika hei.
Nika hine.
nika hinei.
Mbala.
mbale.
Nje.
Ndonde.
njei.
ndonde.
Kofi.
koli.
Kpwi.
Nguahi.
kQWl.
nguahi.
Pekulo.
pekuli.
Kewulo.
kewuli. "|
Kowulo.
kowuli. J
Subu.
subu'i.
Njala.
Kaikulo.
njale.
kaikuli.
Ndandakulo.
ndandakuli.
Pewi.
Nyamgbe.
Gone.
pewi.
nyamgbe.
gone.
English.
a large gourd,
canna lily.
a water lily with long leaves,
a water lily with round
leaves,
a shrub with small red seeds
having black heads,
a large poisonous bean,
the cotton plant,
a creeper used to make a loop
to climb palm trees.
XII. ANIMALS.
animal.
antelope, or deer.
cow (generally).
cow.
bull.
sheep.
goat.
pig.
leopard.
1 jackal.
a small animal that eats roots ;
same size guinea-pig.
small animal with a sharp
nose and mouth set under-
neath.
different dialectic names for
same kind of animal, a
big spotted bush cat, hair
rather than fur, loose ridge
of skin down its back.
hyaena.
lion.
a ground squirrel.
? mongoose.
bush cat, long tail ; paradoxus.
bush cat, soft fur, spotted.
cat.
VOCABULARIES
143
Indefinite.
Definite.
English.
Lplo.
Ipli.
cat.
Kanye.
kanye.
ant-eater.
Towa wulp.
towa wuli.
bush goat; ? gazelle,
very
small horns.
Ngoto.
ngoti.
water-buck.
Heke.
heke.
bush cow.
Tewu.
tewl.
bush cow, a buffalo.
Nguli.
nguli.
1 hartebeest.
Hagbewulo.
hagbewuli.
small brown animal.
Hagbe.
hagbei.
ditto ; 1 weasel.
Ngila.
ngile.
dog.
Nyine.
nyine.
rat.
Kiwulp.
kiwuli.
ground pig.
Kuwulp.
kuwuli.
ditto.
Folpgbetg.
fglpgbete.
striped rat.
Lende.
lende.
mouse.
Piwi.
piwi.
porcupine.
Sewulo.
sewull.
guinea-pig.
Sese.
sesei.
a squirrel.
Bovi.
bovl.
something like a sese,
but
larger.
Seje. sejei. small animal with quills on
its tail like a porcupine,
bat, small,
bat, medium,
bat, large,
baboon,
a tree bear ; calls at night as
it climbs a tree,
monkey.
big black monkey, long tail,
chimpanzee; regarded as a
half-man,
gorilla,
elephant,
hippopotamus.
XIII. BIRDS.
Kowo. kowe. a large black and white eagle.
Kokogbia. kokogbie. a brown eagle.
Dava.
dave.
Taja.
taje.
Toka.
toke.
Bamo.
bamO'i.
GbulO.
gbuli.
Kwa.
kwai.
Towa.
tQwe.
Dogbo yusu.
dogbo yusui.
KSnjo.
k<5njo.
Hele.
hele.
Njahele.
njahele.
144
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Indefinite.
Bom bo.
Gere.
Kuanja.
Hewe.
Dogbo gere.
Sekpende.
Sekulo.
Yiba.
Jlba.
Goma.
Powo.
Bomokulo.
Povpvo.
Hoke.'
Kokoye.
Sasalo.
Fok(u)lo.
Definite,
bombo'l.
geri.
kuanje.
hewe.
dogbo geri
sekpende.
sekuli.
yibe.
jibe.
gome.
powi or powe.
bomokule 1 .
povovui.
hokei.
kokoye.
sasaloi'.
fpk(u)loi.
Kokolowe; ?also kokolowe.
kowedowe.
Gowa. gowai.
Piangbia. piangbie.
Gula.
Ndulu.
gule.
nduli.
English.
same as kokogbie. Different
dialect.
brown fish hawk. Different
names.
same as geri.
bush geri. Larger than
geri. Similar appearance.
Lives in the bush.
grey hawk.
small speckled hawk. Chases
small birds. Sits on a tree
very upright.
vulture.
same as yibe. Different dia-
lect.
black and white crow.
big brown dove. General
name given to any dove
or pigeon.
small brown ground dove.
green pigeon.
guinea-fowl.
bush-fowl.
red-legged partridge.
small brown partridge the
size of a quail.
like the sdsdlo'i. Calls at
night.
clock-bird. Green. Crested.
hornbill. Black mostly. All
feathers.
? toucan. A reputed two-
headed bird from a growth
on top of its head. Size
of a crow. Black, with
long tail.
brown bird with white breast
and mournful cry. Said
to kill snakes. Size of a
grey parrot.
VOCABULARIES
145
Indefinite.
Bovonwoni.
Goronwoni.
Definite,
bovonwoni.
goronwoni.
Mbaku.
mbakui.
Sele.
selei.
Dea.
deai.
Ndabo.
ndaboii.
Sokulimanja.
sokulimanje.
Pangbambalu. pangbambalui.
Kpa-ndeve, or
badSvg.
Jeme.
Membo.
Kpopomanja.
Dogbobaku.
Sokele.
Yegbe.
Jowi, or Yowi.
Gbegbe.
Kahn.
Fawugbekpe.
Kakibo.
Sansra.
kpa-ndeve, or
badeve.
jeme.
membui.
kpopomanje.
dogbobakui.
sokele.
yegbe.
jowl, or yowl,
gbegbi.
fabuT.
fawugbekpei.
kakiboi*.
sange.
English.
small yellow bird,
blackbird larger than a
sparrow. Live in parties,
weavei'-bird. Black with red.
Size of a sparrow,
weaver-bird. Blueandgreen.
Size of a sparrow,
weaver-bird. Like mbaku in
appearance,
a small bird that weaves a
nest in the grass,
black and white bird. Male
has a tail nearly a foot
long. Smaller than a
sparrow,
black bird with yellow slash.
Size of a sparrow.
swallow.
greenish bird with long
curved beak. Smaller
than a sparrow,
brown bird with red breast
and neck. Smaller than a
sparrow,
woodpecker,
canary,
tiny bird. Many live
together.
1 night-jar. Mottled browii
bird. Size of a pigeon.
Flies at dusk. Different
dialects,
parrot,
ditto.
grey parrot. The combina-
tion seems dialectic,
greenish bird. Size of a
sparrow,
kingfisher. Many coloured.
146
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Indefinite. Definite. English.
Kakibo. kakiboi'. kingfisher. Some black and
white; some all colours
rainbow.
TS tSi. fowl.
Tg hina. te hine. cock.
Te ha. te hei. hen.
Te IQ. te loi. chicken.
Dowi. dowi. duck.
Tolotolo. tolotoloi'. turkey.
Tolongenge. tolongenge. water- wagtail.
Mbu. mbui'. owl.
Yovo. yovui. pepper-bird. A bird some-
thing like a sparrow, but
larger. Eats peppers.
kegewe. witch-bird. As big as a
parrot. Calls at evening.
Children are said to be
changed into it.
tutui. small wading bird. Body
brown ; throat white ; beak
|^ in. and bluish ; blue
patch on top of head ; legs
grey.
kingi. grey wading bird. Same size
as tutui. Beak yellow
with black on top.
hohoi . ? cormorant. Body like a
duck's. Breast white with
thick plumage; back green-
ish ; throat brown ; feet
webbed and black ; beak
short, hooked, yellow, with
black end. Size big pigeon.
Also the black cormorant.
Kekele. kekele. snippet.
Jakoku. jakokui. grey water-bird. Larger
than a pigeon.
Nyagbesuli. nyagbesuli. small greyish-green heron.
Solowa. solowai. Ditto. Different dialect.
Yonembe. yonernbe. egret. Body white, beak
yellow.
Tutu.
Kingi.
Hoho
VOCABULARIES
U7
Indefinite.
Banl.
Tevenwoni.
Definite,
banl.
tevenwoni.
XIV. REPTILES,
Nye.
Kali.
nye.
kali.
Ndili.
ndili.
Tupu.
Ndovopole.
tupui.
ndovopole.
Kenji goro.
kenji gori.
Ndawundo kali
ndawundo kali.
Nguru.
Ndamba.
ngurui.
ndambe.
Pama.
Kolo.
pame.
koli.
Kpeni.
Kogo-nje.
kpeni.
kogo-njei.
Ndokulo.
ndokule.
Ngaku.
Ndovo.
ngakui.
ndovoi.
Jibele.
Kpwegbi.
Gbasonde.
Banasowe.
jibele.
kpwegbi.
gbasonde.
banasowe.
Kondo.
kondui.
Haku.
hakwe.
Nwoniga.
Bonge.
Poll.
nwonigei.
bonge.
poll.
English,
white wading bird. Smaller
than y<jnembe.
big black wading bird. Four
feet wing to wing. Long
beak black with red; white
neck : black legs.
FISH, ETC.
fish.
snake.
python.
puff-adder ; ? cerastes.
small fat snake, a foot long.
Poisonous, but not deadly.
tree-snake; thin; 3 to 4 ft.
Brown stripe along it.
green snake.
black snake.
crocodile.
iguana.
red-headed lizard.
speckled lizard.
slow- worm. Said to have a
head at each end, owing
to its tail being the same
shape as its head.
chameleon.
crab.
toad.
bull-frog.
croaking frog.
green tree frog.
flesh-coloured climbing frog.
small fish found in man-
grove swamps. Jumps,
and climbs trees. Swims
with its head out of water.
turtle.
oyster, or rather oyster-shell.
a fish ; ? herring.
same as bonge.
148
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Indefinite.
Kenje
Tumu.
Fuhani.
Fo.
Puridi.
Fufu.
Komi.
Higbo.
Dombe.
Bewe.
Silo.
Kogonde.
Papapoli.
Kimbo.
Definite. English,
kenje fresh water flying-fish,
tumui. shark.
XV. INSECTS.
Fuhani.
Foi.
Pundi.
f uf ui,or f uf uihu.
koml.
higbo'i.
dombe.
bewe.
silo'i.
kogonde.
papapoli.
kimboi.
Kondo. kondui.
Petu. petui.
Kongowetu. kongowetui.
Kpekpe.
Kpekpeli.
Nya.
Jike.
Kpindiyia.
Fuvulu.
Ndondo.
Kalondo.
Kekeme.
Kolo.
Kowo, kowonga.
Gili.
Pupu
FalQ.
kpekpei.
kpekpeli.
nyai.
jike.
kpindiyiei.
fuvului.
ndondui.
kalondoi.
kekeme.
koll.
kowisia.
gili.
pupui,pupuisia.
fale, falesia.
insect generally.
big biting fly.
mosquito.
moth.
bee.
a wasp of sorts. Makes a
white hanging comb,
wasp that digs a hole in
the ground,
a bright-coloured beetle that
digs a hole in the ground,
spider,
butterfly,
grasshopper,
a big cricket. Roasted and
eaten.
locust destructive kind,
grasshopper ; ? cricket,
grey striped locust not
hurtful,
cockroach,
caterpillar,
tick,
jigger,
cicada,
wood-borer,
millipede,
centipede,
scorpion,
snail,
driving ants. Ants usually
in plural,
white ant.
small ant a general term,
red ant ; makes its nest in
leaves. Yery painful sting.
VOCABULARIES
149
Indefinite.
Definite.
English.
Kpaina.
Leleme.
Divovo.
kpaine.
leleme.
divovoi.
stink ant.
green mantis,
fly that bores a hole in trees
and bites.
Jokondi.
Bulo.
Dariihye.
jokondi.
bull,
daiiinye.
tarantula,
any worm,
a crawling insect that bores
a horizontal hole below
the surface and bites.
Gondo fofo.
Mbawe.
Ndl (usually pi.
ndinga).
Bowl vofo.
gondo fofoe.
mbawe.
ndingesia.
bowl vofoi.
horned beetle in the pambe
palm,
big white grub in oil palms,
flies.
beetle that rolls a ball of
dung.
XVI. STARS, ETC.
Folo.
foil.
sun.
Ngalu.
Dumbeka.
ngalui.
dumbeke.
moon,
star.
Konungui.
Ndeloi.
Orion.
Southern Cross.
.
Sokoleguli.
Tonyahei
Pleiades.
Venus, (lit. Jealous woman.)
XVII. SPIRITUAL TERMS.
Ngewo.
Haniwa, or
Hawa.
ngewoi.
haniwai, or
hawai, or
haiwai.
God.
a devil, sprite.
Ngafa
ngafu (yafe).
spirit, whether abstract or
materialized.
Ngelegohu.
Ngelemahii
Ndo.
heaven,
land of the living,
lower world.
Ndomo (pi. ndo- ndomoi (pi. ndp- inhabitants of the lower
bela).
beleisia).
world.
150
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
XVII [. NATURAL FEATURES.
Indefinite. Definite. English.
Batihu batihu. swamp.
Kpetihu. kpetihu. swamp with running water.
Bulihu. bulihu. ground raised above the
water.
Bulomi. bulomi. flat ground.
Popa. pope. pond.
Popawa. popawai. large lake.
Kpoli. kpoli. river.
Kpoli la. kpoli lei. river mouth, entrance in the
mangroves.
Fofo. fofoi. clearing.
Fofowahu. fofowahu. big clearing in the bush.
Ngiye. ngiye. hill.
Ngiye gombu. ngiye gombui. valley.
Ko. east.
Kpuudohu. west.
(No words for north and south.)
Mahu. up-country = north.
mbui. down-country = south.
Njego. n jego. up-stream.
nje mbui. down-stream.
Kpoye. kpoye. sea.
Njei i venda.
Njei lo vendama.
Njei i bell.
Njei lo bellma.
Njei i belia kpollhu.
it is high tide,
the tide is rising,
the tide is low.
the tide is ebbing.
the water has drained out of the
lagoon.
XIX. NAMES.
Men's.
Abo.
Abu.
Agidi.
Ama.
Awukpe.
Babai.
Baio.
Bandeba.
Bassi.
Bawumba.
Benda.
VOCABULARIES
151
Bendu.
Benga.
Benya.
Bete.
Beya.
Hindi.
Bobo.
Boma.
Bongu.
Boni.
Bori.
Bovoa.
Bowl.
Bgya.
Bundo.
Daima.
Dapi.
Dimo.
Dingi.
Dongboi.
Feundru.
Fidi.
Filika.
Fina.
Foli.
Fomodia.
Fongujia.
Gaimo.
Gando.
Gapu.
Gava.
Gbando.
Gegbwa.
Gevo.
Goba.
Gyalonga.
Hegwe.
Hindolo.
Holima.
Hunyo.
Jaiya.
Jaka.
Jiba.
Jibao.
Jina.
Jobai.
Jongopi.
Joon.
Jusu.
Kabanga.
Kaifuma.
Kaikura.
Kaila.
Kaili.
Kailundu.
Kaitibbi.
Kaiyenge.
Kamanda.
Kamoe.
Kanboi.
Kangwai.
Kapindi.
Kapu.
Kapuje.
Kaveota.
Kawundi.
Kiowa.
Koji.
Koka.
Kole.
Komahu.
Komawa.
Komo.
Koriga.
Xowai.
Kpana.
Kwesia.
Lagga.
Lahai.
Lambgi.
Lamina.
Lasana.
Lasani.
Lavari.
Lebi.
Lemu.
Masenja.
Makaia.
Mboma.
Moivumba.
Mose.
Motwa.
Mundd.
NavQ.
Ndovi.
Ngeba.
Ngili.
Numai.
Nyagoa.
Nyakoi.
Nyangbawula.
Pessima.
Pilima.
Ponga.
Povandi.
Puja.
Samo.
Sandi.
Sangawuru.
Sanu.
Sao.
Sei.
Selu.
152
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Si.
Siki.
Simo.
Slna.
Sita.
Songo.
Sukri.
Tiama.
Yambasu.
Tong.
Yendewa.
Yewa.
Vanboi.
Vandi.
Yopoi.
Yunga.
Yungawo.
Yakwai.
Names used by Mendes, but borrowed from Susu, Timmani,
Vai, Sherbro, etc.
Amara, S.
Baggi, Sher.
Bai, T.
Bana, Sher.
Bangali, S.
Bill, V.
Biya, Sher.
Bongavvutu, S.
Leone.
Malaki, T.
Moiwa, V.
Morlai, S.
Bundukar, V.
Fama, Sher.
Fani, V.
Foday, T. Santigi, T.
Jo, Sher. Siafa V -
Sori, T.
Kabona, S. Leone. Soriba, T.
Kanda, Sher.
Kelfala, S. Yamba, T.
Mori Names.
AH.
Isa.
Momo.
Musa.
Bakari.
Boima.
Jibira.
Mahmadu.
Osene (Wuseni).
Osumana (Mana)
Fatoma.
Moriba.
Saidu.
English names are largely taken, suck as-
Africa. Fineboy. Johnny.
Tommy,
Blackie.
Joe.
John Bull.
VOCABULARIES
153
Baiye.
Baraania.
Bandi.
Bepui.
Bendu.
Betl.
Binda.
Boi.
Bondo.
Foma.
Gwanyia.
Jassa.
Jato.
Jeromo.
Jiabo.
Jinamba.
Joli.
Ju.
Women's names.
Kefui.
Kema.
Mavangiri.
Mawokuli.
Koinya.
Kona.
Memeniya.
Kwala.
Kwandi.
Lebu.
Nyava.
Njembe.
Nyange.
Lombe.
Sabama.
Sao.
Mafande.
Sita.
Mahenda.
Sombo.
Mamagula.
Mamui.
Sowulu.
Suku.
Mandoro.
Mangaiye.
Mangundia.
Mangwe.
Manje.
Marabwinde.
Masiye.
Talo.
Tiama.
Tuma.
Yenge.
Mori name.
Hawa.
154
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
XX. MENDE-ENGLISH.
NOTE. Words marked * do not change their initial letter.
In looking out a noun the beginner is warned to select the
definite form unless there be any good reason to the contrary.
Vowels have in some words been specially marked in this
vocabulary as an aid to pronunciation, though it has not been
considered necessary to so mark them in other parts of the
book.
Words not found under the hardened initial consonant may
be found under the softened and vice versd.
*A, prep.
*A, adv. interrog.
*A, pron. ; a
*A, pron.
*Abie, pron.
*Amue, pron.
*Ange, pron.
*Angie, pron.
*Atie, pron.
*Awue, pron.
*Ba, pron.
*Ba, pron.
*Ba, n., Bai.
*Bagbango.
Ba = mba, n., mbei.
Bala = mbala, n., mbale.
Bale, or Bwale kpale, tr. &
intr. v.
*BalI, tr. & intr. v.
Bande = kpande,w., kpande.
Bandi = kpandi, adj. & v.
Bao = bawo, tr. v.
Bate = gbate.
*Bato, adv. ( = Ba to, you see.}
*Baya, n. & tr. v., baye.
*Be, adv.
*Be, v.
*Be, pr.
with.
where ?
he ; he not.
you.
you.
we.
I.
he,
they.
you.
you.
you not.
price.
dear.
rice.
sheep.
pain.
vomit.
gun.
hot.
cure.
make.
perhaps.
deceit, deceive.
also, indeed.
you say, or saying.
you not.
VOCABULARIES
155
*Be, prep.
B6 = mbe, tr. & intr. v.
Bei = def, form o/mba.
*Beka = be yaka.
*B-ndo, adv.
Beke = mbske, n., bekei.
*Bela, pi. of suffix mo.
Bela = mbSla, tr. v.
*Beli, tr. & intr. v.
*BelI, adj., belingo.
Bembe, tr. v., or bimbe, mbi-
mbe.
*Bere, n., here.
*Bi, pron.
*Bl, pron.
*Bia, pron.
Bla = kpia, tr. & intr. v.
*Bie, pron.
*Bie = bi ye.
Bije = mblje = biye, n., bljei.
*Bima, pr.
*Binda, pr.
*Bise, n.
*Bo, n., boi.
Bo = mbo, tr. v.
BQ = mbg.
*Boa, salutation.
Bola = mbola, n., mbol.
Bole = gbole, v.
Boma = mboraa, n., mbome.
Bonda = mbonda, n., mbonde.
*Bora, n., bore.
Bowa = mbowa, n., mbowe.
Boya = mboya, v.& 7Z.,mboye.
Bu = mbu, adv. & prep.
Bu, n., bui.
*Bua = bpa.
*Bubu, intr. v.
Bukpia = pugbia, tr. v.
*Bula, bulo, n., bull, usually
bulfhu.
*Bule, intr. v.
here.
dry.
rice.
this side.
here.
branch.
people.
split, tear.
drain, ebb.
skilful.
surround, encircle
trousers.
you (sing.).
you not.
you.
pull out, come out.
you.
to you.
name.
to you.
yours.
thanks.
thing.
dig.
pierce, shoot.
how do you do ?
neck.
drink.
hammock, net.
kindred.
hat, cap.
knife.
present, gift.
under.
lower part.
how do you do 1
fly.
uproot.
plain, open swamp.
burst.
156
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Bumbu = mbumbu = wumbu, take, lift up, take away.
tr. v.
De = te = le, intr. v. ; tr. v.
De = dewe = tewe, tr. v.
De = dewe = ndewe, tr. v.
Deli = ndeli, adj., delingo.
Deli = teli, adj., delingo.
Demu = temu = lemu, tr. v.
Do = to = lo, tr. v.
Do = to = lo, tr. & intr. v.
Do = tQ, tr. v.
Dogbe = togbe, adj.
Dogbo = ndogbo, n., dogboi.
*Dome, n., domei (dommay).
*Dome gbla.
Dome = ndome, n., dome
(dorme).
Dome = ndQme = Ipme, n.,
dome (doome).
Dumbeka = lumbeke, n.,
durnbeke.
Dumbele = lumbele, n., dum-
bele.
Duli = doli = iJjli, n., dull.
*E, adv.
*E, pr.
climb ; lift.
cut, pass.
beat.
wet.
black.
beg pardon, acquit.
see.
stand, build.
send.
young.
bush.
story.
tell a story.
ground.
shirt.
star.
lime, lemon.
dance.
yes.
he not.
Fa, prep. & conj., Dually va.
Fakali, n., fakali.
Fakalewe, adj., Fakalemoi'.
Fala = vala, intr. v.
*Fale, conj.
Fale = vale, intr. v.
Fande, n., fande.
Fawehu, n.
Faya = vaya, tr. & intr. v.
Fe = ve, adv.
Fe = ve, n., fei.
F changes into V.
of, for, an account of.
pawpaw tree and fruit.
lazy, slack ; a lazy man.
to be ready (to start).
therefore.
grow (of plants).
cotton.
flat ledge of rocks.
scatter, spill, waste.
completely.
pot.
VOCABULARIES
157
Fe = ve, tr. v.
Fe, v., trans.
intrans.
Fefe, w., fefei.
*Fele, adj., Fere.
Fefele.
Fp, tr. v.
Fp = fplp, n.
Fo, fpp, n., foi
Fo, n., foi.
Fpfp, n., fpfpi.
Fofphu.
Fpgba, tr. v.
Fplp, n., fpli.
Fpma, ?i., fpme.
Fpmbp, ir. v.
Foni, w., foni.
Fonya, tr. v.
Fuhani, n., fuhani.
Fuka, tr. v.
Fukp, n., fukcii.
Fula, tr. v.
Fula, n., fule.
Fulp, tr. v.
Fulu(= fu =vu), adj., fulu-
ngo, vungo.
give. Object, precedes ; person
follows with preposition 'to.
fill.
swell (of the body).
wind.
two.
two by two.
reach, arrive at, pass through.
day.
year.
big biting fly.
open place.
publicly.
whip.
day, sun.
whip.
extend, unroll.
grass.
squeeze.
insect.
grind, pound.
ring, circular pad for the head
when carrying a load. Coast
English, kata.
hasten.
village.
loosen.
living.
Gb changes into Kp.
Ga, tr. v. = gara, kara.
Gahu = kahu, n.
Gaka = kaka, tr. v.
Gaina, adv. prep.
Gba = kpa, adj.
*Gba, adv.
*Gba, tr. v.
Gbaha, intr. v.
Gbale, v.
*Gbama, adv.
teach, learn.
body.
coil up, encircle.
towards, to.
different.
first.
stop.
be tired.
pain.
to no purpose.
158
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Gbao = kpao, Intr. v.
Gbate = kpate, tr. v.
Gbate, intr. v.
Gbaya, adj. & n.
*Gbe, pron.
Gbe, tr. v., gbele.
*Gbe, intr. v.
Gbe, tr. v.
Gbema !
Gbg, n. & v.
Gbe, intr. v.
Gbegbe, n., gbegbe.
Gbela, gbeanga, prep.
Gbele.
Gbele = gbe, tr. v.
Gbenda, tr. v.
Gbenge, gbengeme, adv.
*Gbeva, adv.
*GbI, n., gbl.
Gbia, kpia, tr. & intr. v.
Gblahu, adj.
Gbiaye, n., gbiayef.
Gbo, tr. v.
*Gbo, pr.
Gbo. intr. v.
*Gboma, adv.
Gboto, adj., gbotongo.
Gbowu, intr. v.
Gbowungo.
Gbowu, intr. v.
Gbowu, tr. v.
Gboye, n., gboye.
Gboyo, tr. v.
Gbu and gbue, adv.
*Ge, adv.
Ge = ke, tr. v.
Ge aDge, angle.
Gele, n. & tr. v.
*Getete, adv.
Gill = kili, intr. v.
Gili a na.
cry out, scream.
make, construct, repair.
be, or become rich.
strong, force.
what.
drive away, dismiss.
let, allow.
cease.
stop that ! wait !
business, be busy.
look.
parrot.
near.
what is the matter ?
leave, dismiss, look at, etc.
pluck fruit, snatch.
yesterday.
why]
rudder.
pull out, come out.
tall.
likeness.
help.
what ?
relieve one's self, go w.c.
again.
many, much.
be tired.
tired.
ripen.
bury.
sea.
finish.
last night.
some time ago, the other day.
show. ,
show me, him.
end.
tightly.
think, brood over, remember.
think of that.
VOCABULARIES
159
Go = ko, koi.
Go ^= ko, n., goi.
Go = ko, tr. v.
*Go, tr. v.
Bi ngi go a mehe.
*Gogoli, adj.
*Gola, v., used with nde, as
ndegola.
Gola = kola, tr. v.
Gole = kole, tr. v.
*Goli, tr. v., go'i.
Goli, tr. v.
Gome = kome, tr. v.
Gona = kona, tr. v.
*Goro, n., gore.
Gorola, gorolei.
Gowo, intr. v.
Gu = ku, intr. v.
Gu = ku, n., kui.
Guha = kuha, ac/.,guhango.
Gula = kula, tr. & intr. v.
Gula = kula, n., kure.
*Gulo, adv.
Gulo = kulo, adj., kulongo.
Guru = kuru, tr. v.
Gutu = kutu, adj., kutungo.
*Ha, n., hei.
*Ha, adv.
*Ha, n., hei.
*Ha = hani, n.
*Ha, v., hango.
*Haga, hawa, adj., hawango.
*Haga, hawa, tr. v.
*Haka, n., hakei.
*Haka, adj., hakango.
*Hala, halage, adj.
*Hale, n., hale.
*Hama, n., hamef.
* Hango, adj.
*Hani, n., hani.
war.
belly.
fight.
give.
give him food.
white.
tell a lie.
surprise.
divide.
pluck (fruit).
buy a wife.
collect, assemble.
introduce.
wall round a town, etc.
gateway in same.
%
can, able, enough, reach.
smell.
far.
drop, fall.
cloth.
in front.
small.
accept.
short.
female.
to-day.
death.
thing.
die, dead.
lazy.
clear, carve.
load, utensil, thing
empty.
first.
medicine.
wet season ; waist.
dead.
thing.
160
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
*Hape, ., hape.
*Hawa, adj., hawango.
*Hege, n., Hege = hewe.
*Hei, tr. & intr. v.
*Heiwulu, n., heiwull.
*Hele, tr. v.
*Hemu, n., hemui.
*Henga, n., henge.
Henga wile.
*Hewu, adj., hewungo.
*Hi, tr. v.
*Higbe, intr. v., higbengo.
*Hija, tr. v.
*Hije, hiye, intr. v.
*Hina, n., hine.
*Hinda, hingda, n., hindei.
*Hindo, n., hinddi.
*Hindolo, n., hindoloi.
*Hini, n., hini.
*Hite, tr. v.
intr. v.
*Hiye, adv.
*Hiye, intr. v. = hije.
*Ho, tr. v.
*Ho, tr. v.
*Ho, adv.
*Hoe, interj.
*Hokpa, n., hokpe.
*Hona, tr. v.
*Hondo, adj.
*Hota, n., hote.
*Hou, tr. v.
Houma !
*Hu, n., hui.
prep.
*Hu, prefix.
*Hua, n., huei.
*Hugbe, tr. v.
*Huge, tr. v.
*Hugo, tr. v.
root.
lazy.
soap.
sit, set, plant.
stool.
hang.
light, candle, etc.
dream.
to dream.
equal.
plant.
sick.
beat, stamp.
get up.
male.
thing, affair, place.
man.
son.
husband.
let down.
reach, consult.
indeed, yes.
arise.
sew.
knock, strike against,
then, used at end of interro-
gative sentences.
shall we 1
nose.
practise witchcraft against.
hundred.
guest, stranger.
catch.
catch hold !
inside.
in.
an intensitive prefix to verbs.
animal, meat.
look into.
explain, relate.
understand, attempt.
VOCABULARIES
161
*Huguhango (pronounced
almost ngwango).
*Huma, tr. v.
*Huma, tr, v.
*Hupu, tr. v.
*Huyela, tr. v.
*I,pr.
*I,pr.
*I, adv.
*Ina, conj.
*Ita, adj.
*Ja, tr. v.
Ja a ngie.
Jama = sama, n., jamei.
Jan go = sawango, adj.
Wu jango.
Jega = jia ka.
*Ji, dem. pr.
*Ji, conj.
Ji = je = nje, n.
*Jia, intr. v. (also ji).
., jiei.
Jia = njia, n., njiei.
*Jialo, n., jialoi.
*Jiwi, n., jiwi.
Jo = so, also jolo, tr. v.
Jola = sola, n., sole.
Jondu = SQndu, tr. v. & n.
Jongo = songo, n.
Ngi jongoi.
Gbe jongo ?
Joso = SQSO, tr. v.
distant.
steal.
measure, compare.
mix.
sweep, wipe.
he.
he not.
yes.
if, suppose.
one (used in counting).
touch.
touch it.
distinguished person.
three (special use).
you three.
walk quickly.
this.
when, if.
mother.
walk, travel.
journey.
word, palaver.
child that can just walk.
key.
obtain, get, marry a wife.
noise.
swear, curse.
equivalent.
its equivalent, its cost.
how much ?
load a gun, pack a hole.
K changes into G.
Ka, n., kai.
*Ka, adv.
Ka = kara, tr. v.
Ka, n., kei.
u
dirt.
very, very much.
teach.
husk, empty shell, etc.
162
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Kafa, tr. v.
Kaha, n., kahei.
Kahu, n., kahui.
Kaye, n., kaye.
*Kaka, adv.
*Kaka, adv.
Kaka = gaka, yaka, n., kakei.
Kake, n., kakel.
Kala, n., kalei.
Kale, n., kale.
Kali, n., kali.
Kali, n., kali.
Kalo, n., kal<?i.
Kama hani, n.
Kamba, n., kambe.
Kaha, n., kaha.
Kani, n., kani.
Kani gboli.
Kani gogole.
*Karo, n., Karomo.
Kaso, adj.
Kata, n., katef.
Katehu.
Kaye, n., kaye.
Ke = ge, v.
*Ke, conj.
*Ke, n., kei.
*Kea = kia and kina, conj., &c.
Kea ji na.
Kele, tr. v.
*Kelei, kere ]
Kelema, n., kelemei.
*Kene, n. t kene.
Kenye, n. t kenyei.
*Kia, conj.
*Kina, conj.
KQ = go, n., goi.
Ko, n., koi, also v.
Ko, kglo, tr. v.
Kghu, n., koihu or kohui.
cheat.
basket.
body.
rust.
quickly.
very.
side.
wall.
circle.
seed, bone, cartridge.
hoe.
snake.
basin.
wonderful thing.
grave.
box.
gold.
silver.
Yai, a neighbouring people to
the Mendes.
cunning,
hedge.
garden, enclosure,
fault,
show,
and.
father, master,
when,
like this,
end.
is it not so ?
end.
old man, a title of respect,
country.
whilst, when, etc.
ditto
belly,
war.
know, try.
belly.
VOCABULARIES
163
Kghune, n., kohune\
Koko, n., kokoi.
Koko, tr. v.
Kokoli, tr. v.
Kolama, tr. v.
Koli, n,, koll.
Kgle, tr. v.
KQle, adj., kQlengo.
Kole, tr. v.
Kole, adj., kolengo.
Koli, n., koli.
Koli, tr.
Kolo, n., kole.
KQ!Q, n -> kQli.
Kolo, tr. v.
*Kolu, n., koli.
Koma, n., koine 1 .
KQme, tr. v. & noun.
Komi, n., komi.
KQnda, n., kQnde.
KQUU, n., kpnT.
KgtQ, adj.; kgtQngo, v.
Kotu, n., koti.
Kowe, n., kow.
Kowo, adj.
KQWQ, intr. v.
Kowu, n., kowi.
*Ku, n., kui.
Ku, n., kui.
Kuhama, adj.
Kuimeni, tr. v.
Kui neingo.
Kui nyamungo.
Ku = gu, v.
Kula = gula, tr. & intr. v.
Kula, n., kule, kur&
Kula gutu, 7i., kula guti.
KU!Q, adj., kulongo, kull,
gulongoi, wuli, wulongoi.
Kulu = kuru, tr. & intr. v.
joy-
ant-hill,
find,
ditto
surprise,
scissors,
wash, clean,
clean,
divide,
cold,
leopard,
pluck fruit,
paper, book, skin,
tire-place, barrel,
try, feel,
iron.
assembly,
collect, meet,
bee, honey.
mortar for pounding grain,
axe.
bent ; roll up.
rock, stone,
log, fallen tree,
left (hand).
fly-
wood.
day.
smell.
far.
smell.
it smells sweet.
it smells bad.
can, able.
drop, fall.
cloth.
lit. small cloth, rag or any
piece,
small.
agree, accept.
164
THE MEXDE LANGUAGE
Kundehu, n.
Kungoi hu, n.
Kuru = kulu, tr. & intr. v.
Kutu, adj., kutungo.
corner, or recess for a bed.
annex to a house, room,
agree, accept,
short.
Kp changes into Gb.
Kpa, TO., kpae.
Kpa, adj.
Kpa = kpala = kpae.
Kpa, adv.
Kpa, tr. v.
Kpaki, w., kpaki.
Kpakpa, tr. v.
Kpakpau, adj., kpakpaungo.
Kpala, n., kpale.
Kpale, ., kpale.
Kpambi, n., kpambi.
Kpande, tr. & intr. v.
Kpande, n., kpande.
Kpandi, tr. v. ; adj., kpandi-
ngo.
Kpangba, n., kpangbe.
Kpao, n. & v.
Kpate, tr. v.
Kpate, adj., kpatengo.
Kpawu, n., kpawui.
Kpe, n.
Kpengo, adj.
Kp5, tr. v.
Kpe, adv.
Kpe, tr. v.
Kp5 = kpele, tr. v.
Kpekpe, v. & adj.
= yekpe, yekpengo.
Kpele = kpere, adj.
Kpele, n., kpele.
Kpgle, TO., kpelei and kpei.
Kpema = kpelema, TO., kpeme.
Kpla = gbia, v.
Kpindi, n., kpindi.
debt.
different.
farm.
fast.
count.
arm, shoulder, wing.
fasten, nail.
difficult.
farm.
pain.
line, mark.
shout out.
gun.
heat, hasten; hot.
broom,
cry, call,
make, repair,
rich,
bridge,
business,
busy,
stop.
still, quiet,
drive, dismiss,
look at.
good.
all.
beard.
time.
time.
pull out, come oat.
night.
VOCABULARIES
165
Kpini, tr. v.
Kpiti, n., kpitl.
Kpohu, n.
Kpoko, n., kpokoi.
Kpoku, intr. v.
Kpole, adj. kpolengo.
Kpoli, tr. v.
Kpoli, n., kpoli.
Kpolo, n. kpoli.
Kpowa, adj., kpowango.
Kpoye, n., kpoye'.
Kpoyo tr. v.
Kpueila, n., kpueile.
Kpuko, n., kpukoi.
Kpuli, tr. v.
Kpulo, n., kpuli.
La = nda, n., lai.
La = nda, n., lei.
La = nda, tr. v.
La = nda, tr. & intr. v.
*La, adv.
*La, n., lei.
Labu = ndabu, adv.
Lagbou = ndagbou, tr. v.
Lahi = ndahi, tr. v.
Lakpa = ndakpa, v.
Lala = ndala, n., lalei.
Lama = ndama, n., lamei.
Lapi = ndapi, v. & n.
LatQ = ndatQ, tr. v.
Lave = ndave, tr. v.
Lavengo.
Lawo = ndawp, tr. v.
Layia = ndayia, n., layiei.
L = nde, tr. v.
Le = de = te, tr. v. ; intr. v.
*Le, adv.
*Le, adv.
Le = nd5, intr. v.
Le = de, tr. v.
twist
grass.
flour.
evening.
sprout.
unripe.
drink.
river.
salt.
foolish.
sea.
finish.
hut.
bed.
shave the head.
knot.
leaf.
mouth, opening as a gate, etc.
pull.
lay, lie, place.
not.
name.
in front.
shut.
warn.
grow up.
oar.
lying down place, bed.
fight (not war), wrestle, swim.
praise.
fill.
full.
open.
word, order.
bear, beget.
lift up ; climb.
still.
a little.
speak, tell.
condemn.
166
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
*Le, v.
Le = nde, n., ndei.
Le = lewe = tewe.
Lekpe = ndekpe, tr. v.
*Lele, adv.
*Lele, adj.
Leli = ndeli, tr. v.
Leina = ndema, tr. v.
Lembi = ndembi, tr. & intr. v.
Lemu = temu, tr. v.
Lenga = ndenga, pi. n.
Lenga = tenga, adv.
Lewe = tewe, tr. v.
= ndewe, tr. v.
Li = ndl, n., li.
*Li, intr. v.
past tense, ya.
Lia = ndia, ?i., ndiei.
Lila = di la, tr. v.
Lima = ndiina, n., limef.
Liwi = tiwi, tr. v.
*Lo, v.
Lo = to, tr. v.
Lo = ndo, n., loi.
Lp = do = to, tr. & intr. v.
Lo = ndo, n., loi.
*Lo, w., loi.
Lp = do = to, tr. v.
*Lp, tr. v.
Lo = ndo, tr. v.
Lohu = ndohu, tr. & intr. v.
Lpkp = tpkp, n., lokpi.
Lole = ndole, n., lole.
*Lple, adv.
LpH = doli, n. & v.
Lolo = ndolo, n., lole.
*Lolu, adj.
*Lpme-lpme, adv.
Lpndp = ndOndg, v.
Lowu = ndowu, tr. v.
Lua = ndua, n. & v.
Lugo = tugo, adv.
to be.
a lie.
cut, pass,
arrange in order,
slowly,
wrong,
appease,
forget,
delay,
acquit,
children,
together,
cut, pass,
beat,
heart,
go-
middle,
take away,
choice.
close (the eyes),
to be.
see.
child.
stand, stop, build, follow,
rum, wine,
day.
send.
like, want,
leave.
lose, be lost,
hand, arm.
hunger,
how many,
play, dance,
ground, country,
five.
noiselessly,
be silent, cease,
hide,
fear,
in front.
VOCABULARIES
167
Lula = ndula, intr. v.
Luma = duma, intr. v.
Luva = nduva, intr. v.
*Ma, prefix.
*Ma, pr.
*Ma, pr.
*Ma, prep.
*Ma, tr. v. & n.
*Mabali, tr. v.
*Made tr. v.
*Madewe, tr. v.
*Magbia, tr. v.
*MagQmbp, tr. v.
*Maha, n. mahei.
*Maheu, tr. v. & adj.
*Mahou, tr. v.
*Mahu, prep.
*Mahugbele (-gbe), tr. v.
*Majia, tr. v.
*Make, tr. v.
*Male, tr. v.
*Male, tr. v.
*Malewe, madewe, tr. v.
*Maluve, tr. & intr. v.
*Mama, n., mame.
*Mamage, n., mamagei.
*Mamamau, n., mamamaui.
*Mamo, n., matuui.
*Maina. adj.
*Mana, n., mane\
*Manda, adv.
*Mane, adj. & tr. v.
*Mane, manehe, tr. v.
*Mani, n., mam.
*Mani, tr. v.
*Manu, tr. v.
*Matp, tr. v.
*Mavula, tr. v.
*Mawali, n., mawali.
Mawali hou.
*Mawele, tr. v.
rot, decay,
consent,
spend the day.
intensitive prefix to verbs.
we.
we not.
for, on, to.
desire.
refuse, hinder.
raise.
cut off, detain.
undress, pluck a bird.
strip leaves off a branch.
king, chief.
equal, make equal.
choose.
on, above.
watch over.
sell.
feed.
meet, overtake.
cover, roof.
cut off.
change.
elderly person, grandparent.
foolishness.
pity.
owner.
foolish.
plantain.
tightly.
sweet, sweeten.
watch.
trap.
want, be in need of.
forgive.
add to, increase.
hasten.
bet.
make a bet.
cover.
168
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
*Mawulo (mau'ro), tr. v.
*Mayafa, tr. v.
*Maye, tr, v.
*Mayela, tr. v.
*Mayia, n., mayiei.
Mayia ge.
*Mayili, tr. v.
wait for.
backbite.
stoop, lower.
brush.
accusation.
accuse.
dress.
Mb changes into B.
Mba, n., mbai.
*Mba, prep.
Mba, n., mbei.
Mbaka, n., mbake.
Mbala, n., mbale.
Mbali, tr. v.
Mbalu, n., mbali.
Mbawa, n., mbawe.
*Mbe, adv.
Mbela, tr. v.
Mbele = mbewele.
Mbembe, tr. v.
Mbo, tr. & intr. v.
Mbp, tr. & intr. v.
Mbogba, n., mbogbe.
Mbola, n., mbole.
Mbole, intr. v.
Mbolo, n., mbpll, mbolohu.
Mboma, n., mbome.
Mbonda, n., mbOnde.
Mbgwa, n., mbowei.
Mbu, adv. & prep.
Mbumbu, tr. v.
Mbumbu, n., mbumbui.
*Me.
*Me.
*Me, tr. v.
*Mehe, n., mehei.
*Meni and me, tr. v.
*Mi, mindo, adv.
*Mia, miando, adv.
friend.
top.
rice.
music.
sheep.
vomit.
cane loop to climb trees.
to me here.
split, tear.
this road.
swing round, encircle.
dig.
pierce, penetrate.
cutlass.
cup.
be blind.
throat.
hammock.
kindred.
knife.
under.
take up.
fish-trap.
we not (condit.).
we say.
eat.
food.
hear, understand, perceive.
where.
yonder.
VOCABULARIES
169
*Mia, v.
*Migbe, adv.
*Miji, n. miji.
*Mini, n. & adj.
Miningo.
*Mita, n. mite.
*Mo, tr. v.
*Moli, tr. v.
*More, Moremo, Moremoi.
*Mu, pr.
*Mu, pr.
*Mua, pr.
*Mua, intr. v.
*Mumu, adj.
is.
when?
needle.
heavy.
spoon.
burn.
ask.
More man, i. e. Moor by deri-
vation any Mahommedan.
we.
we not.
we.
bathe.
small, applied to young birds,
nails, etc.
*Na, adv.
*Na, dem.pr.
*Na, adv.
*Nama, n., name.
*Namu, intr. v.
*Nani, adj.
*NavQ, n., navQi.
Nda, n., ndai = lai.
Nda, n., ndei = lei.
*Nda, n. t ndei.
Ngi nda, poss. pr.
Nda = la, tr. v.
Nda, tr. v.
*Ndahani, n., ndahani.
Ndakpa = lakpa, intr. v.
Ndakpa, n., ndakpef.
NdakpalQ, n., ndakpalQi.
Ndaly = lalQ, tr. v.
Ndapi = lapi, tr. v.
Ndave = lave, tr. v.
NdawQ = lawQ, tr. v.
Nde = le, n., lei.
*Nde = ndewe, n., ndei.
there.
that.
now.
blood.
slip.
four.
money.
leaf.
mouth, door.
portion.
his own.
lay, lie down.
pull.
meat, fish, etc., used as food.
grow.
young man.
ditto.
join.
fight, wrestle, swim.
fill.
open.
child.
brother.
170
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Ndg = le, tr. v.
Nde = le, n.
Nde = le, tr. v.
*Ndegola, intr. v.
Ndeli = deli, v. & adj., nde-
lingo.
Ndende = lende, n., ndendei.
Ndevu = levu, n., levui.
Ndewe = lewe, tr. v.
*Ndewe, n., ndewei.
Ndl = li, n., H.
Ndia = lia, n., ndiei, also prep.
*Ndiamo, n., ndiamoi.
Ndile or ndili = dile, n., ndili.
Ndp = lo, n., Ipi.
Ndp = Ip, tr. v.
Ndo = lo, n., loi.
Ndogbo = dogbo, n., ndogboi.
Ndoke = loke, tr. v.
Ndole = dole, n., ndole.
*Ndole, tr. v.
Ndpli = doli, w.,ndoli.
Ndolo = lolo, n., ndole.
Ndpma = loma, n., ndome
(doome).
Ndoma = doma, n., ndome
(dorme).
Ndondo = londo, v.
Ndopa = dopa, n., ndope.
Ndppp = lopo, n., ndpppi.
Ndovo = lovo, intr. v.
Ndpwa = Iowa, n., ndpwe.
Ndpwp = lowo, n., ndpwpi.
Ndowu = lowu, tr. & intr. v.
Ndufe = lufe, tr. v.
Ndula = lula, tr. & intr. v.
Nduli = duli, n., nduli.
Nduwe = luwe, tr. v.
*Ne, n., nei.
*Ne, n., nei, & tr. v.
Nengo.
tell,
a lie.
bear, beget,
tell a lie.
wet.
boat.
life, rest.
beat.
brother.
heart.
middle.
friend.
boa-con stricter .
son, daughter.
leave.
rum, wine.
bush.
clear bush, etc.
hunger.
bear children.
hook, fish-hook.
ground, world, country.
shirt.
ground.
cease.
antelope, deer.
boy, girl, inferior.
be unsuccessful.
hole.
horn.
hide.
extinguish.
rot.
smoke.
clear the bush.
tongue.
pleasure, please.
sweet.
VOCABULAKIES
171
*Nemahu, n.
Nemahu lengo.
*Nene, n., nenef.
*Neni & ne, v.
*Nete, n., nete.
Nga = ga, pr.
Nga = ga, pr.
Nga, adv. & prep.
Ngafa = yafa, n., ngafei.
Ngafa = yafa, tr. v.
Ngahango = yahango, adj.
Ngahuma = yahuma, tr. v.
Ngala = yala, n., ngale.
Ngale = yale, Ir. v.
Ngall = gali, n., ngali.
Ngalu = ngau = yau, ., nga-
lui.
Ngama = yama, n., ngamei.
Ngama = yama, tr. & intr. v
Ngange = yange, tr. & intr. v.
Ngape, tr. v.
Ngara = gara, n., ngare.
Ngate = yate, tr. & intr. v.
*Nge, pr.
*Nge, v.
Ngela = yela, tr. v.
*Ngela-ngela.
*Ngele, n., ngelef.
*Ngelewo, adv.
*Kgeleya, adv.
Ngeli = yell, tr. v.
*Ngenda, n.
Ngenge = yenge, n., yeng6.
Ngengemo, ?i.,ngengemoij pi.
gengebra.
*Ng5vo, n., ngevoi.
*Ngewo, n., Ngewgi.
Ngeya = yeya, n., ngeyei.
Ngeya = yeya, tr. v.
Ngi = gi, pr.
Ngi,/>r.
sense.
clever.
shade.
sweeten.
door ( = the door itself).
I.
I not.
on top.
spirit.
slander.
blunt.
steal from.
mat.
break.
thorn.
egg, moon.
eye, face.
return.
scratch, itch.
turn upside down.
a coarse grass.
kindle.
I not.
I say.
sweep, clean, wipe.
one by one.
heaven, sky, cloud.
at daybreak.
aloft.
abuse.
morning.
work.
workman, labourer.
dry season.
God.
rope.
buy.
I.
his, him.
172
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Ngl = gi, pr.
*Ngie, pr.
Ngila = gila, n., ngile.
Ngili = ylli = yi, tr. v.
Ngili = ylli, tr. v.
*Ngitiya, adv.
*NgIye, n., ngiyg.
*Ngiye, conj.
Ngo = wo, n. & v., ngoi.
Ngp = wp, n., ngpi.
*Ngpla, n., ngple.
Ngple = gole, v.
Ngoli bo, intr. v.
Ngolo = wolo, adj., ngolongo.
Ngolo = wolo, intr. v.
Ngombu = yombu, n., ngo-
mbui.
Ngongo = ngolongo, wongo,
adj.
Ngongolu = yongolu, n., ngo-
ngolui.
Ngpva = wpva, ngpvango,
adj.
Ngu = wu, ., ngui.
Ngu = wu, tr. v.
Ngua = wua, n. nguei.
Ngua = wua, tr. v.
Ngule = wule, n. & v., ngule.
NgulT = gull, tr. v.
Ngulo = wulo, n., ngule.
Ngulu = wulu = nguru, n.,
nguli.
Ngundu, adj., wundungo.
*$"i, adv.
*Nika, n., nikei.
*Nina, adj., ninango.
*Nlni, n., mni.
Nja = ya, n., njei.
*Njala, n., njalei.
*Njalpwa,
I not.
him.
dog.
cook.
bind.
outside.
hill.
until, except.
cry.
voice, word, message.
bush.
shave the face.
piss.
large.
weep.
fire.
large,
tooth,
old.
head.
wake up.
fruit.
wash (clothes), put on, thrust
in.
song,
paddle,
oil.
tree, stick.
green, raw.
so, thus.
cow.
new.
female breast.
water, rain.
landing-place.
water-hole.
VOCABULARIES
173
Njasa = yasa, n., yase.
Nje = yi, n., nji.
*Nje, n., njei.
Nje = ye, tr. v.
Njepe = yepe, n. & v., njepe.
Nji = yi, n. & v., nji.
Njla = yia, n., njiei.
Njuo = yuo, n., = njuoi.
*Nu = numu, n., numui ;
pi. nunga.
*Nwona, adj., nwonango.
*Nwoni, n., nwoni.
*Nya, pr.
*Nyaha, n., nyahei.
*Nyamu, adj., nyamungo.
*Nyande, adj., nyandengo.
*Nyani, tr. v.
*Nyapo, n., nyapoi.
*Nye, n., ny6.
*Nyegi, tr. v.
*NyI, tr. v.
*Nyoko, n., nyokoi.
*Nyonyo, pr.
Pa = wa, tr. v.
Panda = wanda, adv.
*Pawa, tr. v. & n., pawe.
Pe = pele = w5 = welg = pile
= wile = wiri, wi, tr. v.
*Pei or pen, adv.
Peka = weka, n.; adj., pekei.
Pela = wela, tr. v.
Pela = wela, intr. v.
*Pe-la, n., p lei.
*PSle, n., p5le or pCli.
P5le = w5l6, n., pSlef.
PSbu.
*Pgna, n., pCne.
Pill = will = p'll, tr. v.
Plme = wlme, intr. v.
thatch generally, and from
the oil-palm in particular,
mother,
goat,
lower,
talk,
sleep.
word, affair, palaver,
finger,
person.
bitter.
bird.
my, me.
woman, wife.
bad.
fine.
spoil.
young woman.
fish.
mark, write.
bite.
manner, sort.
each other.
kill,
properly.
pay-
do.
first.
other.
finish.
flee.
doorway.
road.
house.
indoors.
clay for pottery.
throw.
run.
174
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Pinde = winde, intr. v.
*Po, tr. v.
*Polon, adv.
Poma = wgma, n., pome.
Poma = woma, prep. & adv.;
n., pomei or woma.
Pona = bona, tr. v. & adj.,
ponango.
*POnje, tr. v.
*Popa, n., pope.
Popo = wQpo, tr. v.
*Poro, n., pore".
Pote = wote, tr. v.
Powa = bQwa, n., powe.
*Pu, adj.
Pu = wu, tr. v.
*Pu.
Pumo, pumoi.
Puyia, puyiei.
Pukpia = wukpia, tr. v.
jump.
cut with an axe.
far.
corpse.
behind.
straighten, straight.
strip leaves.
pcnd, lake.
carry on the back.
earth, soil.
turn.
flower.
ten.
put, pour.
European.
European person.
European language.
uproot.
S changes into J.
Sago, sao, adv.
Sanaa = jama, n., same.
Samba, n., sambe.
*Sande, n.
*Sangba, n., sangbai.
*Sange, adv.
*Sani, n., sani.
*Sawa, adj.
*Se, n., se.
*Segbula, n., segbule.
Seje, sese, tr. v.
Sejia, tr. v.
Seli, n., seli.
*Sema, n., seme.
Sia, tr. v.
*SilQ, n., silQi.
*Sina, adv.
So = jo = solo = jolo, tr. v.
no.
person of distinction.
basket.
a female society = Poro for
men.
drum.
just now, recently,
bottle,
three,
thanks,
rattle,
slice,
shake.
judge, witness.
bamboo,
rub.
spider,
to-morrow,
marry, get, obtain.
VOCABULARIES
175
Soku, adj., sokungo.
Sokuihu, n.
Sole = jore, n., sole.
Solo = so.
Spndu = jundu, tr. v.
Songo = jongo, n., songoi,
prep.
Susu, adj., susungo.
*Ta, pr.
*Ta, pr.
*Ta, conj.
*Ta, n., tei.
*Tamia, conj.
*Tanga, n., tange.
Tato = tQtQ = IgtQ, tr. v.
*Tau, adj.
*Tave, n., tave.
*Tawa, .., taw6.
*Te.
*Te, TO., te.
*Te, v.
Te = le = de, tr. v.
*Tg, adv.
*Tekpe, n., tekpe.
Teli = deli, adj., telingo.
Temu = lemu = dcmu, tr. v.
Tonga = lenga, adj.
adv.
= lenga, prep.
Tewe = lewe = dewe, tr. v.
*Tewu, n., tewui.
*Ti.
*TI.
*Tia.
*Tie.
*Tifa, n., tife.
Tikpo = likpo, n. t tikpoi.
Tiwi = liwi, tr. v.
To = lo = do, tr. v.
bend.
cape, corner of a wood, etc.
noise, shouting.
see so.
curse.
price.
instead of.
deep.
he, she, it.
he not, she not, it not.
and, with,
town.
therefore ; so it is.
cassada.
begin,
nine.
tobacco-pipe,
tobacco,
they not.
fowl,
they say.
raise.
almost ; also indicates con-
tinuous action,
basket,
black.
acquit, ask pardon,
some,
perhaps.
towards, together with,
cut, pass, cross, decide,
palm-nuts,
they, them,
they not.
they,
them.
twig._
walking-stick,
close (the eye),
see.
176
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
To = lo = do, tr. v.
*Tohe, n. & intr. v.
Toko = loko, n., tokoi.
*Tokpo, n ., tokpoi.
*Tokpolo, n., tokpoloi.
Toll = loli = doli = ruri, tr. v.
Tolo = lolo, n., toloi.
*Tone, tr. v.
*Tonya, n.
Toto = tato = loto.
Towo = lowo, n., towe.
*TQwu, n., towui
Tukpe = lukpe, tr. v.
Tuwo = tugo = lugo = luwo,
adv. & prep.
send, point at, stand, build,
follow,
cough,
hand, arm.
oil-palm,
palm wine,
call.
jealousy,
tickle,
truth,
begin.
fame, report,
palm-nut,
push,
before.
F changes into F.
Ya, prep.
Ya, tr. v.
Yala, tr. v.
Yale, intr. v.
Yaya, tr. v.
Ye = fe, tr. v.
Ye, adv.
Yeli, tr. v.
Yeli, tr. v.
Yu, intr, v. & adj.
Nu vu.
*Wa, pr.
*Wa, pr.
*Wa, intr. v.
Waa.
Wala, intr. v.
*Wa, adj., wai.
Wa = pa, tr. v.
We = ye, prep.
W6 = wele, n.
We = pe, tr. v.
*We,pr.
of, on account of, for.
salute, say good-bye.
get ready.
grow of plants.
scatter.
give.
completely.
say good-bye.
ask for.
live.
a living person.
you.
you not.
come.
come with = bring.
bring.
great.
kill.
to, for.
house.
do.
we not.
VOCABULARIES
177
Wshinda = pehinda, n., we-
hindei.
Weka = peka, adj.
Wela = pela, tr. v.
Wela = pela, intr. v.
Wele = pele = pe = we.
Will = pill, tr. v.
Wlme = pime, intr. v.
*Wo, pr.
Wo = ngo, n., woi.
Wo = ngo, tr. v.
*Wo, adv.
*Wofela, adj.
*Woita, adj.
Wola = ngola, v. n.
*Wolo = wo, intr. v.
Wolongo = ngolongo, adj.
Woma = poma, n., womei.
prep.
*Wonga, n. pi., wQngeisia.
Wongo = ngongo, adj.
Wopo = pppo, tr. v.
Wote = pote, tr. v.
Wova ngova, adj., \vovango.
*Wu, pr.
*Wu, pr.
Wu = ngu, tr. v.
Wu = ngu, n., wui.
*Wua, pr.
Wua = ngua, intr. v.
Wua = ngua, tr. v., or wa.
*Wue, pr.
Wulp = kulo, adj., wulongo.
Wulo = ngulo, n., ngule
Wulo, adj., gulongo
Wulu = ngulu, n., wuli.
Wumbu = mbumbu, tr. v.
Ya, n.
Ya, adv. & prep.
*Ya, intr. v.
12
conduct.
other.
finish.
run away.
do.
throw, shoot.
run.
own.
voice.
break.
formerly.
seven.
six.
weeping.
listen.
great.
back.
behind.
relations.
big.
carry on the back.
turn, answer.
old.
you.
you not.
awake.
head.
you.
bear fruit.
wash.
you.
small.
fat, oil.
fat.
tree.
take up, carry.
edge, surface,
on top.
go-
178
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
*Ya, v.
Ya, adv.
Yaka = kaka, n., yakei.
*Yakpe, adj.
Yale = ngale, tr. v.
Yama = ngama, w., yame.
*Yama, intr. v.
Yate = ngate, tr. v.
*Ye, v.
*Ye, v.
Ye = we, prep.
*Ye, pr.
Ye = nje, intr. v.
*Ye, n., yei.
Yeja = ngeja, adj.
Yeka = ngeka, adv.
Yekpe = kpekpe, adj., yekpe-
ngo.
Yela = yira = ngera, adj.
Yela = ngela, tr. v.
*Yele, v.
Yele = ngele, intr. v.
Yele = ngele, intr. v.
Yenge = ngenge, intr. v.
Yepe = ngepe, intr. v. ; n.,
yepei.
*Yese, adj.
*Yetahu, n.
Yeya = ngeya, n.
Talo ngi yeya.
Yeya = ngeya, tr. v.
Yeya = ngeya, n., yeyei.
Yl = nji, intr. v.
n., yl.
Yl = nji, n.
*Yia, intr. v.
n., yiei.
Yili = ngili, tr. v.
Yili = nglli, tr. v.
Yira = yila, adj.
*Yo, pr.
to be not.
not.
side, direction.
same.
break.
eye, face.
return.
kindle.
be.
he says.
to.
who? how?
descend.
country.
right (not left).
almost.
good.
one.
wipe.
be.
laugh.
scream.
work.
talk.
first.
own town, home.
hand.
it is (in) his hand = he has it.
buy.
rope.
sleep.
sleep.
mother
speak.
talk, language.
cook.
tie.
one.
who.
VOCABULAKIES
179
XXI.
ENGLISH-MEXDE.
(The definite
form is put in brackets.)
Able, he is = he can.
igu.
About.
see under Prepositions.
Above.
ma, mahu.
Accept, agree.
kuru.
Accuse.
mayia ge.
Acquit.
temu.
Across.
wQma.
Action.
pShinda (pchindei).
Add.
matQ.
Affair.
hihda, njia (hindei, njiei).
Afraid, he is.
i lua.
After.
wgma.
Afternoon.
kpokovgli.
Afterwards.
na woma.
Again.
gboma.
Against.
ma.
Ago.
wo.
Agree, accept.
kuru.
Aim at, aim at it.
to ; tQ ngi ma.
Alive.
vulungo.
All.
gbi, kpele.
Alone.
yakpe.
And.
ke, ta.
Animal.
hua (huei).
Another.
peka.
Answer, v.
duma.
Ant.
see under Insects.
Any.
gbi.
Appease.
11 leli.
Arm.
tQko (lOkOi).
Arrange.
magbate.
Ask.
moli, veli.
Assemble.
kOme.
At.
gama.
At once.
keyakpe.
Awake.
wu.
Axe.
konu (konl).
180
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Baby.
ndpla (ndple).
Back,
poma (pomei), wprna or woma.
to carry on the
pQpQ, WQpO.
Backbite.
mayafa.
Backbiter.
ngafamo (ngafamoi).
Bad.
nyamu.
Bag.
baggi, sondubolo (sondubole).
Bag (haversack).
gbafa (gbafe).
Bamboo, ordinary.
keni, semi.
palm from which
nduvu (nduvui).
piassava is made.
Banana.
seli, sele.
Bank (of a river, etc.).
ngiye (ngiyei).
Barrel.
kQlQ (kploi).
Basket.
tekpe.
Bathe.
mua.
Be, v.
lo, le, mia, ya, ye, yele.
Bear (children).
le, ndo le.
Beard.
gbele.
Beat.
ndewe.
Become.
wele, we.
Bed.
gbuko (gbukwe), ndama (la-
mei).
Bee.
komi.
Before.
place gulo, tugo, labu.
time pen, ngova, ge, gba.
Begin.
tato, toto.
Beginning.
tatoma (tatomei).
Behaviour.
wehinda (wehihdei).
Behind.
woma.
Believe.
hou a tonya.
Belly.
kohu (koihu or kohui).
Belonging to me.
nya WQ le = it is my own.
Below.
mbu.
Bend.
kgtg.
Besides.
gboma, ji woma.
Bet, v.
mawali hou.
Better, it is.
fisa.
Between.
lia.
Beyond.
woma.
Big.
wa, ngongo.
VOCABULARIES
181
Bird.
Birth.
Bite.
Bitter.
Black.
Blame.
Blind.
Blood.
Blunt.
Board.
Boat.
Book.
Both.
Bottle.
Bottom, the.
Bow (for shooting).
Box.
Boy.
Branch.
Break, a house.
a stick.
a needle.
Bridge.
Bring, i.e. come with.
Broom.
Brother.
Brush, v.
Bud.
Build.
Burn.
Burst.
Bury.
Bush (the forest).
Busy, I am.
But (rather and).
Buy.
By.
Calf (animal).
Call.
Can, v.
nwoni.
lg.
nyl.
iiona.
teli, telingo.
kaye (kayei).
mbple, mbQlengo (mbQlengoi).
nama (hamei).
ngahango.
gbembele (gbembere).
ridende.
kolo (gole).
venjo.
sani.
imbui.
ndikpa (ndikpe).
kaha (kana).
ndgpO (ndgpOi).
mbeke (mbekg).
wo.
yale.
yale.
kpawu (kpawl).
wa a . ., wala.
kpangba (kpangbe).
ndewe, nde.
mayela.
kpoku.
do."
mo.
buli.
kpowu.
dogbo (dogboi).
gbe lo nya ma.
ke.
yeya.
a.
nika lQ (nika l
tOli, luli, ruri.
182
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Carefully.
Carrier, i.e. labourer.
Carry (take up or away)
on the back.
Cartridge.
Cask.
Catch.
Cease.
Change.
Cheap, i. e. not dear.
Chief.
Child,
able to walk.
Children.
Choose.
Circle.
Clay.
Clean, v. & adj.
Clear the ground.
Clever, he is.
Climb.
Cloth.
Cloud.
Cold.
Collect.
Comb, n.
Comb your hair, v.
Come.
Companion.
Complain.
Condemn.
Cook.
Cork (of a bottle).
Corner,
recess for a bed.
Cough.
Count.
Country.
panda.
ngengemoi.
bumbu.
kale.
kQlQ (kQll).
hou.
ndondo, londo, gele (end).
pote (turn).
maluwe (transform).
ba i gbani.
nyandengo (fine).
in; i ha, (mahei).
ndo, 10, (iQi).
jia Igi.
lengesia.
mahou, bumbu (take).
kala (kalei), ka (kai).
poro (pore), pena (pene).
kole, kolengo.
nduwe.
ngi nemahu lengo.
de.
kula (kule).
ngele (ngele).
kolengo.
kome, yando.
kpegbe
bi wui hugbia.
wa.
mba (mbai).
mayia ge.
le.
yili.
sani lagbolui.
kundo (kunde).
kundehu.
tohe.
kpa.
yetahu (home town).
VOCABULARIES
183
Cover.
Crooked.
Cross, v.
Cross-roads.
Cry.
Cunning.
Cup.
Cure.
Cut.
Cut your hair.
Cutlass.
Daily.
Damp.
Dance.
Dancer.
Dark.
" Dash," i. e. a present.
Dawn, at.
Day.
Dead.
Death.
Debt.
Decide.
Deep.
Deer, i. e. antelope.
Delay.
Descend.
Dew.
Die.
Different.
Difficult.
Dig.
Dislike.
Dismiss.
Divide.
Do.
Doorway.
Door itself.
mawele.
sokungo.
tewe.
pele la bame, ganania.
ngo, wo.
mbola (mbole).
bawQ.
tewe.
bi wui malete (or)
bi wui wQli.
mbogbwa (mbogbwe), kpat5
(kpatui).
foil gbi, kugbima.
ndelingo.
dOli.
dplemo (dQlemoi).
kpindi.
mboya (mboye).
ngelewQ.
lo (loi), ku, fQlQ (fQli).
hango.
ha (hgi).
kpa (kpei).
tewe.
susu, susungo.
ndopa (ndope).
lembi.
hite, ye.
lugbu (lugbui).
ha.
gba.
kpakpaungo.
mbo.
dplo.
gb5.
kole.
p5l5, pill, pC ; w5l5, wlrl, wg.
pele la (pele lei).
nete.
184
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Down, i. e. on the ground.
Drag, draw.
Dream.
Dress.
Drink.
Drop.
Drum.
Drunk (wine holds him).
Dry, v.
adj.
Dry season.
Dung.
Dwarf.
dome (pr. dorme).
nda.
henga.
magbate.
gbole.
gull
sangba (sangbai).
ndo i ngi houa.
beli.
bgli, belingo.
ngovo (ngovQi).
kpo (kpoi).
tumbu (tumbui).
Each.
gbi.
Each other.
nyo nyo (nyo nyoi).
Ear.
woli.
Early, morning.
ngenda tete.
Earth, i. e. all countries.
ndolo (ndole or ndoei).
soil.
poro (pore).
East.
kg.
Eat, tr.
me.
intr.
mehe me.
Ebb, of the sea.
bell.
Edge of a knife.
ya.
Egg-
ngalu (yalui), te-yalui, te-yaui
Empty.
haka, hakango.
End, v.
gele.
n.
ikelemei.
Enough, it is.
i gua.
it is not.
i guni.
Equal.
mahewu.
Evening (afternoon).
kpokovoi.
Every.
gbi.
Examine (look into).
hugbe.
Explain.
huge.
Expose.
gbia fofoihu.
Eye.
yama (yamei).
Face.
yama (yamei).
Fall
gula.
VOCABULARIES
185
Fame.
Family.
Far.
Farewell, to bid.
Farm.
Fasten.
Fat, adj.
Father.
Fault.
Fear.
Feast.
Feather.
Fence.
Few.
Field.
Fight (wrestle).
(war).
Fill.
Find, something new.
something looked for.
Finish.
Fire,
a gun.
First, the.
adv.
Fish.
Fisherman.
Fishing-net.
Fish-hook.
Flower.
Fly (insect).
v.
Follow.
Food.
Foolish.
Foot.
For.
Forget.
Forgive,
towo (towe).
mbQnda (mbonde).
kuhango, huguhango (pr.
ngwango), mahuguhango
(pr. ma'ngwango), kuhama.
See under Salutations.
kpale, kpa (kpaei).
kpakpa.
gulongo.
ke (kei).
kaye (kaye).
lua.
gprna (ggme).
njombo
kata (kate).
wulo.
kpSile (kpale), kpa (kpae).
lapi.
ko (kQT).
fe, fenda, ndave, lave, lavenda.
koko, kokoli.
to (lit. see).
gboyo.
gombu (gombui).
pili (lit. throw).
i halagei.
yese, pen, gba.
nye (ny6).
nyegbemoi.
nye boma (borne).
ndoli.
pOwa (PQWC).
See under Insects.
gowo, buwu.
tg with wyma.
mehe (mehei).
mamungo.
gowo (go we).
va.
ISma.
manu.
186
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
From.
Fruit.
Full.
Gamble with cowries.
with cards.
Garden.
Gate.
Gather.
Get, obtain.
Girl.
Give.
Go.
Gold.
Good.
Grind.
Ground, n.
Grow,
of plants only.
Hammock.
Hand.
Hang.
Happen.
Hard.
Hasten, tr. v.
intr.
Hat.
Have, rendered by to be in the
hand.
He.
Head.
Heal.
Hear.
Heart.
Heat, v.
Heavy.
Help.
no word see under Preposi-
tions.
wua (wuei).
lavengo.
kpoyo-go (goi).
kolo-go (goi).
kpale (lit. farm),
katehu (lit. compound),
ngorela (ngorelei).
ngando, yando.
JQ S 0-
nyapQ (nyapQi).
fe, go (for uses see Part I).
li, ya.
kani gbole.
yekpengo, nyandengo.
fuka.
ndome (ndomei).
lakpa.
vale.
mboma (mbome).
iQkQ (iQkQi).
hele.
wele, male".
kpakpaungo.
mavula.
pe kaka.
bole.
I have it, Ta lo nya yeya.
I have nothing, Hani gbl nya
yeya.
ta, a, i.
ngu, wu (wui).
bawQ.
meni, me.
II.
gbandi.
miningo.
gbo ; gbo nya ma, help me.
VOCABULARIES
187
Here.
Hide.
High.
Hill.
Hit against.
Hold.
Hole.
Home.
Honey.
Hook.
Hoop for climbing trees.
Horn.
Hot.
House.
How.
Hunger.
Hunt.
Hurry, tr.
intr.
Husband.
Hut.
If.
Immediately
In.
Insect.
Inside.
Instead.
Intended, I.
Into.
Iron.
Jealous.
Join.
Journey.
Joy.
Judge, n.
v.
be.
lowu.
kuhango.
ngiye (ngiyei).
ho.
hou.
ndowa (ndowe).
ye" (yei).
komi (bee), komi yei (bees'
water),
ndgli.
mbalu (mball).
ndQwQ (IQWQI).
gbandi, gbandingo.
pe, pele, wele.
ye (comes second in sentence).
See under Adverbs,
ndole (ndole).
kpe.
mavula.
pe kaka.
hini.
kpueila (kpueile).
ina.
keyakpe.
hu.
fuhani, usually
hanisia.
hu, gohd.
jongo.
ngi yeto.
hu.
kolu (koli).
plural fu-
ndalo.
jia (jiei).
kohune.
seli.
tewe.
188
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Jump.
Keep.
Kernel.
Key.
Kill.
Kindred.
Knife.
Knock against.
Knot.
Know.
Labourer.
Lame.
Language.
Large.
Last, the.
Late, come.
Lately.
Laugh.
Lay.
Lazy.
Leaf.
Leak, v.
Lean, v.
Learn.
Leave,
behind.
Left hand, the.
Leg.
Let down, tr. v.
Lie, tell a.
down.
Lift.
Light, n.
not heavy.
Like
like this.
tr. v.
Likeness.
wlnde, pinde.
hou.
kale (kale).
jiwi.
pa, wa.
wonga (wonge).
mbowa (mbow6).
ho.
kpulo (kpuli).
ko, go.
ngengemo (ngengemoi).
kporongo.
yla (yiei).
wa, ngolongo, ngongo.
ikelemage.
lembi.
sange, ge.
yele.
nda, la.
hawango.
nda (ndai).
mbo.
digbl.
ga.
kpele, kpe.
lo.
kowo lokoi.
gowo (gowe).
hite.
nde gora.
la.
de.
hemu (hemui).
I minini.
kea . . . na.
kea ji na.
longo, followed by " a " and
the object,
kpiaye (kpiayei).
VOCABULARIES
189
Line marked out.
Listen to.
Little.
Living.
Living person.
Load, n.
a gun.
Lock.
Log.
Long.
Look.
for, i. e. search.
Looking-glass.
Loose, v.
Lose.
Lower, tr. v.
part.
Mad.
Make a tiling.
i. e. do.
Man.
Many.
Mark, v.
Marry.
Master.
Mat.
Measure, v.
Meat,
including fish.
Meet.
Mend.
Mende.
Mendeman.
language.
Message.
Middle.
Mix.
Money.
Month.
Moon.
kpambi.
meni.
kulo, wulongo, mnmu.
vulungo.
nu vu.
haka (hakei).
joso.
kpolu (kpoli).
kovve (kowe).
kuha, kuhango.
kpele, gbe.
kokoli.
meme.
fulo.
ndohu.
hite, maye. '
imbui.
gbuwa.
gbate.
we.
hindo (hindoi).
gboto, gbotongo.
nyegi.
nyaha jo (or jolo).
ke (kei).
yala (yale).
huma.
hua (hiiei).
ndahani (ndahani).
male.
gbate.
Mende.
Mendemo (Mendemoi).
Mende yia (yiei).
ngo (ngoi).
lia (liei).
hupu.
navo (navoi).
I ngalu, ngau (ngalui, yalui).
190
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Morning.
Mortar for pounding.
Mother.
Mouth.
Much.
Mud.
Music.
Must.
Nail, n.
v.
of the finger or toe.
Name.
Near.
Nearly.
Necessary, to be.
Needle.
Nest.
Net.
New.
Nice.
Night.
No.
Noise.
None.
Not.
Nothing.
Now.
Oar.
Obey.
Obtain.
Of.
Often.
Oil.
Old.
On.
On account of.
Only.
Open.
Order, a direction.
Other.
ngenda.
konda (konde).
n J? (yi)-
la (lei).
gboto, gbotongo.
pawa (pawe).
mbaka (mbak4). *
= shall (future tense).
londema (londeme).
kpakpa.
yengalu (yengalui).
bije (bijei), la (lei).
gbela.
yeka.
mani.
miji.
nwoni-ta (nwoni-tei).
mboma (mbome).
nina, mnango.
nyande, nyandengo.
kpindi.
erer, sao (emphatic).
sore (sore).
gbl.
See chapter on Negative.
hani gbl.
sange.
lala (lalei).
wo meni.
jft.
va.
pepe.
ngulo (nguli).
ngova, wovango.
ma, mahu.
va.
yakpe, leke, yeke.
ndawo, lawo.
layia (layiei).
peka (pekei), weka (wekei).
VOCABULARIES
191
Out.
Out-house (room).
Outside, i. e. in the open.
Over, i. e. upon.
i. e. beyond.
Overtake.
Own.
No word. See Prepositions.
kongu (kongui).
ngitiya.
ma.
woma.
male.
wo, nda.
my own.
nya wo, nya nda.
Pad for the head when carry-
fuko (fukoi).
ing a load.
Paddle, n.
guli.
V.
nje guli.
Pain, n. & v.
gbale.
Palm.
See under Plants.
Palm oil.
ngulo gbou (ngulo gboui)
Palm wine.
tokpo lo (tokpo loi).
Paper.
kolo (kole).
Pardon, ask.
demu.
Part.
kaka.
Pass.
tewe.
Path.
pele (peli).
Pay, n. & v.
pawa.
People.
nunga.
Perhaps.
tenga.
Person.
numu (numui).
Pick-up.
bumbu.
Pinch.
fonl.
Pity.
manu.
Place.
hihda (hiiide).
Plant, v.
hi.
Play, n. & v.
Ipli.
Please, to.
kone.
Pluck, a bird.
magbia.
a flower, fruit.
gole, go'e, gbenda.
Point to.
t6.
Point to it.
to ngi ma.
Poison.
pa-hale (pa-hale).
Pond, pool.
pppa (pope).
Possess, v.
yeya, n.
he possesses it, i. e. it
ta lo ngi yeya.
is in his hand.
192
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Pot.
Pound, v.
Pour.
Powder.
Powerful.
Pray.
Praise.
Prepare.
Present, n.
adv. i. e. here.
Price.
Properly.
Public, in.
Pull,
out.
Purpose on.
Pursue.
Push.
Put.
Quick.
Quietly.
Rag.
Rain.
Rainy season.
Raise.
Raw.
Reach.
Ready.
Remain, i. e. sit down.
Remainder.
Remember.
Repair.
Reply.
Rest, v.
Return, v.
Rice.
Rich.
Right hand.
Right, adj.
fe (fei).
kpakpa.
pu, wu.
dehe.
gbayango.
he.
lato.
hugbate.
mboya (mboye).
be.
jongo (jongoi).
panda. Very common word.
fofo hu.
nda, la.
kpia.
a kege.
kpe.
tukpe.
pu, wu.
kdka.
lome-lome.
kula gutu (kula gutl).
nja, njei.
hama (hame).
te.
ngundu, wundungo.
hite.
vala.
hei.
monu (moni).
gili.
gbate.
pote, wote.
ndevu, levu.
yama.
mba (mbei).
gbatengo.
yeja lokoi
lemungo.
VOCABULARIES
193
Ripe.
bengo.
Rise.
hije, hiye.
River.
kpoli.
Road.
pele (peli).
Rob.
yahuma.
Rock, n.
kotu (koti).
Roll, v. (of a ship).
lekpe.
Roll up.
kotg.
Room, n.
inner recess (corner).
pels, welg, kongo, kongoihu.
kundehu.
Root.
hape (hape).
Rope.
ngeya (ngeyef).
Rot, v.
ndulu.
Round, adj.
kikili, kekele, kere.
v. to put round, en-
mbimbi, gala.
circle, pass round.
Round about.
ikakamage.
Row, a boat.
guli.
Rub.
sia.
Rudder.
gbl.
Rum.
ndo (ndoi), lo (loi).
Run.
pime, wime.
Runner of a plant.
ngeyako (ngeyakoi).
Rust.
kaiye.
Sacrifice, n.
sa hani.
v.
sa gbia.
Sake of.
va.
Salt.
kpplO (kpOlpi).
Same.
yakpe, se.
Sand.
nganga (hgahge), nganya
(hgaiiye).
Saw, n.
sowi.
Say.
nde, le.
Scatter.
faya.
Scent (perfume).
ku yei.
Scrape.
gbenye.
Sea.
kpoye (kpoye).
Search.
kokoli.
Seat.
he wuru (he wuri).
See.
to, do, lo.
13
194
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Seed.
kale (kale).
Seek.
kokoli.
Sell.
majia.
Send.
dewe, lQ.
Sense.
nemahu.
Separate.
gole.
Servant.
boilopo (boilQpQi).
Set, v.
hei.
Settle a dispute.
tewe.
Sew.
ho.
Shake.
jesia, jeji.
Shallow.
tetele.
Sharp.
yandingo.
Shell, of an oyster, husk,
ga (gel).
empty snake skin, etc.
Shirt.
ndoma (lome).
Shoot.
pili.
and hit, i.e. pierce.
mbg.
Short.
kutu, kutungo.
Shout, 11.
sole, sore.
V.
sore we.
Show.
ke.
Show him.
ke a ngie.
Shut, v.
lagbou.
adj.
lagboungo.
Sick, to be.
higbe.
adj.
higbengo.
Side.
kaka (kakei), yaka, gaka.
Sing.
ngulg, wule.
Sit.
hei.
Skin.
kolo (kole).
Sky.
ngelg (ngele).
Sleep.
yi-
Slowly.
isle.
Small.
kulo, kulongo.
Smell.
ku (kui).
sweet.
ku ne.
bad.
ku nyamu.
v.
kui meni.
Smoke.
nduli, luli.
Sneeze.
diso.
VOCABULARIES
195
So, thus.
Soap.
Some.
Song.
Soon, i. e. quickly.
Sow.
Speak.
Spend, money,
the day.
Spill.
Spirit.
Split, v.
adj.
Spread.
Sprout, v.
Squeeze.
Stand.
Star.
Start.
Steal.
from.
Steer.
Stick, n.
walking-.
Still, adv.
Sting.
Stone.
Stop.
end.
Story.
Straight.
Straighten.
Stranger.
Strength.
Stretch.
String.
Strip, undress.
leaves.
Strong.
Stupid.
Sugar.
rii, hi.
mbawa (mbawe), hega (hege).
lenga.
ngulg, wule.
kaka.
hi.
nde, yia le.
majia.
luva.
pu, faya.
ngafa (ngafe), yafa.
inbela.
mbelango.
fQmbQ.
kpoku.
fonya.
to.
dumbeka (dumbeke).
hije.
huma.
yahuma.
gbl hou.
nguru (nguri).
tikpo (tikpoi).
kpe.
mbQ.
kotu (koti).
kpele, kpe.
gele.
dome (dome).
pona, ponango.
pona.
hota (hot6).
kpaya (kpayc).
magbia.
mapOnje, magQmbo.
gbayango.
mamu, mamungo.
sugar.
196
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Summit.
Sun.
Surface.
Surpass.
Surround.
Swallow, v.
Sweep.
Sweet.
Swell, v.
Swim.
Swing round.
Take.
Talk.
Tall.
Taste.
Teach.
Tear, v.
Tell.
Thank, v.
Thank you.
That.
There.
Thick.
Thin.
Thing.
Think.
Thirsty, my throat is dry.
This.
Thorn.
Throw.
Thrust in.
Thus.
Tickle.
Tightly.
Time.
Tire.
Tired.
Are you tired ?
To.
To-day.
ngumba.
fQlQ, (fijli).
nga, ya.
tewe.
bimbi.
gbole.
ngela, mayela.
ne, neingo.
fe.
lapi.
bimbi.
bumbu.
njepe, yepe, yia le.
gbiahungo.
ko, go.
ka, ga.
mbela.
nde.
segbia.
bise.
na.
na, mia, miando.
kpotu, kpotungo.
teve, tevengo.
hani, bo (boi).
gili, toye.
nya bolohui bengo.
ji-
ngari.
pill, will.
ngua, wua, joso.
ni.
tone, dote.
panda (properly), getete.
kpelg (kpSle), kpg.
gbowu.
gbaha, gahu hango.
bi gbaha ?
See Prepositions.
ha.
To-morrow.
Too.
Top, the.
Touch.
Toward.
Town.
Trap.
Travel.
Tree.
Trousers.
Truth.
Try.
Turn.
Twins.
Twist.
Umbrella.
Under.
Understand.
Undress.
Unexpectedly, to meet.
Unfold.
Unlike.
Unlucky, to be.
Unripe.
Untie.
Up.
Upon.
Uproot.
Useless.
Valley.
Valuable.
Very.
Village.
Visit, v.
Voice.
Vomit.
sina.
tunu.
imahui, ngumba.
ja-
gama, tenga.
ta (tei).
mani.
jia.
ngulu (nguli), nguru (nguri).
bere (bere).
tonya.
ko, kolo.
pQte, wote.
felanga.
kpini.
Tebele, nja-gbuwa (nja-
gbuwe).
mbu.
meni, hugo.
magbia.
kolama.
fymbo.
gba.
ndovo.
kpQle, kpylengo.
fulQ.
ma.
ma, ni.-i lift.
pugbia.
gbamafu.
ngiye gombu (ngiye gombui).
ba gbango.
ka.
fula (fu!6).
va.
ngO (ngQi), wy (wyi).
bali.
Wait.
mawulu.
198
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Wake.
wu.
Walk.
jia.
Wall.
kaka or kake (kakei).
Want, v.
longo a.
War.
ko (koi).
Warm, v.
kpandi.
adj.
kpandingo.
Warn.
lain.
Wash, clothes, plates.
wua, wa.
i. e. bathe.
mua.
Watch, v.
mane, mahugbe.
Water.
nja (njei).
Way.
pele (pelf).
Wear clothes.
yili.
Weed, v., i. e. pull up weeds.
kpiti gbia.
Weep.
wolo.
Welcome, v.
va.
Well, water-hole.
nja Iowa (nja lowe).
Well, adv.
panda.
West.
kpundohu.
Wet.
deli, delingo.
What?
gbe?
When?
See Adverbs.
Where?
mi ? mindo ?
Which ?
igbe?
Whip.
foma (fome).
White.
kole, kolengo, gogole.
White man.
pumo (pumoi).
man's language.
pu yia (pu yiei).
Who?
ye ? yo ?
Whole, all.
gbi, kpere.
Why?
gbeva ?
Wicked.
nyamu.
Wife.
nyaha (nyahei).
Win, in a game, i. e. kill.
pa.
take the money.
hou.
Wind.
fcf (fofc}
Window.
ndaome.
Wine.
ndo, lo (loi).
Wing.
kpaki.
Wipe (plates).
huyela.
VOCABULARIES
199
Wise, he is.
Witch.
With.
Within.
Without.
Woman, wife.
unmarried girl.
Wood.
Word, speech.
direction, order.
voice.
Work, n.
v.
Workman.
pi. (indef.).
World.
Worm.
Wrap up.
Wrestle.
Write.
Wrong, to be.
Yard, enclosure.
Year.
Yes.
Yesterday.
Yonder.
Young man.
Young of an animal.
ngi nemahu lengo.
hona (hone).
a.
hu, gohfl, bu.
See Prepositions.
nyaha (nyahei).
nyapo (nyapQi).
kowu (kowi).
njia (njiei), yia (yiei).
layia (layiei).
ngenge (ngenge), yenge.
ngenge and ngenge wili.
ngengemo (ngengemoi).
gengebra.
ngelebu, ndole gbi.
buli.
bimbi.
lapi.
nyegi.
lele.
katelm.
fO (fOi).
1,5.
gbenge, bengeme, gbi.
miando, mia.
ndakpalO (ndakpalgi).
PAKT IV
STOEIES
READING MATERIALS
I.
The Spider and his Hungry Children.
Kasiloi i ndenga le.
Ndole gbo.
I hiye lime go'ime dogboi
hu.
I li, i male.
Sele gboungo.
Fomamoi i hei lo sele gama.
Kasiloi i ja sele.
Fome i gbia.
I ngi vogba.
Kena i ngi vogba
Kasiloi gbwenda.
I yala a pime ngi lenga we.
Ti me a kpindi na.
Ngewonga i ngi nyahei
gbe.
Ngi nyahei i ya nye gbeme
njei hu.
Ye, kea bi nya gbe ge bi go.
Ye, nga nye me lo.
Ye, nya be ge bi go.
Ke i ya.
I ngi mayia ge a ngi kei.
Ye, nga nyahei gbia lo bi
yeya.
The spider bore children.
They were very hungry.
He arose to go and gather food
in the bush.
He goes, he meets it.
It was a ripe banana.
A man with a whip sat at the
banana.
The spider touched the banana.
The whip came out.
It beat him.
When it beat him
The spider snatched (the fruit).
He ran off with it to his children.
(lit. He took it with running).
They ate that night.
At daylight he drove away his
wife.
His wife went to catch fish in
the water.
She said, If you drive me away
I will not give you (some).
He said, I will eat fish.
She said, I certainly will not
give you (any).
And she went.
She complained to her father.
He said, I will take away your
wife.
Incomplete.
200
II.
The Fate of the Man who abandoned his Wife and Child.
Tamoi i ya wo.
I nyahei jo.
I koi bumbu.
I ngi nyahei gbe.
I li dogboi hu.
I nyahei IQ.
I ndoi de dogboi hu.
Ti fere gbi
Ta ngi loi i jia.
Mehei gbi na ta me.
Ngi njei a li,
A mboli gbia dogboi hu.
I loi na bawoni.
Ngi loi a lakpa.
Ngewo i wa.
I gbatenga dogboi hii.
I ti male dogboi hu.
Ngewo ye,
Wa yo wu mbe ?
Ye, ma nya njei.
Ngewo i ho navoi ma.
I fe tiye.
Ngewo i li dogboi hu.
Nyahei ngi loi i gbate
dogboi hu.
I gbia dogboi hu;
A hite p5 wai ma.
Ke ta ngi kei ti gome.
Ye, kia WQ bi nya njei
gbeni,
A person went once upon a time.
He took a wife.
She conceived.
He drove away his wife.
She went to the bush.
He left his wife.
She bore a child in the bush.
Both of them.
She and her son they walk about.
No food there for them to eat.
His mother goes,
She pulls up a yam in the bush.
She preserved her child.
Her child grows up.
God comes.
He was rich in the bush.
He met them in the bush.
God said,
Who are you that are here ?
(He answered) I and my mother.
God took money.
He gave it them.
And God went away into the
bush.
The woman's son grew rich in
the bush.
He came out of the bush ;
He reaches the high road.
And he and his father they met.
He said, Since you formerly
drove away my mother,
201
202
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Nga bi wa lo.
Ye, kia na ma bie mu longa,
Nya be, gi bi houma,
Gi bi wa.
Ta wa ye,
Ba nya ho.
I ya i ngili ;
I ngi ho ;
I ngili ;
I mbowei bumbu ;
I nda 'gi bole la ;
Itg;
I ha ngi kei.
Kele mia.
I will kill you.
He said, Since now you and I
see each other,
I also, I will catch you,
I will kill you.
Himself he said,
Do not seize me.
He went to tie him ;
He caught him ;
He bound him ;
He took a knife ;
He drew it across his throat ;
He cut ;
He died his father (did).
It is the end.
III.
The Fate of the Man who cleared the Bush when told not to do so.
Tamo yira i ya dogboi hu
nduweme.
Hawai ye, ba nduwe.
(Hawai or Haniwai is a
materialised spirit in-
habiting the forest.
Ye, nga duwe lo.
Bi nduwenga lo
Bg mbei me.
Ke ngelewo
Ke i mbogbwei bumbua.
Hawai ye ngima,
Ba nduwe.
Ye, nga nduwe lo.
Ye, bi nduwinga lo
Ye mbe gbl na bi me.
Ke i ya dogboi hu ndu'iva.
Ke i nduwia.
Ke i gombui ; ^
Ke i mbumbua; J
Ke i ye kpalehu ;
Ke i gombui dQa kpalema.
Ke i kpalei moa.
Ke i kali bumbua.
Ke i ya,
Ke i mbei wuli,
A certain person went into the
bush to clear (a piece of
ground).
The devil said, Do not clear.
He said, I shall clear.
(The devil said) If you clear
You will not eat the food (lit.
rice).
And at daylight
He took a cutlass.
The devil said to him,
Do not clear.
He said, I shall clear.
(The devil) said, If you clear
There will be no rice there for
you to eat.
And he went into the bush to
clear.
And he cleared.
And he took fire ;
And he went to the farm ;
And he put fire to the farm.
And he burnt the farm.
And he took a hoe.
And he went,
And he took rice (lit. draw as
water),
203
204
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Ke i mbei bumbua,
Ke i ya kpalehu.
Ke i ndea ngi nyahei ma,
Ke ngi loi,
Ye, wa be,
Mu mbei bo.
Ke ti punga ndoli ma,
Ke ti ya pe bu.
Ke ti yinga.
Ngewa ti ya gbueila.
Ye ti mbei bonga.
Ye, kea ti mbei boa.
Ke mbei gbia.
Ke ti ya kpaleima
Ti mbei le.
Ti nganga,
Ke ti punga hambui ma,
Ke i benga.
Ke ti bumbua,
Ti pu konde hu.
Ye, kea ti pui konde hu ti
hija.
Ke ti gbia konde hu,
Ke ti punga f e hu.
Ke ti nginga,
Ke ti gbia hu,
Ke ti menga.
Ke ti jango,
Ke ti mbei menga,
Ke ti ha.
Ke nu wai i ndea,
Ye, ji wo gi ndea.
Nge, ba dogboi luwi ba ha
lo.
Ye, ta ji bi hanga.
And he carried the rice,
And he went to the farm
And he said to his wife,
And (to) her son,
He said, Come here,
Let us plant the rice.
And they put it in the ground,
And they went home.
And they slept.
At dawn they went to their farm-
hut.
He said they were to plant the
rice.
He said, When they had planted
the rice they could go away.
And the ears of rice appeared.
And they went to the farm
To cut the rice.
They threshed it,
And they put it on the drying-
frame,
And it dried.
And they took it,
They put it in the mortar.
He said, When they put it in
the mortar, they were to
beat it.
And they took it out of the
mortar,
And they put it in the pot.
And they cooked it,
And they took it out,
And they ate it.
And they three,
They ate the rice,
And they died.
And the big man said,
Saying, I told you before.
I said, do not clear the bush (or)
you will die.
He said, Therefore you have died.
STORIES 205
Ye, nu ji mbe indea bima, v He said, This person here told
you,
Ye ba ji we; Saying, Do not do this ;
Bi penga lo, If you do it,
Ba ha lo fe. You will surely die.
Nu wai i ye ba ji pe, ba pe. If a big person says do not do
this, do not do it.
Igboyoai. It is finished.
Mu kelema mia lo. Ditto.
IV.
TJie Devil who took a Human Wife.
Haiwai i ya kome tei hu.
Ke nyahei, i longa a ngie.
Ye nga bia jolo.
Ke i nyahei wuinbu,
Ke ti ya peli hu,
Ke ngi loi.
Ke ti ya dogboi hu.
Ke ti ya tei hu.
Haiwai a numu me.
Nyahei na ke ngi loi ti ya
dogboi hu.
Haiwai ye, nge bi me.
Ye, nga bi jolo lo.
A ngi bumbu i li pele bu.
Ngelewo Haiwai ilipelima.
I nunga lo,
I ti ho,
I ya a tie pele bu,
Ngi nyahei 6 numui me.
I li dogboi hu.
I li, i huei hou.
I wala ngi nyahei we.
Ngi nde wuli i hiya.
I nde ngi ndei ma,
Muli.
Ke ti hijenga,
Ke ti ya.
The bush-devil went to a meeting
in the town.
And the woman, he liked her.
He said, I will marry you.
And he took the woman,
And they went into the road,
And her child (also).
And they went into the bush.
And they went into the town.
The devil eats man.
That woman and her child went
into the bush.
The devil said, I will not eat you.
He said, I will marry you.
He takes her, he goes into the
house.
At daylight the devil goes into
the road.
He sees (some) people,
He catches them,
He took them home,
His wife would not eat man.
He went into the bush.
He goes, he catches an animal.
He brings it to his wife.
Her little brother got up.
He said to his sister,
Let us go.
And they got up,
And they went.
206
STOEIES
207
Haiwai i ngi nde vvuli
honga.
Ye, bi li bi wala bi ndewe.
I hiya, i li.
I ngi ndewe male.
I nde ngi ma, ye,
Hiye mu li.
Ke Haiwai i nde ngi mbi-
lema, ye,
Bs li a nya nyahei gbindi.
Ke ngelewa, ke ngi ndei
ke i mbumbiia,
Ke ti hitia peli hu.
Ke ti ya,
Ke ti njei malenga,
Njei ngolongo,
Ke ti gele njei ma.
Ke Haiwai i hiya.
I tQnga ti ma peli hu,
Ke i ti malenga,
Ke i ya peli hu,
Ke i ndea tima, ye,
Wsli.
Wa, a mu yama.
Ta wa ye, bi nyaha joro wo,
Ye, e gua ti wele.
Ye na ngi nyaha golini wo.
Ye, 6 gua ti wele
Yeka njei i beli.
Ye ke njei i gule mu gulo,
Mu li ma nya ndewe,
Ye mu gbi mu hite mu yei
ma.
The devil caught her little
brother.
He said, Go and fetch your
sister.
He got up, he went.
He met his sister.
He said to him, saying,
Get up, let us go.
And the devil said to his brother-
in-law, saying,
You must not go with my wife
to-night.
And at daybreak her brother
took her,
And they reached the road.
And they went,
And they came to a river
(water),
A large (piece of) water,
And they stopped at the water.
And the devil got up.
He followed them in the road,
And he overtook them,
And he came into the road,
And he said to them, saying,
You must not go.
Come, let us return.
Moreover he said, If you have
married a wife,
He said she cannot return home.
He said, Now I have married a
wife.
He said, She must not return
unto her country
Until the water dries up.
But (the other) said, May the
water dry up in front of us,
So that I and my sister may go
on,
He said, and that we may all
reach our country.
208
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Ye gbe gombui i gula mu
lua hu.
Ke gombui i gula ti lua hu.
Ke Haiwai i wotia i yama
ngi weletahu.
Ke i yama,
Ke i ndea ngi loi ma, ye,
Nunga wo ngi ti houni,
Ye ti ya ti wetahu, ke nya
ndopoi.
Ke i ndea ngi kei ma,
Ye, nga lilo.
Ye, ngi wa be nyabeina,
ke bi lenga lo.
Ke i ya i bite tei hu.
Ke i ndea nyapui ma,
Ye, nga wa ngi nde bima,
Ye, mu yama.
Ke i ndea ngima, ye,
Nge wama.
Ye, gbele ?
Ke Haiwai i wa,
Ti ngi hounga,
Ke ti bumbu.
Ti ya peli hu,
Ke ti yombui ngatea,
Ke ti Haiwai hounga,
Ke ti ngi ngilinga,
Ke ti bumbu,
Ke ti pilia ngombui ya,
Ke i hanga.
He said, Let fire fall between us.
And fire fell between them.
And the devil turned and re-
turned to his own (lit. home)
town.
And he returned,
And he said to his son, saying,
The people I caught the other
day,
He said, they have gone back to
their country with my boy.
And he said to his father,
He said I will go.
He said, I bring the woman here,
and your children.
And he went, he arrived at the
town.
And he said to the girl,
He said, I come to tell you,
He said (that) we (must) return.
And she said to him, saying,
I shall not come.
He said, What is the matter 1
And the devil came,
(and) they caught him,
And they took him.
They went into the road,
And they lit a fire,
And they seized the devil,
And they bound him,
And they took him,
And they threw him on the fire,
And he died.
End.
V.
Tlie Twins and their Brother.
Tamoi mia wo,
I hiye i nyahei solo.
I ndgi le fere.
Felanga atie.
Ti lakpa.
Ke ti nde wulQi fela angle.
I li kplo.
Ti yei a mbe yili ;
I kpia hu ;
I pu peleti hu.
Ti wa mbei mem a ;
Ti mbei me ;
Ti peleti ngulo.
I nde ti ma, ye,
Gbele?
Ye, nga mbei yili we,
Ke wa peleti wulo.
Ye, wu ndewe i ya WQ
kolo.
Ye, we li na,
Ye, wa wa ngi.
Ta va ye mu lima na.
Ye mu wa angie.
Toll i loi ngitiya.
I veli ngi ma ;
Ye, mu lima lo.
Ye, toli gi nda be.
Once upon a time there was a
man,
He arose, he married a woman.
She bore two children.
They were twins.
They grew up.
And their little brother was their
senior.
He went up country.
Their mother cooks rice ;
She takes it out ;
She puts it into a plate.
They come to eat rice ;
They eat rice ;
They break the plate.
She said to them, saying,
What is the matter 1 ?
That I cook the rice,
And you break the plate.
She said, Your brother has gone
up country.
She said, Suppose you go there,
And you bring him.
Accordingly he said, Let us go
there.
He said, Let us bring him.
A kola tree stood outside.
He said good-bye to her ;
1 He said, We are going.
He said, The kola I planted here.
1 Apparently one of the twins speaks for the two.
209
210 THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Ye, i gbenda i gula ndome, He said, When it ripens and falls
to the ground,
Ye ke mua wama. He said, we will come back.
Ke ti ya ti ndewe woma And they went after their
brother
Ke ti wala ti nje we. To bring him to their mother.
Incomplete.
NOTE. Twins do not count. Their younger brother is
reckoned their senior. The child born after twins is called
" fela."
VI.
Tine Boy who fell into a Hole.
Tamoi mia wo.
I hiye i nyahei solo.
I ndoi le gboto.
Ngi lenga ti lakpa.
Moremo a ti lenga.
Ti li dogboi hu.
Ti ndowe male foni hu.
Ti ndewe ti wili dowei hu.
Ti wama tei hu,
Ti kei i ti moli, ye,
Wu ndewe ta mindo ?
Te, i wa.
Te, mu ngi loni.
Ke ti kei i velia tima, ye,
A li, nya ndiamoi gama
kolo.
Ti hiya, ti ya.
Ngi ndiamoi i hiya kolo.
Ta wama ngi ndiamoi
gama.
I gbia foni hu,
Ye, nja gboli miii lo nyama.
I ndea ngi lengd ma, ye,
A li, wu nje wull wala mbe.
There was once a man.
He got up, he married a wife.
She bore many children.
Her children grew up.
Some of them were Mori x men.
They went into the bush.
They met a hole in the grass
country.
They threw their brother into
the hole.
When they came into the town,
Their father asked them, saying,
Where is your brother ?
They said, He is coming.
They said, We have not seen him.
And their father sent them off,
saying,
Go to my friend up country.
They got up and went.
His friend started from up coun-
try.
He was coming to his friend.
He came out of the grass country,
He said, I want water to drink.
He said to his children, saying,
Go and bring a little water to me.
1 Mori, corruption
writer, etc.
of Moor, means magician, or Arabic charm
212
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Ke ngi lenga ke ti ya nja
lowei me ( = ma),
Ke ti nje ndowe hu,
Ke ti nde wuli malia na
dowei hu.
Ke ti geyei ke ti ngilia fe
ngi bolui ma,
Ke ti ndewe i fei honga,
Ke i vembia la.
I hoa,
Ke ti tenga ngiyema.
Ke ti yama,
Ke ti denga ti kei ma, te,
Mu ndewe ji wo i wili dowe
hu.
Te, mu gbia ndow6 hu.
Ke ti kei ngi yamai abwale.
E nu lo.
Ke ti hale ti gbia angie.
Ti sia ngi yama,
Ke i bawonga.
Ke ngi kei nyahei jolonga.
Ke ngi kei i ngi hounga.
Eli.
Ngombui i ngate.
I nde nunga ma, ye,
A wa mu nya loi hou,
Mu lila.
Mu pili ngombui hu.
Ke ngi yei i ndenga ngi
kei ma, ye,
Bi nya loi hoa,
Ye bi panga,
Ye nya be, ye, ngi hama.
Ke i ya a pime.
And his children went to a water
hole,
And they descended into the
water hole,
And they found their small
brother there in the hole.
And they tied a rope to the neck
of a pot,
And their brother caught the
pot,
And he caught hold of it.
He held it,
And they raised him to the edge.
And they returned,
And they told their father, say
ing,
This is our brother who threw
himself into the hole.
They said, We have pulled him
out of the hole.
And their father's eyes hurt.
He saw no body.
And they found medicine for
him.
They rubbed it on his eyes,
And he was cured.
And his father took his wife
again.
And his father caught him.
He goes.
He lit a fire.
He said to the people, saying,
Come let us catch my child,
Let us take him.
Let us throw him in the fire.
And his mother said to his
father, saying,
You have caught my child,
She said, if you kill him,
She said, I too shall die.
And she ran off.
STORIES
213
I njei malenga.
I wili njei hu.
I ha.
Ke ngi kei ke ta be i
hiyenga.
Ye nya be gi lima.
Ye, ngi li gi lo njei hu.
I gboyoa.
She came to the water.
She threw herself into the water.
She died.
And his father he too arose.
He said, I too am going.
He said, I am going to put an
end to myself in the water.
It is finished.
VII.
The Boy stolen by a Devil.
Nyapui i hiye.
I hini joro.
Ti ndQi de.
Hindgi hijia ngelewo,
Ti li kpalei ma.
I ndoi la,
I hiye i li nguri gbua
(gbia) me.
Haiwai i wa,
I ndopui mbumbu,
I lila ngi wetahu.
Ngi yei i wa gbwela ;
I ndpi loni ;
I wolo.
I hiye, i li tei hu.
I nde ngi hini ma, ye,
Ngi ndgi loni.
Ngi hini i hiye,
I wa gbwe la.
I kok'oi j
I toni.
Ti yama tei hu.
Hawai a li dogboi hu ;
A mehei bumbu,
A wala ndoi we a me.
I lakpa.
Hawai i li.
(Hawai gbatengo.)
I hiye.
NdQpQi i hiye i li.
A woman got up.
She married a husband.
They bore children.
The man rose early,
They went to the farm.
She laid down her child,
She got up, she went to pull up
sticks.
A devil came,
He took the child,
He took it home.
Its mother came to the hut ;
She did not see the child j
She cries.
She got up, she went into the
town.
She said to her husband, saying,
I do not see the child.
Her husband got up,
He came to the hut.
He looked for it ;
He did not see it.
They returned into the town.
The devil goes into the bush ;
He takes food,
He brings it to the child to eat.
It grew up.
The devil goes.
(The devil was rich.)
He gets up.
The boy gets up, he goes.
214
STORIES
215
Hawai i li pebu.
Ndopoi i kule bumbu.
I njl buinbu.
I hiye, i li ngi kei gama.
Ta ngi kei ti lo.
I nde ngi ma, ye,
Hewa lo wo i ya ange
dogboi hu.
I nde ngi kei ma, ye,
Mu li Hewai ngi wetei hu,
Mu navgi bumbu.
Ke ti ya sawa Hewai we
ta wai hu.
Ti li ti jango,
Ti navoi bumbu.
Ke Hawai i IQ tima.
Hi.
Ti gbua pelagbame,
Ti hei na.
Ke ndOpOi i ndea ngi kei
ma, ye,
Hewai ta wama.
Ke Hewai i wa ;
Ke i ndea ndopoi ma, ye,
Gbwele, gbe nya navoi bi
bumbu ]
Ye, Be lila.
Ke ndopoi i hiya.
I nde ngi kei ma, ye,
Ali.
Ye, ma Hewai mu lo,
Ke ngi kei i ya ngi weta
hu,
Ke ndopoi ta hewai ti ya-
ma Hewai wetahu.
Ke Hewai i ndopoi honga,
I ngua pebu.
I pele gbo ngi ma.
Ke kpindi i wa.
The devil goes indoors.
The boy takes a cloth.
He takes a goat.
He gets up, he goes to his father.
He and his father saw each other.
He said to him, saying,
It was a devil who took me into
the bush long ago.
He said to his father, saying,
Let us go to the devil's own
town,
And take away his money.
And they three went to the
devil's house in the town.
They went, they three,
They took the money.
And the devil followed them.
He goes.
They came out to the cross road,
They sat down there.
And the boy said to his father,
saying, _
The devil is coming.
And the devil came ;
And he said to the boy, saying,
Why have you taken my money ?
He said, You must not take it
away.
And the boy got up.
He said to his father,
Go.
He said, I and the devil remain,
And his father went to his own
town,
And the boy and the devil re-
turned to the devil's town.
And the devil caught the boy,
He put him in the house.
He shut him into the house.
And night came.
216
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Ke ndppQi i maluvinga a
Hawai.
I gbua i li ngi kei gama.
I li ta ngi kei ti hiye ti li
dogboi hu.
Hale ji wo ngi kei vea ;
I mbumbu ;
I fengie.
Ti li pe wai ma ;
Tihi.
Ke nunga ke ti wa,
Ke Hawai ke i hindoi hou.
I pa, i mbumbu,
I fe ngi loi we.
Ke ti hiya,
Ke ti wa ti wetahu.
Ke i ngilia, i mbumbu,
I f e ngi ye.
Ye, nge me.
Ke kpindi i welenga.
Ke i gbua ngitiya.
Ke hale gbwele i mbumbua.
Ke i mbogbwe bumbua.
I ya ngi kei gama ;
Ke i wa pele bu ;
Ke ngi kei nji hu ;
Ke i ngi kei hoa ;
Ke i ngi kei wanga.
Ke i hiya i hitia peli hu.
Ke i ndenga ngi ke lenga
ma,
A mu li.
Ke ti ya,
Ke ti fonga.
Ke i ngi kei malea,
And the boy turned into a devil.
He came out, he went to his
father.
He went, (and) he and his father
they got up (and) they went
into the bush.
His father had given him this
medicine of old;
He took it;
He gave it to him.
They went to the road ;
They sat down.
And people came,
And the devil caught a man.
He killed him, he carried him,
He gave him to his son.
And they arose,
And they came to their town.
And he cooked him, (and) he
took him,
He gave to him.
He said, I will not eat it.
And night came.
And he went out.
And he took all the medicine.
And he took a cutlass.
He went to his father (the devil) ;
And he came indoors ;
And his father (devil) was asleep;
And he seized his father ;
And he killed his father.
And he went (and) he reached
the road.
And he said to his father's chil-
dren,
Let us go.
And they went,
And they arrived.
And he met his father (i. e, own
father),
STORIES
217
Ke i ndea ngi kei ma,
Ye, Hawai wo ngi ngi pa.
Ye, ngi lengA lo.
Ke i ndea ngi kei ma, ye,
Ngi wai lo a hale.
Ke kpindi wela.
Ke ti wa pelebu,
Ta ngi kei ti fere.
Ke i hale gbua.
Ke i henga.
Ke ngi kei i ndea ngima, ye,
Hale ji bi wai la,
Ye, mu kole.
Ye, nya ndei ve.
Ke ngi kei ngi ndei vea.
Ke ti ya ngi kei we pebu.
And he said to his father,
Saying, I have killed the devil.
And his children.
And he said to his father, saying,
I have brought the medicine.
And night came.
And they came into the house,
He and his father, they two.
And he took out the medicine.
And he sat down.
And his father said to him, say ing,
This medicine that you have
brought,
He said, Let us divide (it).
He said, Give me my share.
And his father gave him his.
And they went to his father's
house.
VIII.
The Woman who did not wish Ji&r Daughter to be Married.
Nyapoi mia wo,
I ndoi leni.
Ye, numu gbi e soro.
Ndakpaloi ye ga soro.
Ye, numu gbi nya loi jolo
ke a pe lo koti ma.
Ye, yiei ngi kulua.
Ye ke nyahei fembe.
Mame be ye, ngi kulua ;
Ki i nyahei fe ngie.
Ngelewo ke i mbowc bum-
bua.
I li dogboi hu.
I nguri lewe,
I wa nguri,
I pu.
1 pele loni.
I male ngi yemoi i mbei
yilia.
Ye, bi lokoi wu fei hu bi
maiiye gbia,
Bi fembe ngi me.
Nyapoi ye sao.
Ndakp'oi ye, ba na \vi lo.
Ye, nge pili.
Ye, bi na wi lo ga bi mayia
gelo.
There was once a woman,
She bore a child.
She said nobody shall marry her.
The young man said, I will
marry her.
She said, Nobody shall marry my
daughter except he can build
a house on a rock. 1
He said, I accept the condition
(lit. saying).
He said also, Give me the woman.
The old woman also said, I agree ;
And she gave the woman to him.
At daybreak he took a cutlass.
He goes into the bush.
He cuts sticks,
He brings the sticks,
He lays them down.
He did not build the house.
He found his mother-in-law
cooking rice.
He said, Put your hand into the
pot (and) bring out the deli-
cacies (from the bottom),
Give them to me to eat.
The woman said, No.
The young man said, You must
do that.
She said, I cannot.
He said, Do that, or I will make
a complaint against you.
1 This is the equivalent to an impossibility, as holes cannot be dug in
a rock to put the posts in.
218
STORIES
219
Ye nya Igi va ngi nya loko
wu mba gbwandi hu,
Ye, nga pili.
Ndakpo'i ye ba pilo.
Ke i ya i ngi mayia ge.
Ti tewe.
Ti ndakpaloi lemu.
Nyapoi i jelisia molia, ye,
gbe va ngi nde joni ?
Mahanga kpele ti li ti wu
tema.
T, hani fa mu na weni,
t5 mu ya gama loi wo,
Ngiye bi yakpei bi ji wilia.
Tc numu gbl bi ndp le
numu hani gbl fa be,
Ke ta pe IQ kotu ma.
Tc ji na dakpaloi kabande
i gula bi ya.
Ke bi loi fe ngi ye i lila.
Ke i ndgi fenga.
Ta yakpei i longa heini.
Ndakpaloi be I >pe loi kotui
ma.
Nyapoi be I ngi loko wuai
mbei bu,
A kpia a fe ngi mbele we.
I li i hei na gbwama fu
ikelemei.
She said, For the sake of my child
to put my hand in the hot rice,
She said, I will not do so.
The young man said, You shall
do so.
And he went to make his accusa-
tion.
They decide.
They give the case in favour of
the young man.
The woman asked the judges,
saying, Wherein was I wrong ?
(lit. Why did I get the lie 1)
All the chiefs they go, they
debate.
They said, We did that, because,
they said, we have never seen
such a case before,
Until you did this.
They said, Nobody who has ever
borne a child has made such a
condition that no man shall
get her,
Except he build a house on a rock.
They said, See how the young
man has put you into the
wrong.
So give him your daughter and
let him take her away.
And she gave her daughter.
She remained sitting there alone.
And the young man did not build
the house on the rock.
The woman also did not put her
hand in under the rice,
To take something out and give
it to her son-in-law.
She goes, she sits down there,
having gained nothing.
The end.
IX.
The Spider and the Maggot.
Kasiloi ke bawe.
Kasiloi i kpale la,
Ke bawe be i gbale la.
Kasiloi i nunga longa,
Ye, ti li ti ngi yenge wili.
Ke bawe i gbia,
Ke i nunga longa,
Ye, a mu li mu nya yenge
wili.
Bawe ye siloi lenga ma, ye,
Wa yenge siloi we.
Kasiloi na ye gboli lo kohu.
Ye, bia bi lini silo i yen-
geme,
Ye, be mehe nene me.
Ye, a mu li mu yenge we.
Ga wu go lo a mehe neni.
Ke ngelewonga,
Ke ti ya bawe yengeme.
Ke bawe ngi nyanga
Ke ti mbei yilia gengebra
we.
Ndahani gbi ta pu bei ma.
The spider and the maggot.
The spider laid out a farm,
And the maggot too laid out a
farm.
The spider sent men,
Saying, they were to go and do his
work.
And the maggot went out,
And he sent people,
Saying, Let us go and do my
work.
The maggot said to the spider's
labourers (lit. children),
Do not work for the spider.
That spider has only dirt in his
belly.
He said, If you go and work for
the spider,
He said, you will not eat nice
food.
He said, Let us go and work.
I will give you nice food.
And when daylight came,
(And) they went to work for the
maggot.
And the maggot's wives
Cooked rice for the labourers.
There was no meat to put on the
rice.
220
STORIES
221
Ke bawe nyahangesia ti ngi
iQlinga,
Ts, mu mbei yilinga nge-
ngebela we,
Ke hani gbi ma.
Ye a f e hei ngombui ya.
Ke fe i gbwande kaka
igbowu. 1
Bawe ye ngi nyanga ma a
nya wi fei hu.
Ke ti ngi wilia fe gbande
hu.
Ta ngi wote,
Ngi wului i gbia gboto.
I fe wai na lave kpa ke
ladi na.
Ti ngengebela loli, ti wa.
Ke bawe vulunga ti pu
mbei ma.
Ngengebla ti me.
Bawe 1 hani.
Ngengebra ke ti ngi lato.
Ke siloi be ke i ndea ge-
ngeb'ra ma, ye,
A mu li nya kpae,
Ma yenge pi lo ; kea kpwa-
we i peni,
Ye, ga pe lo.
Ke ngengebra ti ya ngiye
kpama.
Kasiloi ngi nyanga
Ke ti mbei yilia ;
Ndahani gbi ma.
Ke ti siloi lolea,
Te, wa mbei gama.
Ke ngengebra ti me.
Ke hani gbi ma.
Ye, a fe he nga.
And the maggot's wives called
him,
Saying, We have cooked rice for
the labourers,
And there is nothing on it.
He said, Put the pot on the fire.
And the pot got very hot (until)
it boiled over.
The maggot said to his wives,
Throw me into the pot.
And they threw him into the hot
pot.
They turn him,
(So that) his fat came out plenty.
He filled that big pot completely
with his fat (ladi = lard an
adopted word).
They call the labourers, they come.
And the maggot was alive, and
they put him back on the rice.
The labourers ate.
The maggot did not die.
And the labourers praised him.
And the spider also said to the
labourers, saying,
Let us go to my farm,
We will work; as the maggot
did,
He said, so will I do.
And the labourers went to him
to the farm.
The spider's wives
Cooked rice;
There was no meat on it.
And they called the spider,
Saying, Come to the rice.
And the labourers ate.
And there was nothing on it.
He said, Put the pot on.
1 Same as ripening of fruit.
222
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Ke ti fei henga.
Ke fei gbwandinga.
Ye ngi nyanga ma,
Nya fei gbwandi hu.
Ke ngi nyanga ti ngi wilia
fe gbwandi hu.
Ke ngi yongolui gewia
(gewo).
Ke i gbua fei hu.
Ke i yili gulanga.
Ke i ngengebra lolinga.
Hani gbi mbei ma ta me.
Ke ti ngi yelea, te,
Be ge, hinde bawe a pi ba
pi lo.
Te, bi bele nyania.
Ke bawe ta ngi wili fe
gbwandi hu,
Ngi wuli i gbia lo,
I fei ve kpa.
Ke ngengebra ti me ;
Ti goi ve,
Ke ti ya tei hu.
Ke kasiloi gbele nyania.
And they put the pot on.
And the pot got hot.
He said to his wives,
My pot is hot.
And his wives threw him into
the hot pot.
And his teeth burnt.
And he made dirt in the pot.
And he screamed out (dropped
lit.) a yell.
And he called the labourers.
There was nothing on the rice for
them to eat.
And they laughed at him, saying,
You said the other day that
what the maggot did you
would do.
They said, Your reputation is
spoiled.
But the maggot whom they threw
into the hot pot,
His fat came out,
(And) he filled the pot completely.
And the labourers ate ;
They filled their bellies,
And they went home (lit. into
the town).
But the spider's reputation was
spoilt.
X.
The Spider and the Bush Goat.
Kasilo'i mia wo ;
I ndenga leni.
Twa wuli i ndenga le
gboto.
Kasiloi ke i kpae la.
Twa wuli i kpae la.
Mehe gbl na a pu kpalei
hu.
Kasiloi be i kpae la.
Mehe gbl na a pu kpae
hu.
Twa wuli lenga ti jijiama
dogboi hu,
Ke ti ya ti guwe male.
Mehe ylngoi (= yilingoi)
ngovvi ya gbl.
Ke ti yama, dole tima, ti
yetahu.
Ke ti ndenga ti kei ma,
T5, mu ya dogboi hu,
Mu ya ;
Mu mba ylngoi lo nga ngQ-
we hu.
Ke ti kei i ndea tima, ye,
Ngelewo sina mu li na.
Ti yi gbue.
Ngelewo ke ti ya na bei
gama nguwe hu.
There was once a spider ;
He bore children.
The bush goat bore many
children.
The spider laid out a farm.
The bush goat laid out a farm.
There was no rice to plant in the
farm.
The spider also laid out a farm.
There was no rice to plant in the
farm.
The bush goat's children walked
about in the bush,
And they went and came across
a silk cotton tree.
There was cooked food at the
very top of the cotton tree.
And they returned, hungry, to
their home.
And they said to their father,
Saying, We went into the bush,
We went ;
We saw cooked rice in the cotton
tree.
And their father said to them,
saying,
At daybreak to-morrow we go
there.
They slept that night.
At daybreak they went there to
the rice in the cotton tree.
223
224
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Ke ti ya.
Ke ti hitia bei ma ;
Dole tima.
Te, ma ye pe mu mbei ji
me?
Ke ngaf e i yia nguri hu, ye,
Wu yia, wu pe, wu mbei ji
me.
Ye foma i ye na,
I la mbei na mahu.
Ndewe yira mia,
Ke mbei na ta ngi menga.
Ke twa wuli na i ndea
mbei ma,
Ye, mbei na mia !
Bi hei gurl hu !
Wa bi nya le yira,
Gi bi me.
Ke mbei na i yenga ;
I ngi vogba ;
I gula ndome.
Lo woita i bumbu dome,
Ke i ngi mbei venga,
Ke i yala ngi yetahu.
Kasiloi ke i mbei ji longa.
Ke i twa wuli molia, ye,
Bi mbei ji joi mi lo ?
Ye, ngi mbei ji loni dogboi
hu nguwe wai hu.
Ye, na ge ange nya be gi
mba me.
Twa wuli ye ngi ma,
A mu li ngelewo.
Ke ti yinga.
Ngelewa, ke ti ya dogboi
hu mbei gama.
Kasiloi ke i mbei longa.
And they went.
And they reached the rice ;
They were hungry.
(And) they said, How can we
arrange to eat this rice ?
And the spirit spoke in the tree,
saying,
You talk about what you must
do to eat this rice.
He said, A whip is there,
It lies on the top of that rice.
It is one cut,
And that rice can be eaten.
And the (lit. that) bush goat said
to the rice,
Saying, You rice there !
That are sitting in the tree !
Come and beat me once,
So that I may eat you.
And the rice came down ;
It thrashed him ;
He fell to the ground.
Six days (later) he picked himself
up from the ground,
And he gave him his rice,
And he took it away home (lit.
home, town, inside).
And the spider saw this rice.
And he asked the bush goat,
saying,
Where did you get this rice 1
He said, I saw this rice in the
bush in the big cotton tree.
He said, Now show me (so that)
I too may eat rice.
The bush goat said to him,
Let us go at daylight.
And they slept.
At daybreak they went into the
bush to the rice.
And the spider saw the rice.
STORIES
225
I twa wuli moli ye,
Ba ye pe ge ba mbei ji
me?
Ye, mbei na mia gi li na
yira gowe na hu.
Ngafei lo, ngi wo mia
a mbei na.
Ye, bia bi mbei na me,
Ye, bi f omesia loma ?
Ye, I.
Ye, ndS yira i ye lo na.
Ye, ndg pu i ye lo na.
Ye, nde nu fere gboyongo
i ye lo na.
Ye, nde nu sawa gboyongo
i ye lo na.
Ye, nde nu lolu gboyongo
i ye lo na.
Kasiloi ye, hindolqi ange
nya yakpei va.
Ye, nya longo a nde nu
lolu gboyongo raba galui
va.
KasilQ'i ye, mbei na mia !
Bi heini ngpwe na hu,
Wa bi nya lewe numu lolu
gboyongo,
Gi bi me.
Mu nya lenga gbwele mu
go i ve.
Ke mbei i yenga i ngi lewe
yira.
Ke i gula ndome.
Nika nani ba galui ta mia
i ngi leweni.
I ngi lewe i gula ndome.
15
He asked the bush goat, saying,
How did you manage the other
day to eat this rice ?
He said, (As to) that rice over
there, I went there once to
that cotton tree.
It is a devil, (and) that rice be-
longs to him.
He said, You who eat the
rice,
He said, do you see the whips ?
He said, Yes.
He said, One cut is there.
He said, Ten cuts are there.
He said, Forty cuts are there.
He said, Sixty cuts are there.
He said, One hundred cuts are
there.
The spider said, I am a man
myself.
He said, I am willing (to take) a
hundred cuts for a bowl of
rice.
The spider said, You rice there !
Who are sitting in that cotton
tree,
Come and give me a hundred cuts,
And I will eat you.
It will fill mine and all my
children's bellies.
And the rice came down and gave
him one cut.
And he fell to the ground.
It beat him terribly (lit. as big
as a dish to hold rice and four
cows).
It beat him ; he fell to the
ground.
226 THE MENDE LANGUAGE
I lQ i ngi lema. It left off beating him.
I gu a f Q yira For a whole year (lit. it reached
one year)
I mbei meni. He ate no food (lit. rice).
Ke ndole i ngi wa. And hunger killed him.
Kelemei. The End.
XI.
The Okro Tree.
Nyapgi mia wo,
I ndQi le.
ISTgi IQI nyandengo wa.
Ngi IQI i nyalQi.
Ye numu gbi e soro.
Ke i bonde henga.
Bondo wuli ke i w8l5a.
Ke bonde ke i wa.
Numu gbi e bonde me.
Bonde nyapoi wele woma.
Kgli i bondo wuli hu.
NyapQi ye nya loi ngi nde-
ni.
Numu gbi a bi solo,
Ke i nya bondo wuli ji wo.
Ke numu yira i wa ;
Hota lakpalQi angie.
Ye, bi bi iQi vembe.
Ye, nga bi bondo wuli ji
wo lo.
Ke i kQm vea ngiye.
Ta nyahei ti yi lailo.
Ngelewo i mbogbwe wu-
mbu,
I k<?ni wumbu,
There was once a woman,
She bore a child.
Her child was very beautiful.
Her child was a girl.
She said, Nobody shall marry
her.
And she planted the okro tree.
And the okro tree grew big.
And the okro fruit came also.
Nobody could eat the okro.
The okro was behind the woman's
house.
There was a snail in the okro
tree.
The woman said, I have borne
the child.
Nobody shall marry you,
Except he cut down this my okro
tree.
And one man came ;
He was a stranger.
He said, Give me your child.
He said, I will cut down this
okro tree of yours.
And she gave him an axe.
He and the girl lay down to
sleep.
At daybreak he took the cutlass,
He took the axe,
227
228
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
I ya bondo wuli wome.
I po ka ka.
I nguli gohu gbia.
I ye kine gulama,
Ke kQli ji i jia guli wome,
Ke nguli i yama,
HQ;
gulani.
Ndakpaloi na i nguli wo
fo pu;
Nguli e gula.
Ke i lowua,
Ke i ya ti yei ;
I gbaha guli ma.
Ke numu yira ke i wa.
Ye, nga nguri ji wo lo gi
kuld.
Numu gboto ta nguli ji wo
ta gbaha ma.
Ke ndakpaloi yira tei ji
hu yafango.
Ke i ndea ndakpaloima ye,
Nyaha yira I gele nyahei
ji ma.
Ye, gbe nyahei ji hinda ma.
Ye, ga bi go lo a nyaha.
Ndakpalpii be ye sao.
Ye, nyahei ji ta bondo wuli
ji wo ngi woma,
Ye, nga ye nyahei ji lo
soro?
Ke i ya nyapQi gama
Ngi WQ a ndoi.
He went to cut down the okro
tree.
He cut hard.
He took out the tree's inside.
It was nearly falling,
But this snail it walked down
the back of the tree,
And the tree was restored,
It stood ;
It did not fall.
That young man cut at the tree
for ten years ;
The tree did not fall.
And he hid himself,
And went to his (lit. their)
country ;
He was tired of the tree.
And another person came.
He said, I will cut this tree and
fell it.
Plenty of people cut at this tree
(until) they were tired.
But there was one young man
in this town who was a tale-
bearer.
And he said to the young man,
saying,
This is not the only woman.
He said, Leave this woman's
affairs alone.
He said, I will give you a
wife.
But the young man said, No.
He said, This woman and this
okro tree it is that I am
after,
He said, How can I manage to
marry this woman ?
And he went to the woman
Whose was the child.
STORIES
Ye, ngi wa ngi bi loi jolo.
Ye, kulongo le.
Ye ke, nyaloi ji nu gbi
a bi soro.
Ye be nya go a navo fa,
Bi nya bondo wuli wo.
Ye ngi kurua.
Ngelewo ti koni ve ngi ye.
Ti kpe mbogbwe ma.
I li nguli wome.
I luva poma kpeng.
I ye kine gulama.
Ke kolT ji i jia gull ma,
Ke nguli i yama,
I 15.
Ndakpoi be I yiani.
Mbogwe ke koni ke i ndowa
bondo wuli bu.
Ke i ya,
I nde ngi yemoi ma,
Ye, ngi nguli wonga,
Ke kolT ji i jia nguli ma,
Nguli e gulani.
Ke ti ya kpokoi,
Ke ti la ta ngi nyahei.
Ke i ngi nyahei molin,
Ye, bi longo ange 1
Nyahei ye, I.
Ye, nya longo abio.
Ye ke pTl! ngi bondo wuli
gtila.
Ye ngi kurua.
He said, I come to marry your
daughter.
She said, All right.
She said also, This my daughter,
anybody can marry you.
She said, You must not give
me money for her,
But you must cut down my okro
tree.
He said, I accept (the condition).
At daybreak they gave him the
axe.
They add the cutlass.
He goes to cut down the tree.
He spent all day cutting.
It was nearly falling.
But this snail walked over the
tree,
And the tree returned,
It stood.
But the young man did not
speak.
He hid the cutlass and the axe
under the okro tree.
And he went,
He said to his mother-in-law,
Saying, I cut the tree,
But this snail walked over the
tree,
(And) the tree did not fall.
And they went at evening,
And they lay down, he and his
(intended) wife.
And he asked his (intended)
wife,
Saying, Do you like me ?
The woman said, Yes.
She said, I like you.
He said, Then make mo able to
throw down the okro tree.
She said, I agree.
230
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Ye nga pe bi nguli gula.
Ye hani fa gi ji wilima bi
ye
Ngi nya longo able fa mia.
Ye, yi bondo wuli wu
toma.
Ye, nu bia ba po,
Ye, ba po a kpnu.
Ye, miji bumbu bi pola.
Bi ho yeya ni.
Ye bi kpakpa ma yira.
Ye, bi ndi( = nde), be, kulo !
bondo ! abie !
Ye, bi wa bi la.
Ye, ba lo lai ji hu lo ke
nguli i gula.
Ke ngelewa.
Ndakpaloi i miji bumbu,
I ho yeya,
Hi.
I nde guli ma,
Ye, Bondo ! kolo ! abie !
I miji kpakpa nguli ma.
I hiye na,
Ili,
Ha,
lyi.
115,
I lai lo ji hu.
Ke nguli i gula.
Ke na i gboyoa a ngi ndei
na.
Ngelewo ndakpalQi ye nya-
pgima,
She said, I will make you able
to throw down this tree.
She said, The reason I do this
for you
Is that I like you.
She said, It is my mother's okro
tree you are looking at.
She said, If you are going to cut
it down,
She said, you will not cut it
with an axe.
She said, Take a needle to cut it.
You hold it in your hand so.
She said, You hammer on it
once.
She said, You say, saying, Snail
and okro ! you !
She said, (Then) come and lie
down.
She said, You will go and lie
down to sleep, and the tree
falls.
And day dawned.
The young man took the needle,
He held it in his hand,
He went.
He said to the tree,
Saying, Okro ! snail ! you !
He stuck the needle into the
tree.
He arose thence,
He went,
He lay down,
He slept.
He left it,
He lay down to sleep.
And the tree fell.
And now he finished his own
part.
At daybreak the young man said
to the woman,
STORIES
231
Ye nya nyahei ve.
Ngelewo nyapoi i ngi
nyahei ve.
Ke nyapoi ke i yinga a
njei.
NdakpalQi na i nyahei na
bumbua,
I lila ti ye.
I gbate,
Ngi lowe i gu ndohu gbi.
Domei gboyoa.
Give me my wife.
At daybreak the woman gave
him his wife.
And the woman went down to
the river (i.e. to drown herself).
The (lit. that) young man took
the woman,
He took her away to his (lit. their)
country.
He grew rich,
His fame reached every country.
The story is finished.
XII.
Tlie Race between tlie Deer and the Snail.
Dope ruia wo.
Ta koli ti mawali honi.
Koli ye,
Nga wime gi le ndopema.
Dope ye,
Nga wime gi le kolima.
Ke ti mawali honga.
Dope nginda bondesia ke
ti navoi yandoa.
Ke koli be,
Ke nginda wongesia
Ke ti navoi yandoa.
Ti navoi yando kuhama
polon.
Ji pele hu woita na mia.
Ti li ti navoi gando na.
Mahanga kpele ti li,
Ti hei na.
Ke koli i jia ngi wonga
kpele mahu.
Ye, ma ndopa mu mawale
honga.
Ye, na mawue mu gbi lo
nde ma,
Ke a nya bo,
Mu li mu navoi ji me.
Ke koli wonga kpele ke
ti luma.
Te, ke ji na bi wa mu gama,
There was once a deer.
He and the snail made a bet.
The snail said,
I can run faster than the deer.
The deer said,
I can run faster than the snail.
And they made a bet.
The deer's own people collected
the money.
And the snail too,
His own relations
Collected the money.
They collected the money in a
far place.
It was six days' journey.
They go, they bring the money
there.
All the chiefs go,
They sit there.
And the snail travels to all his
relations one after the other.
He said, I and a deer have
made a bet.
He said, Now I and you we are
all brothers,
And you must help me,
So that we go and win this
money.
And all the snail's relations
agreed.
They said, You come to us now,
232
STORIES
233
Ma yepe,
Ke ji dope ta a wime
I le muma.
Wa ta wu mawali hounga.
Ye, na wu toma
Ye, ma ndopa mu mawali
honga ;
Ye, kia mue gu a wimela
a mu yala hu-gbate.
Tamia ma gu ndope ma,
Tamia mu mawali a gula
dope ma.
Te ke,
Ma ye pe na mawali ji
i gula?
Ye, na wu toma
Ye, ma ta mu mu mawali
honi.
Ye, nya gi kongo
Kia nga yale ji gula gi gu
ndop6 ma.
Te ke mu kulua.
Ye, ngewa sina,
Ye, wu gbi a wa nya gama.
Ke ngelewa kolisia gbi ti
ndohii
Ke ti wa ti mbai gama.
I ngi mbaisia lowu pelehti.
I li, a ti lekpe pelehu
Ji woita wele nahu :
I li, a ti lekpe na
I fo fa navOi gama.
I yela lowu kawoli hii te
gbelanga.
Ke ngelewonga.
Dope ta kpgwango ;
Nemahii gbina.
Ke i wa kQl! gama,
Ye, mabia ma mawali ho-
nga.
And what are we to do,
For when the deer runs
He passes us.
You and he have made the bet.
He said, You see now
He said, I and the deer have
made the bet;
He said, As we cannot run we
must devise a trick.
So we shall overreach the deer,
And the deer will lose the bet.
And they said,
How now can we manage to win
the bet?
He said, you see now
He said, I and he made the bet.
He said, / know
How to do this trick on the deer.
And they said we agree.
He said, At daybreak to-morrow,
He said, you all come to me.
And at daybreak all the snails
in the country
Came to their companion.
He hid his friends in the road.
He goes, he puts them one by
one in the road
For six days in that road :
He goes, he arranges them there
Until he reaches the money.
He hides one in the rubbish hole
close to the town.
And daylight came.
The deer was a fool ;
He had no sense.
And he came to the snail,
He said, I and you have made a
bet.
234
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Migbe na mu li na
Mu navoi gama ?
KplI ye ndope, ye,
Ba me nyama.
Dopa wa ye koli, ye,
Bi guma a jiala,
Be, mua biamu mawali hou.
Ye, nya mawali a gula lo
bima.
Ye, migbe na mu li 1
Ye, lo woita,
Ye ke mu li navoi gama.
Ye
ye,
Bia yese bi hitia navoi
gama,
Ye ke bi wongd gbele ti
batea.
Bi navoi bumbu bi la,
Kebi mawali i gula nyama.
Ke koli be ke i ndea ndope
ma,
Ye, bia yese bi hugba li
navoi gama,
Ke bi mawali i gula nyama ;
Bi navoi bumbu,
Wa bi wonga kpele,
Ke wu gbatea.
Bi navoi wumbu bi me.
Ke ngelewa.
Ke ndope i wa kQli gama,
Ye koli, ye,
Mu li na-oh.
Koli ye dopema, ye,
Bia yese IQ kulo bia li.
Dope ye kQli ma,
Ye, sao.
Ye, ba me nyama,
When do we go now
For our money ?
The snail said to the deer, saying,
You will not beat me.
The deer himself said to the snail,
saying,
You cannot walk,
You said, however, You would
make a bet with me.
He said, You will lose the bet.
He said, When now do we go ?
(The snail) He said, In six days,
He said also, we shall go for the
money.
(The deer) said to the snail,
saying,
If you reach the money first,
He said, All your relations are
made rich.
Take the money you put down,
And you will win the bet.
And the snail too said to the
deer,
Saying, You go first to the
money,
And you will win the bet ;
Take your money,
Bring all your relations,
And you will (all) be rich.
Take up the money and spend it.
And day dawned.
And the deer came to the snail,
He said to the snail, saying,
Let us go.
The snail said to the deer, saying,
Stand in front of me and go first.
The deer said to the snail,
Saying, No.
He said, Do not follow me,
STORIES
235
Be gu a jiala.
Koli ye, gi kulua.
Ke ti jiei lotoa.
Ke ndope i longa kulo.
I wime kii.
I gbia ke Kumasi nyoko.
Ke i kyli malea ngi gulo.
Ke i kQli molia, ye,
Bia ha
Gi bi longa nya woma,
Tamia bi bia mbe nya gulo.
Ye, nge ya be hugba li.
Ke koli be ke i jia,
I ya,
Ke i lowua.
Dope na ke i wa,
Ke i lia koli ye na ma.
I li a pime polon gbdma.
Kia wo i lini a wime kaka.
Kgli ye na ngi mbai
I ngi lowui kawalehu,
Ke i gbia,
Ke i ya navyi gama.
Dope i IQ pgma,
Ke kpli yese i foa navyi
ma,
Ke mawali i gula dop6 ma.
Ke kgli i navQ wfii na
kpele bumbua.
Ke ndope fulenga,
Te ndope, te,
KQ!I mawali i gula bima.
Te, bi navpi ji jolo.
Te, bia ba wime,
Kyli ta I gu a jiala.
You cannot walk.
The snail said, I agree.
And they started their journey.
And the deer stood in front.
He ran hard.
He came out as it were as far as
Kumasi.
And he met the snail ahead of
him.
And he asked the snail, saying,
Just now
It was you I saw behind me,
Nevertheless here you are in
front of me.
He said, I am not hurrying.
And the snail too he walked off,
He went,
And he hid.
And the deer came,
And he went on to the other
snail.
He ran on far again.
As before he ran hard.
The other snail, whom his
Friend hid in the rubbish hole,
Came out,
And went to the money.
The deer was (lit. stood) behind,
And the snail reached the money
first,
And the deer lost the bet.
And the snail took all that large
sum of money.
And the deer reached there,
They said to the deer, saying,
The snail has won the bet.
They said, You should have got
this money.
They said, You can run,
(But) the snail himself cannot
run.
236
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Wa ta wu jia mawali hou- You and he bet on your walking ;
nga ;
Mawali i gula bima ; You lost ;
Te, be ya navoi ji jo. They said, You did not get this
money.
Ti ndewe, They beat him,
Te, bi hawa wilenga. They said, You were lazy (lit.
made lazy).
Domi vuli i gboyoa. The story is quite finished.
Numu a ye nake a ngenda The person who is here says
bia. good-night to you.
XIII.
The Hornbill and the Dog.
Njeli.
Piaugbe mia wo ta ngila.
Koi i gula.
Ke ti welanga.
Ke ti ya dogboi hu.
Ke ti tei longa na.
Ngelewo piangbe ye ngile
ma, ye,
Mu mu mehe goe.
Ke ti ya mehe goeme.
Ke ti tu gbole malea
(tu short for towe). '
Piangbe ye ngilema,
Ye, mu towui le.
Ke ti towui lenga.
Ke numu e ngi mba layia
gbia hu.
Piangbe ye ngildma, ye,
Tu mu tenga,
Ye, numu e sese.
Ye, lOngoihu ly mu me.
Ngila ye piangbe ma, ye,
Kejina, nya laguli guhango
lie.
Be, muu towui jese.
Story.
There was once a hornbill and a
dog.
War fell.
And they ran away.
And they went into the bush.
And they built a house there.
At dawn the hornbill said to the
dog, saying,
Let us go and find food.
And they went to find food.
And they came across ripe palm-
nuts.
The hornbill said to the dog,
Saying, Let us cut the nuts.
And they cut off the palm-nuts.
Now nobody must disobey his
senior's order.
The hornbill said to the dog,
saying,
We have cut down the bunch of
palm-nuts,
He said, Nobody shall slice off
the nuts.
He said, I^eave the remains for
us to eat.
The dog said to the hornbill,
saying,
Now, my mouth is not long.
You say, We must not cut off
the nuts.
237
238
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Ye ke, kulungo le.
Ye, mu tQwui me.
Piangbe ngi laguli guha
wai na.
A kpakpale towui na ma.
Piangbe i towui na me fo.
I ngila goe.
Kpe gbi a na wile ke a
ngila.
Ngila be ye, kulungo le.
Ye, ke ji na, koi gula ma
bie.
Ye, nya lei I guhani.
Mu tpwui lenga be,
Ilongoihu mu me.
Ye, kulungo le.
Ke ngila be ke i ya
Jijiame dogboi hu.
Ke i komi longa.
Kominga ti wulongo wa.
Te le, ke ngila wa,
Ke i ndea piangbia ma,
Ye, ngi ya ha dogboi hu,
Ye, ngi kominga longa na.
Piangba ye,
Ngelewo sina mu li na,
Mu komisia gbia.
Ke ngelewa
Ke ti ya na.
Ti komi gbia kaha waya-
kpa.
Ngila ye piangba ma,
Ye, komi ji,
Ye, ma fonya fawe ma.
Piangbe ye sao.
Ye, mu kole ka fefele
(ka = kaha).
And he said, All right.
He said, Let us eat the nuts.
The hornbill's beak was very
long.
He hammers on the nuts.
The hornbill eats all that bunch
of nuts.
He did not give any to the dog.
Every time he does so with the
dog.
But the dog said, All right.
He said, Now, there is war with
you.
He said, My mouth is not long.
We have cut the palm-nuts off,
And it is the remains that we
(i. e. I) must eat.
He said, All right.
And so the dog went
To walk about in the bush.
And he saw honey.
The bees were very fat.
So it was, and the dog came,
And he said to the hornbill,
I went to-day into the bush,
He said, I saw bees there.
The hornbill said,
Let us go there to-morrow at
daylight,
And get the bees out.
And at daylight
They went there.
They took out eight baskets of
honey.
The dog said to the hornbill,
He said, This honey,
He said, we will squeeze it on a
ledge of rocks.
The hornbill said, No.
He said, Let us divide the baskets
between us.
STORIES
239
Ngila be ye sao.
Ye, nga lo be wo mu ya
dogboi hu,
Mua ngi mba layia gbia hu.
Piangbe ye, I ;
Ye, mu komi fonya.
Ke ti komi vonya fawe hu.
Fawe hu a li polon.
Ke ti tQtoa na a komi mela.
Ngila i li a komi.
Piangbe ngi lei I hite komi
ma.
Ngi laguli na a jia le fawe-
ma gbama.
Ke i gbalenga piangbe ma.
Ye, ngila,
Hindei ye na bi peni ange 1
Ye, mabia mue ya he hinda
yira.
Ngila be ye kulungo le.
Ngila i komi na me fu.
Ye, ji ge mu gbonga towui
ma,
B5, mue sese.
B5 ge, bi yakpei lo bi
nemahu lengo.
Ye na ba li lo, kere.
Ke piangbe ta ngila
Ke ti ya kolonga mehei
hinde ma.
Ke ngila i piangbia iQi
menga.
Piangbe i wa
I ngila jogba.
Ke ngi!6 i ngi nyia.
Ke i gQwQa,
But the dog said, No.
He said, I was here first in the
bush,
We must observe precedence.
The hornbill said, Yes ;
He said, Let us squeeze the
honey.
And they squeezed the honey on
the rock.
The rock went far.
And they began there to eat the
honey.
The dog licks up the honey.
The hornbill's mouth did not
reach the honey.
His beak walks over the rock in
vain.
And it hurt the hornbill.
He said, Dog,
What have you done to me ?
He said, You and I will not sit
down in one place.
And the dog said, All right.
The dog ate all that honey.
He said, When a short time ago
we joined together for palm-
nuts,
You said, Let us not slice them.
You said, a few days ago, that
you alone had any sense.
He said, Now you can go if you
like.
And the hornbill and the dog
They went away on account of
the food in the place.
And the dog ate the hornbill's
child.
The hornbill comes
To choke the dog.
And the dog bit him.
And he flew,
240 THE MENDE LANGUAGE
I lia ngg ma. He went up to the sky.
Ta mia wo na a kpaui na So it was that he made that cry
will a ngila, ngila, ngila, of dog, dog, dog.
ngila. (Ngila being an imitation of the
bird's cry. )
Igboyoa. It is finished.
XIV.
Tlie Egg-plant and the Woman who talked.
Nyapgi mia wo.
I gbema.
I ndo leni.
Ta ngi banga ti gboni hini
yira ma.
Kpele gbi a lewe dogboi hu,
A wolo,
Ye, A ! Ngewo wa !
Ye, ngi gbo wileni abie,
Nya nge ndo leni 1
Kpele gbi a lewe
A ngole na wile.
Tamo i kpae la tei gbela.
Ti kQj! hi.
KQJ! ke i wa.
Te le, nyapoi ! mbawubela
Ke ti wa ngi hini ye
Kpahu bawume.
Te ngi ma,
Te, bi ndo leni.
Fale, bia ba li,
Bi kpji ji goe,
Bi wa,
Bi ngili ngengebra we.
NyapQi ke i sambe bu-
mbua,
Ke i yd.
Ili,
I fo kyjema.
16
There was once a young woman.
She was barren.
She bore no child.
She and her companions shared
a husband.
She was always wandering in the
bush,
Weeping, (she weeps)
Saying, Oh ! Great God !
Saying, What have I done to you,
That I have borne no child 1
She was always wandering about
And making that weeping.
A man laid out a farm near the
town.
They planted an egg-plant.
And the egg-plant came up.
So it was, that the rice planters
Came to the woman's husband
To plant rice in his farm.
They say to her,
Saying, You have borne no child.
Therefore, go you,
(And) pluck this egg-plant,
Bring it,
(And) cook it for the labourers.
And the young woman took a
basket,
And she went.
She goes,
She reaches the egg-plant.
241
242
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
I ye kQji goema,
A ngole wile,
Ye, ma nya banga gbele
Mu gboa hini ma,
Ti gbi ti ndo lenga,
Nya ngi ndo leni.
Kunayefo ndopq yenge gbi
ta nya loma.
Ye ke, ngewo le.
Te le, ke kpji lyila.
Ke i yia.
Ye nyapoi, ye,
Ke ye wu layia I gboto
Ke ngi bi bawoa,
Nyapoi i wote, ye,
Yo jiei leni?
KOji ye,
Nge nya ge abie.
Ye, ba yepe.
Ye, nge yepe.
Ye ke, jondu le.
Ke i jondua.
Koji ye nyapoi ma, ye,
Nga pe lo bi ndo le.
Ye kulungo le.
Ye ke, ba ye pe na nga
ndgle ?
Ye, bi yama li ( = liwi).
Ke nyapoi i ngi yama linga.
Ke kQji na ke i maluvea a
nyaha. 1
Nyaha lo nyande.
Ye, nyapgi ma,
She was picking the eggs,
And weeping,
Saying, I and all my companions
We share a husband,
They have all borne children,
(But) I have borne no child.
They are always sending me to
do all the inferior work.
And said, It is God('s doing).
So it was, that it was the very
egg-plant.
And it spoke.
It said to the young woman,
saying,
If you talk less
I may help you.
The young woman turned, saying,
Who spoke 1
The egg-plant said,
I cannot show myself to you.
It said, Do not talk.
She said, I will not talk.
It said also, Swear first.
And she took an oath.
The egg-plant said to the young
woman, saying,
I will make you bear a child.
She said, All right.
And she said, How now will you
make me bear a child 1
It said, Shut your eyes.
And the young woman shut her
eyes.
And the egg-plant turned into a
lady.
She was a beautiful lady.
She said to the woman,
1 Nyaha, meaning woman or wife, is above nyapo, girl or woman. See
Vocabulary of Relationships, etc. In the Mende text the distinction is
clear, but in the English it is necessary to use another word, e. g. lady, to
distinguish the speakers.
STORIES
243
Ye, bi yama volo.
Ke i ngi yama vongo.
A ye wote,
Ke i nyahaloi loa loni.
Ngi nyini ji ngi yaka vengo.
Ye nyapoi, ye,
Be yepe.
Ye, eh.
Ye, mu ya tei hu.
Ye, nd be, ye ndoi ji ?
Nya ndewe loi lo,
I ndoi ji yoyoi mbe.
Ye, ba huge.
Ba nde ba yema ( = yiama),
KQji lo maluveni a numui
ji-
Ye, bi na lea,
Ye, nga yama lo gbon,
Ngi maluvi a kcjji gboma.
Nyapgi ye,
Bi hai gbe ngeleya
Bi to doma.
Ye, Ngewo yana ni a bi go.
Ye, ngg na wile.
Ye ke, mu li tei hu.
Ke ti yd tei hu.
Numui gbl ke ti nyapyi
molia,
Te, ji bi ndi) lerii.
BindQi ji joi mi lot
Ye, nya ndewe mia,
I ndgi ji yoyui mbe.
Saying, Open your eyes.
And she opened her eyes.
She turned round,
And she saw a young girl standing
there.
Her breasts were full.
She said to the woman, saying,
You must not talk.
She said, Yes.
She said, Let us go into the town.
She said, Say, (if any one says)
whose child is this ?
It is my sister's child,
She sent this child to me.
She said do not explain.
Do not talk, saying,
The egg-plant was changed into
a person.
She said, If you talk so,
She said, I will surely go back
again,
I will turn into the egg-plant
again.
The woman said,
You look for something in the air
And you find (lit. see) it on the
ground.
She said, It is God who gives you
this.
She said, I will not do it.
And she said, Let us go into the
town.
And they went into the town.
And everybody asked the woman,
saying,
Seeing that you have not borne
a child,
Where did you get this child]
She said, It is my sister,
Who (lit. she) sent this child to
me.
244
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Ti ndgpQi na lagoi.
Ti ngi kave.
Ti pa ti me.
Kene na ngi wo a nyapoi
na
I loi wo angie.
Kpele gbi a nyapQi humoli,
Ye, bi ndoi ji joi mi lo ?
Ye, nya ndewe lo
I ndoi ji yoyui mbe.
Kpele gbi a ngi moli.
Nyanga va ti nemahui I
guha.
Ke i hugenga a ngi hini.
Ye, kpele na ge
Ti ndeni, te,
Ngi li koji goeme,
Ngi li ge,
Ngi wolo koji wulima,
Ta ge i maluveni a numui
J 1 -
Ke nya hini mia abie ge,
Nya gohu Iowa bi ma.
Ke ngi hugenga abie.
Ba ya huge a numu gbi.
Bi hugenga a numu,
Koji humenia,
A yama gboma
I w<jte a koji.
Fale ba huge.
Te le, kene ye, i.
Ye, nge ya huge.
Te le, ngi lima-nyahei
Ke i ngi molia na,
They gave the young girl food.
They made a feast for her.
They kill, they eat.
The man whose own that woman
was
Had not cared for her before.
Every moment he asks the
woman,
Saying, Where did you get this
child ?
She said, It is my sister
Who sent me this child.
Every moment he asks her.
As for women their sense is not
great.
And she told everything to her
husband.
She said, That time a little while
ago
That they said, saying,
That I was to go and pick the
egg-plant,
I went then,
I wept at the egg-plant tree.
It then turned into this person.
And you have always been my
husband,
I am entirely yours.
And I have explained it to
you.
Do not talk about it to anybody.
(If) you talk about it to anybody,
(And) the egg-plant hears,
She will return
And become an egg-plant again.
Therefore do not talk about it.
So the man said, Yes.
He said, I will not talk about it.
Now his favourite wife
She also asked him,
STORIES
245
Ye, mbai ji i ndoi ji joi
milo?
Kpele gbi i kene molia na.
Nyapoi be to-nyaha mia.
Ngi longo i ngi mbai ji
loi ji hinda hugo.
Ke kene i hugenga a ngi li-
ma-riyahei.
Ye, ndoi ji ge nyapoi i
wela.
Ye, ba ngi gohu lo yana.
Ye, i ye pileni i ndoi ma
joi.
Ye, ji ge gengebla ti wai
nya gama,
Gbe na gi li kojg go'emi,
Hu mia ge kQji na
I maluveni a numui na.
Kia gi hugenga abie,
Ba huge a numu gbi.
Bi hugenga,
Bi mbai iQi i ya,
Ga pe bi ma a njia lo
Gau fere na i gboyo.
NyapQi, ngi WQ a ndyi,
Ke i ya nye gbeme.
A hiye njei na hu.
Ke nyapgi na ke i ndopoi
lulinga a kQjQ.
Ke i ya.
Ye, gbe i hi,
I ngi njei mawulo.
Ye, ji wo ngi ndea ngi ma,
NgS, a nya la ge,
Saying, This other wife where did
she get this child ?
She was constantly asking the
man that.
This woman was a jealous woman.
She wanted to know all about
her companion's child.
And the man told his favourite
wife all about it.
He said, This child the woman
produced a few days ago.
He said, It is not the child of
her belly.
He said, What she did to get the
child (is this).
She said, when the labourers came
to me,
At the time that I went to pick
the egg-plant,
It was then that the egg-plant
Changed into that person.
Seeing that I have told you,
Do not tell anybody else.
If you tell,
Your companion's child is gone,
(And) I will make trouble with
you
(Until) two months are ended.
The woman, whose the child
was,
Went to catch fish.
She comes up out of the water.
And the woman called the girl
Egg-plant.
And she went.
She said, Let her sit down,
And await her mother.
(The egg-plant) said, I told her
before,
Saying, she was not to show my
name.
246
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Tamia a nya hinda huge a
ngi wongeisia,
Ye, gbe i wa.
Ye sao, I na.
Nya wama wilema.
Ke nyappi i hiya nye
gbeme.
Kia wo i wani,
Ke i ngi molia, ye,
Ji wo bi heni,
Ye, bemango, ndp I beya.
Ye, nya
Ba ndo wole will dogboihu,
Ye, nya kojQ,
Ngi manu bi ma.
Ngi wQtea wo a numu,
Ngi yenge bie,
Tamia i wile bi limahu e
gili a hinda gbi.
Tamia ba nde, be,
KQJQ lo ange.
Ye, ngi yama mbe-oh.
Ke i yama,
I li hindei
Wo nyapoi na i li na kojo
goeme.
Ke ngi loi i yama na,
I wyte a koji.
Nyapoi na i hei wo ndo gbi
ya ngeya.
Ngi layia mia wo
I ngi bani a ndoi.
I koji na hinda huge wo,
I gbate wo na
Kpji na hinda hu ;
Ke i ngi wQ ngQi lema.
Further, she was not to talk my
affairs with her relations,
She said, Wait till she comes.
She said, No, she is not there.
The woman is coming in the road.
And the woman came up from
catching fish.
When she came,
(The egg-plant) asked her, saying,
When you were sitting here
before,
It said, You were barren, you had
no child.
It said, I was the egg-plant,
You cried in the bush for a child,
It said, I was the egg-plant,
I pitied you.
I turned into a person,
I worked for you,
And also it came about that your
mind was not to remember any-
thing.
Therefore you were not to say
that (lit. saying)
I was the egg-plant.
It said, I go back as I was before.
And it returned,
It went to the place
Where the woman had gone before
to pluck the egg-plant.
And her child returned there,
It turned into the egg-plant.
The woman used to sit there
before without any child.
It had been her complaint before
That she was without a child.
She talked about the egg-plant's
affairs,
She had been well off when
The egg-plant was in the affair ;
But she broke her word.
XV.
The Magic Shirt.
Kene mia wo,
I gbate,
I lewe dole gbele ma.
Numui kpele ti lolo angie
Nu gbate va.
Ke ti koi hubate"a ngi va.
Te, numu yakpei ji i lewe
muma dole ji hu.
Te, ma kulu ngi ye.
Te, a mu koi we ngi ma,
Mu ngi vaya.
Ke ti koi wea ngi ma,
Ke ti ngi batehu vaya.
Ke i lowunga.
Ke i ya dogboi hu.
Koi I ngi loni.
Ke koi i ngi nunga vuluisia
kpele hou.
FQ yira i ndogboi hu.
I gbia.
Ke kpi i gboyoa.
I yama.
I ngi lei !<"> (lei for toi).
Ke nunga ti wa ngi lei hu.
Ti bo ngima.
Ti ngi lei lf>.
Dakpag yira i bumbui
gbate,
Ke i yala njei hu.
There was once a man,
He was rich,
He surpassed all the country.
Everybody hated him
Because he was rich.
And they prepared war for him.
They said, This one man surpasses
us in this country.
They said, We do not agree to
have him.
They said, Let us make war on
him,
(And) let us spoil him.
And they made war on him,
And they spoiled his wealth.
And he hid.
And he went into the bush.
The war did not see him.
But the war caught all his people
themselves.
One year he was in the bush.
He came out.
And the war was finished.
He returned.
He (re)built his town.
And people came into his town.
They helped him.
They built his town.
A certain young man made a fish
trap,
And he took it to the water,
247
248
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Ke i kale ggnua.
Ke i bumbui welenga nga.
Ngelewo i wa kaleya.
I male ti kale yahuma.
I lo na,
I moli, ye,
Yo nya gale yahumamai ?
Ye, nga mane lo.
Mema ! dogboyusui mia
I kale yahumama.
Ye, kale ji nga mane lo.
Ye, numui ji i nya gale ji
yahumama.
Ye, nga hou lo.
Ke i ya tei hu.
Ngi mbai ji ta ta ti longo-
ma.
Ke i ya,
I nde ngi ma, ye,
Ngi kale konua,
Ke ti ya ngahumama.
Ye, mu li mu nga ne.
Mu ya,
Bi le nduvui hu,
Ye, nya ngi lowu bele ku
hu.
Ke i ya,
Ke i lowu na bele kui hu.
Ke ngi mbai be,
Ke i lowua nduvui hu nge-
leya.
Ngenda tete
And he made a weir.
And he set the trap on it.
At daybreak he came to the weir.
He found some one (lit. they) had
stolen from the weir.
He stood there,
He asked, saying,
Who has stolen from my weir ?
He said, I will watch.
See ! it was the wild man
Who stole from the weir.
He said, I will watch this weir.
He said, This person is stealing
from my weir.
He said, I will catch him.
And he went into the town.
He and his friend were much
attached to each other.
And he went,
He said to him, saying,
I have made a weir,
And some one has gone and stolen
from it.
He said, Let us go and watch.
Let us go,
You climb into a (lit. the) bamboo
palm,
He said, I myself will hide in the
buttresses of a big tree.
And he went,
And he hid bet ween the buttresses
of the big tree.
And his friend too,
He hid aloft in the bamboo palm.
In the early morning
The wild man came
To steal from the weir.
And he came,
1 Dogboyusui is the chimpanzee, which, like the gorilla, is held to be
half human, and to be a devil with magic powers.
Ke dogboyusui l i wa
Kale yahumama.
Ke i wa,
STORIES
249
Ke i ndomei gbia ngima,
Ke i gbole gbia wumba,
Ke i bele gbia ngima,
Ke i vowe gbia ngi loko 1m,
Ke i bumbua,
Ke i ndowua gbele kuT hu,
Ke i ya njei hfi kale ya.
Ke i mbombui gbia kale ya,
Ke i da vulonga,
Ke nyenga ti wua dome.
Ke i toa nyema,
Ke na ha.
Ke i gbaoa, ye,
Ko!
Ye, bia ge ba nya gale ya-
humama.
Ye, Ko !
Ye, ndakpe-oh.
Ye, dogboyusui gbe,
I kale yahumama.
Ye, a ye pe a kale yahuma 1
Ye, i nye wua ndome,
Ke i Igko iQa ngi Igme ma,
Ke i tga nye ma,
Ke na ha.
Ke i ngi lykQi Ipa ngi mbai
ma,
Ke ngi mbai i ha ngeleya.
Dogboyusui ke i lua,
Ke i lia a pime,
And he took off his shirt,
And he took off his hat,
And he took off his trousers,
And he took off his charms from
his arm,
And he took them,
And he hid them between the
buttresses of the big tree,
And he went into the water on
the weir.
And he took the fish trap off the
weir,
And he loosed its mouth,
And the fish poured out on the
ground.
And he pointed to a fish,
And it died.
And he (the man) called out,
saying,
Ko!
He said, It is you who have been
stealing from my weir.
He said, Ko !
He said, My friend.
He said, Look at the wild
man,
He is stealing from the weir.
He said, How is he going about
stealing from the weir ?
He said, He poured the fish out
on the ground,
And he pointed his hand to his
shirt,
And he pointed to a fish,
And it died.
And he pointed his hand to his
friend,
And his friend died aloft (in the
tree).
And the wild man feared,
And he went running,
250
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Ke i ngi Igmesia gbele loa
na.
Ke i ya.
Ke dakpapi na ke i ngi
mbai iQlinga,
Ke ye, ndakpe !
Ye, wa a mu li-oh !
Ke i ya.
A ye na i wote na ;
Ngi mbai hango.
Ke ndogboyusui lomei na
Ke i mbumbua,
Ke i ya a pime.
Ke i ya a ndome,
I fe mahei we.
Ye, keke,
Ye, bunde gula ngeya.
Ye, gbe bunde le 1
Ye, ngi ya gi kale gunuma,
Dogboyusui mia i ngahu-
mama nyeya.
Ngi hugo.
Ngi ndea nya mbai ma,
Nge, mu li nya gale mane
we.
Mu ya na.
Dogboyusui i wa kale ya-
humama.
I ngi lome gbia ngima.
I ngi pua ngulu kui hu.
Nya mba i lowua nduvuihu.
Nya be ngi lowua ngulu
kui hu.
Dogboyusui i wa kale ya-
humama.
I nye gbia njei hu,
I pua ngiye ma,
i Ipnga ngi lomema,
And he left all his clothes (lit.
shirts) there.
And he went.
And that young man called his
friend,
And he said, Young man !
He said, Come, let us go !
And he went.
It was then that he turned ;
His friend was dead.
And the wild man's shirt
He took,
And he ran away.
And he took the shirt,
He gave it to the king.
He said, My father,
He said, trouble falls on me.
He said, What trouble ?
He said, I went to construct a
fishing Aveir,
(And) the wild man stole from
me.
I did not understand.
I said to my friend,
I said, Let us go and watch my
weir.
We went there.
The wild man came to steal at
the weir.
He took off his shirt.
He put it between a tree's
buttresses.
My friend hid in a palm.
Myself, I hid between the but-
tresses of the tree.
The wild man came to steal at
the weir.
He took the fish out of the water,
He put them on the bank,
He pointed (his) hand to his
shirt,
STORIES
251
I t$a nyema,
Ke nyenga ti ha.
Ngi bandea dogboyusui ma,
Nge, Ko !
Bia ge ba nya galeji ya-
humama.
Nge, ndakpe-oh !
Dogboyusui gbe,
I kama hinda wilema.
A ye pe, bi toa,
A nye wu ngiye ma,
I Igkg lo ngi lome ma,
I IQ nye ma,
Ke nye i ha.
Ye, na gi peni.
Ngi nya loko lo dom6 ma,
Gi to nya mba lenga,
Ke i ha dowume nduvui hu.
Giko.
Ke dogboyusui i yaapime.
Ta mia ta mahei ye,
Na bi wileni.
Ye, nga pe lo,
Ye, ngi njiei na ba wumba.
Ye, ke,
Ye, a li wu wa dakpaoi na
I wileni beya ( = bi yeya)
dogboi hu,
Wu wala gi to.
Ke ti ya ti wala.
Ye, dakpoi ji i hei ji wileni
beya dogboi hu,
Ye, nga na go pe.
Jialoi i lema ngitiya.
He pointed to a fish,
And the fish died.
I holla'd to the wild man,
I said, Hi !
It is you who have been stealing
at my weir.
I said, Friend !
See the wild man,
He is doing something wonderful.
What he does is, you see,
He puts the fish on the bank,
He points the hand to his shirt,
He points to a fish,
And the fish dies.
He said, I did that.
I pointed my hand to the shirt,
I looked towards my friend,
And he died in his hiding-place
in the palm.
I do not know.
And the wild man ran away.
Then the king said,
You did that.
He said, I will arrange,
He said, to stop that affair on
your head, i. e. that is hanging
over you.
He said also,
Saying, Go and fetch that young
man
That died by your hand in the
bush (wile = do, a euphemism
for die).
Bring him for me to see.
And they went and brought him.
He said, (If) this young man he
died this death at your hand
in the bush,
He said, I shall know that soon.
A small child was passing in
front.
252
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Ke ta mahei ke i ngi lokoi
loa dogboyusui lomema,
Ke i tQa jia Igi ma,
Ke i gula,
Ke i ha.
Ke i ndea dakpaloi ma, ye,
Bi mbai ji i hei wile beya
dogboi hu,
Ye, njia gbi ya bi ma.
Ye ke, dogboyusui Igme ji
i nya na va.
Ye, bamani mahei a nya na,
Nya mia, ngi njia bama
bumba.
Dakpoi na ye,
Ngi kurua.
I segbia mahei ma.
Ti jia loi gbowu.
Ti ndakpoi be bo.
Mahei na i navo gboto
ma jia
Kolongo dakpoi na va a
hindei na hu ;
Kolongo dogboyusui ma
gule na ma.
Ke njiei i gboyoa.
Ke mahei na fo i lewe nani
I gbate gbori,
I lewe ngovei ma.
Ke i yunga lenga a nasia
gbele wo
Ti koi goni angle.
Ye, nasia kpele ti koi goni
ange,
Ye, ti wa,
Ye, mu go a fQi ji.
And the king pointed his hand
to the wild man's shirt,
And he pointed to the child,
And it fell down,
And it died.
And he said to the young man,
saying,
This your friend died by your
hand in the bush,
He said, There is no blame (lit.
palaver) on you.
He said too, This wild man's shirt
is now mine.
He said, Because I am the
king,
It is I who will stop the palaver
on your head, i. e. will acquit
you.
That young man said,
I accept.
He thanked the king.
They buried the child.
They buried the young man also.
That king spent much money
On account of that young man
and the whole affair ;
On account of the wild man and
that shirt.
And the matter ended.
And that king for over four
years
Increased in wealth,
More than before.
And he boasted over all those
who before
Had made war on him.
He said, All those who made war
on me,
He said, let them come,
He said, we will fight this year.
STORIES
253
Ke i ti gonga a loe wa-
yakpa.
Ke ti gbi, tia be, te,
Mu kulua,
Te, koi wo ba ma wile,
Te, mu goa na bi ma
Mua bi wa lo.
Ye, ngi kurua.
Ke koi wa.
Ye, numu gbi mawueni mu
tei ji hu.
Ye, numu gbi a kpande
wili koi ji ma.
Ye, mu gbi, ye, a hei.
Ye, nya kpi lo,
Nga koi ji go.
Ngi nunga gbi ke ti kurua.
Ke ti lia ti hei.
Ke ta ngi mahei ke i wa
pebu,
Ke i dogboyusui bele
yinga ( = yilinga),
Ke i dogboyusui lome
wunga,
Ke i dogboyusui gbole
welenga,
Ke i dogboyusui vowi wua
ngi baki hu,
Ke i gbia ngitiya.
Ke kgi i wa tei hu.
Ti nunga gbi hou tei hu.
Ke ti numu wani.
Ti ngili lo ti kpelema.
Ti wa,
Ti mahei moli, te,
Bi yema (yiama) ge
Mu wa
And he gave them eight days.
And they all said,
We agree,
They said, You have desired war,
They said, (If) we fight now with
you
We shall kill you.
He said, I accept.
And the war came.
He said, Everybody, I and you,
we are in this town.
He said, Nobody shall fire a gun
in this war.
He said, All of us, he said, you
must sit down.
He said, It is my war,
I will fight this war.
And all his people agreed.
And they went, they sat down.
And the king of the town came
into the house,
And he pulled on the wild man's
trousers,
And he put on the wild man's
shirt,
And he put on the wild man's hat,
And he put the wild man's
charms on his upper arm,
And he went outside.
And the fighting came into the
town.
They (the enemy) caught all the
people in the town.
But they killed nobody.
They tied them all up.
They come,
They ask the king, saying,
You were saying the other day
That we might come
254
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Mu koi go.
Mahei be ye,
Nya ge ngi ndeni,
Ngg, wu wa,
Mu koi go.
Ye, kia be ( = gbele, time)
na.
Ye, nya numu gbi koi ji
golama.
Ye, wu kia yira.
Ye, wu yama wu yei.
koi a houla.
Ke mahei ke i ngi loko loa
Dogboyusui lome ji ma
I ngi ma,
Ke i toa koi ma,
Ke ti gbi ti ha.
I ngi lokoi to dogboyusui
lomema ngi ma,
Ke i lo koisia ma,
Ke koisia gbi ti ha.
Ti pande wili goi ma.
Kosia ti gboyoa hala.
Ta mahei i koi gbi vaya a
dogboyusui lome na a ngi
ma.
I ndome gbia ngi ma.
I pu karia,
I ndagbou.
Ko gbi I ya gui ngi lei
ma.
Nunga gbi ti nde, t,
Kunafo wa go a mahei ji.
Kamahinda i muma lia.
Mu wa ko ma,
Gbande I wilini,
Ti numu wani,
(And) make war.
The king too snid,
I myself said the other day,
I said, Come,
Let us fight.
He said, It is now the time.
He said, I will take nobody by
surprise in this war.
He said, You are all as one.
He said, You will not return to
your country.
My war will catch you.
And the king pointed his hand
To the wild man's shirt
That he was wearing,
And he pointed to the enemy,
And they all died.
He pointed his hand to the wild
man's shirt on himself,
And he pointed at the enemy,
And the enemy all died.
They did not fire a gun in the
war.
The enemy all died (lit. finished
dying).
The king of the town destroyed
all the enemy with that wild
man's shirt that he wore.
He took off the shirt.
He put it in a box,
He shut it.
No war could reach his town.
Everybody said, saying,
You must never make war with
this king.
"We have magic in our midst.
We came to war,
No gun was fired,
They did not kill a single person,
STORIES 255
Numu ji kpele i ha. (But) this people all died.
Tl ya we gboma. They did not do it again.
Ke nunga ti ya, And people went away,
Mahei na i loa. That king was left (alone).
I gbate na hu. He grew rich there.
Igboyoa. It is finished.
XVI.
The Woman whose Child returned to Life, and her Enemy.
Nyapoi mia wo.
Ta ngi banga ti gbo hini
ma.
Ti hini kpatengo.
I gbema,
I ndo leni.
Ngi mbanga ti ndenga le
gboto.
I wa Mori ma.
Ye, pe ngi ndQ le.
Ke Mori pea.
Ke i ndo lea ;
Nyaha lo.
Ngi loi nyandengo ;
I le ngi mbanga ti nda
lenge nasia ma.
Ke ngi mba-nyahei i lolo a
ngie.
Ke ngi loi na ke i gbela.
Ke ti wa Sandi hu.
Dopoi la Mang-woni.
Ke ti ti gbia Sandi hu.
Manwoni nyandengo wa,
I lewe ngi mba Sandi ypi
nasia ma.
Ke nyapoi ngi mba nyahei
Ke i hona lenga
There was once a woman.
She and her companions shared
a husband.
Their husband was rich.
She was barren,
She bore no child.
Her companions bore many chil-
dren.
She came to a Mori man.
She said, Make me bear a
child.
And the Mori man did so.
And she bore a child ;
It was a girl.
Her child was a fine one ;
It was finer (lit. it passed) than
her companions' children.
And her fellow-wife hated her.
And her child reached puberty.
And they came into the " Sandi "
bush.
The girl's name was Mang-woni.
And they came out of the Sandi
bush.
Manwoni was very beautiful,
She passed her companions in the
Sandi bush.
And the woman's fellow-wife
Made witchcraft
256
STORIES
257
Ngi mbai nyahei loi ma,
Ke i hona lenga Mariwoni
ma.
Ke i ha.
NyapQi i wolo ;
I wonga ngau nani ;
Ngi loi yakpei i wonga
ngau nani.
Ke ndobela ke ti ngi ma-
mamau golouga.
Ndgpoi hani.
I li ndg.
Ke pumd gowoli ke i lQ
angie.
Ke ta ta ti so wea.
Dopoi ke pumoi i ngi go a
navo gboto.
Nyapoi i wolo ngi loi va
ngau nani na.
Ke pumoi na ta be ngi
yat'e na.
Ke i nyapoi mamamau loa.
Ye, nyapoi ji ge ngi ngi
mamamau loma.
Ngi ngi loi yama ngelema-
hu.
Kpindi na ke nyapoi i la.
Ke i hengd, a pumoi na,
Ta ngi loi ti heni kotu wele
hu,
NavO gboto.
ye pumoi ma,
Ye, ngi nji lo.
Ke pumoi ndea nyapqi ma,
Ye, ngi bi mamamau golo,
Ye, ngole ji gbi ba pile
ngelemahu.
Against her companion's daugh-
ter,
She made witchcraft against
Manwoni.
And she died.
The woman wept ;
She wept for four months ;
She wept for her only child four
months.
And the dwellers in the lower
world felt sorry for her.
The girl died.
She went to the lower world.
And a white man loved her.
And he and she married.
And the white man gave the girl
much money.
The woman wept for her child
those four months.
And that white man he too was
a spirit there.
And he saw the woman's sorrow.
He said, I have seen this wo-
man's sorrow for a long time.
I will return her child to the
land of the living.
That night the woman lay down.
And she dreamt of that white
man,
(That) he and her child lived in
a stone house,
(With) plenty of money.
The girl said to the white
man,
Saying (that) it is her mother.
And the white man said to the
woman,
He said, I feel sorry for you,
He said, Making all this weep-
ing in the land of the living.
'7
258
Ye, nya inema ndo
Kolongo bi loi ji hindahu.
Ye, ngelewa sina,
Ye, bi li bi loi gambe ma.
Ye, bi segbule bumbu,
Bi gbe ngale ma,
Ke konde bumbu ;
Li bi IQ kambe ma.
Ye, bi loi, ye, nga velioma
sina ;
I wa bi gama.
Ye, kulongo le.
Ngelewo i konde bumbu,
Ke segbule,
Ke ngale ;
Hi.
I ngale fQmbo kambe ma,
I konde lo kambe ma,
I segbule ho mba.
Ke pumoi nde ngi ma a
kpindi,
Ye, bi loi i gbia sina ka-
mbe hu.
Ye, ba humbu a gbunde
ma.
Ye, gbema !
A tei gala sawa.
I wa bi gama ;
Bi ho.
Ke ngelewa nyapoi i hi
kambe ma.
I ngule yia.
Ye Manwoni !
Ya ha Bondo.
He said, I am hearing down
below
All about your child's affair.
He said, At daybreak to-morrow,
He said, go to your child's grave.
He said, Take your rattle,
Add the mat to it,
And take the mortar (for pound-
ing grain) ;
Go and put them on the grave.
He said, Your child, he said, I
will present her (to you) to-
morrow ;
She will come to you.
She said, All right.
At daybreak she took the
mortar,
And the rattle,
And the mat ;
She went.
She spread the mat on the grave,
She stood the mortar on the
grave,
She held up her rattle.
And the white man told her in
the night,
He said, Your child will come out
to-morrow from the grave.
He said, Do not be in a hurry to
embrace her.
He said, Stop !
She will go round the town three
times.
She will come to you ;
Catch her.
And at daybreak the woman sat
at the grave.
She sang.
She said, Manwoni !
Go to-day to the Bondo bush
(same as Sandi bush).
STORIES
259
Manwoni wa !
Nyapoi i ngule na yla.
Hawa pu gbe ma
Ke ndQpoi ke i gbia kambe
hu.
Ngi wui na kani gbQli na
pun hondro nugboyongo.
Ngi lokoi ji gbi kani pumoi
feni.
I gbia,
I li a pime,
I tei gala sawa,
I wa ngi njei gama.
Ke ngi njei bundea ma.
Ke navoi na kpi,
Ke kambe na,
Ke i wotea kotu wele ;
Tawai i le na.
Nyapoi na i ndQi leni,
Ke i gbate a ngelemahu.
Ke ngi mba nyahei ke i na
lOa,
Ke i gbalea ngima.
Ke ngi nda l(?i na ke i
yiama,
Ye, gbe?
Gba ti nda lenga ta ha,
Ta ti gbate ;
Bia bS ha.
Ye, ha-oh !
Gi gbate.
Ke i hona lea be ngi loi ma.
Ke ngi IQI ha.
Ke ti kpowua
Ngi mba nyahei nda IQI
gamb6 belanga.
Ke nyahei na ke ta be i yia
pumoi gama ;
I wolo lo fere, i
Manwoni, come !
The woman sang that song.
In ten hours' time
The girl came out of the grave.
Her head was of gold, twenty
hundred pounds' worth.
Her arm was all gold that the
white man gave her.
She came out,
She went running,
She went round the town three
times,
She came to her mother.
And her mother embraced her.
And all that money,
And the grave,
It turned into a stone house ;
It was finer than any in the town.
That woman she bore the child,
And she was rich in the world.
And her fellow-wife saw that,
And it hurt her.
And she used to scold her own
child,
Saying, Why is it ?
Other people's own children die,
They grow rich ;
(But) you will not die.
She said, Die !
(So that) I get rich.
And she made witchcraft also
against her child.
And her child died.
And they buried it
Near the grave of her fellow-
wife's own child.
And that woman she too howled
at the white man ;
She wept two days.
260
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Pumoi be, ndppgi nji i yia
nya gama lo fere ;
Ye, ngi nje golo ji wi
Igma.
Ye, nga ngaina lo sina.
Ke nyapoi be i henga a
pumoi,
Ye, wa sina bi ngule yia
bi loi gambe ma.
Ye, ngi gbema i wa bi
gama.
Ke nyapoi i henga.
Ngelewo I yie (yiai) numu
woma.
Ke i ya,
Ke ta be ke i ngale wu-
mbua,
Ke i segbula wumbua,
Ke i konde bumbua,
Ke i ya kambe ma.
I kgnde loa kambe ma,
Ke i ngale vomboa kamb6
ma,
Ke i segbule boa mba,
Ke i ngule yia.
Ye, Manwoni !
Ye, ya ha Bondo ! Man-
woni wa !
Ke ngi loi i gbia kambe
hu,
I fo be ngi bwambu.
I li loni.
Ngi loi a gbia kambe hu.
A boyo,
Ke i gbundea ma.
Ke ngi loi i lea ndia,
Ke i kuti (kutu = short)
na i lo ngeleya.
The white man too (said), This
girl's mother has been howling
at me for two days ;
He said, her mother is making
this weeping.
He said, I will send her back to-
morrow.
And the woman dreamt of the
white man,
(That) he said, Come to-morrow
and sing at your child's grave.
He said, I will let her come to
you.
And the woman dreamt.
At daybreak she spoke to no-
body.
And she went,
And she too took a mat,
And she took a rattle,
And she took the mortar,
And she went to the grave.
She stood the mortar on the
grave,
And she spread the mat on the
grave,
And she held up the rattle,
And she sang.
She said, Manwoni !
She said, Go to-day to the Bondo
bush ! Manwoni, come !
And her child came out of the
grave,
as far as its arm-pits.
She did not restrain her heart.
Her child comes out of the grave.
It is not finished,
But she embraced her.
And her child was cut in half,
And part remained above ground.
STORIES. 261
Ke navoi i gbia, And the money came out,
Ke i maluvea a konde gutl And it changed into half of the
na kambe ma. mortar on the grave.
Nyapoi na ge na mia wo That was the fate of that woman.
Tolo T nyandeni. Jealousy is not good.
XVII.
TJie Dream that vanished tlvrowjh Disobedience.
Taino mia wo.
Ta ngi mbanga ti li njei hu.
Ti kpele kaha ti yeya.
A mba-le kpei.
Ti hijia,
Till,
Ti fQ njeima.
Dole gbongo ngi la.
I kpohui gbia ngi gahei
mahu,
I me,
Ngi goi ve.
Ili,
Ke i ligbi ngi gaheima,
Ke i ya,
Ke i ymga.
A yini ke i henga.
Ke i gbia tawaihu.
Ke i ya ta mahei gama.
Ke ta mai i longa angie.
Ke i ngi gonga a nyaha.
Ye, mu hei na mbe.
Ye, ba ya li wu yei.
Fa, nya loi ji jo.
Dopoi belango.
Ta moi ye, ngi kurua.
There was once a man.
He and his friends went to the
water.
All of them had baskets.
It was cutting time.
They got up,
They go,
They reach the water.
His mouth was very hunger.
He took the flour from the top of
his basket,
He ate,
His belly was filled.
He went,
And he leaned against his basket,
And he went,
And he slept.
As he slept he dreamt.
And he went out of the town.
And he went to the king of the
town.
And the king of the town liked
him.
And he gave him a wife.
He said, You stay here with us.
He said, Do not go back to your
country.
So marry my daughter.
The girl is full grown.
The man said, I accept.
262
263
Ke ta be mani yatemo
angle.
I li dogboi hu.
I mani yate hu guhango.
Jiei ji nyoko na a li Takwa.
Ke i ya,
Ke i kotu wai malea.
Kotl belengo
Kea nu vu na.
Ke man! i yatea,
Ke i gboyoa.
Ngelewo i li na.
Ke i huei wa pu a ngende
na.
Ke i lewea la.
Ke i gbianga koti mahu.
Koti ye, Kpana !
I wgte.
I moli, ye,
Yo njiei leni 1
Ye, nya le.
Ye, bia bi ye ?
Ye, nya na kotl.
Ye, gbele ?
Ye, ba li a huei na.
Ye, gbe? nya kei.
Ye, fe be gi me.
Ye, ga bi bate lo.
Hingdei na dogboi na hu i
gua na f yira ;
N"umu gbi ta ngu ta gba-
hama.
Ye, huei ve ngi me.
Ga bi bate lo.
Ye, nya kei !
Now he was a trap setter.
He went into the bush.
He made a trap far away.
The journey was as far as Tarkwa
(i. e. from Sekondi l , Gold
Coast).
And he went,
And he met a large rock.
The rock was bearded
Like a living person.
And he constructed the trap,
And it was finished.
At daybreak he went there.
And he killed ten beasts on that
morning.
And he passed on.
And he came out on the rock.
The rock said, Kpana !
He turns.
He asks, saying,
Who spoke?
It said, It is I.
He said, Who are you ?
It said, I am the rock.
He said, What is the matter 1
It said, Do not take away that
meat.
He said, What is it, my father ?
It said, Give it here for me to
eat.
It said, I will make you rich.
(That affair in the bush had
lasted now one year ;
Everybody got tired of trying to
wake him.)
It said, Give me the meat to eat
I will make you rich.
He said, My father !
The story was told me at Sekondi.
264
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Ye, nga huei ji fe biye.
Ye, ngi wa lo jiei hu.
Ta mahei i ngi loi vea mbe,
Ye, ngi jolo.
Ke nya va navo gbi ni yeya
( == nya yeya).
Mani yatemo bama ange.
Huei ji mia ga pa,
Ga fe mahei we.
Tamia nga pile nya hingdei
a ne ngi lihfi,
A gbwe ngi loi ji hinda ma
mbe.
Ye, ba gili a na.
Ke ndakpaloi ke i huei vea
koti ye, hua pu.
Kpele gbi koti a na wile a
dakpaloi na.
Ke ti ndakpaloi nyahei wua
Sandihu.
Gau nani i Sandi hu.
Hani gbi dakpaloi i fe nya-
ha garni.
Dakpaloi i wa dogboi hu
koti gama.
Ye, keke,
Ye, be wo ba nya baolo.
Ye, tia nya nyahei gbiama
Sandi hu.
Ye, ba gili a na.
Ye, ndole ji gbele, ye, toko
nya yeya.
Koti i nde ndakpaloi ma,
Ye, bi ya hu-i-yi f ele,
Bi wa nya gama.
Ke i ya hu-i-yi fele.
He said, I give you this meat.
He said, I killed it on my journey.
The king of the town gave me his
daughter,
He said I should marry her.
And as for me I have no money.
I am a poor trap setter.
It is this meat I kill,
So that I may give it to the king.
Therefore I (try to) make my
work (lit. affair) please his
heart,
(Because) he has left alone (said
nothing about) his daughter's
affair.
It said, Do not trouble about that.
And the young man gave the meat
to the rock, ten beasts.
Every time the rock did so with
that young man.
And they put the young man's
wife into the Sandi bush.
She was four months in the Sandi
bush.
The young man gave nothing for
the woman.
The young man came into the
bush to the rock.
He said, My father,
You said before you would set me
up (lit. cure).
He said, They are bringing my
wife out of the Sandi bush.
It said, Do not troubleabout that.
It said, All this country, he said,
their hand belongs to me.
The rock said to the young man,
He said, Go away for two days,
(And) come to me.
And he went away for two days.
STORIES
265
Ke foil ji nyaha ta Sandi
gbia.
Ke i ya koti gama.
Ye, keke !
Ye, b5 wo, be, nga gili a na.
Ye, ngi wa.
Ye, ma ye pe na ?
Koti ye, nge wo ga bi bawo
lo.
Ye, ba gili a na.
Ye, bi yama IT ( = Hwi).
Ye, bi bawo volo-gbia ha.
Ke i ngi yama liwia.
Ye, bi yama wo.
I ngi yama WQ.
NavQ gahei hondo fere.
Ye, Kpana !
Ye, nge wo ga bi bawo lo.
Ye, bi bawO volo-gbia ha.
Ye, bi yama WQ,
Mbogbe wa ngeya.
Ye, bi nguli le hondo fere.
I nguli le hondo fere.
Ye, bi yama IT.
I ngi yama IT.
Nu vu hondo fele na.
I maluvia hinga hondo
yira;
Guru hondo yila i pekei na
kpele ti maluve a nya-
hanga.
Ye bi yama wo.
Ke Kpana i ngi yama wo.
Ti kpele nunga atie.
And this day the woman comes
out of the Sandi bush.
And he went to the rock.
He said, Father !
He said, You said before, saying,
I was not to trouble about it.
He said, I come.
He said, What are we to do now ?
The rock said, I said before I will
save you.
It said, Do not trouble about it.
It said, Shut your eyes.
It said, You will be all right at
sunrise to-day.
And he shut his eyes.
It said, Open your eyes.
He opened his eyes.
There were two hundred baskets
of money (there).
It said, Kpana !
It said, I said before I will save
you.
It said, You are all right at sun-
rise to-day.
He said, Open your eyes,
There was a big cutlass in his
hand.
It said, Cut two hundred sticks.
He cut two hundred sticks.
It said, Shut your eyes.
He shut his eyes.
(And) two hundred living persons
were there.
It changed them, one hundred
were men ;
The other hundred sticks all
changed into women.
It said, Open your eyes.
And Kpana opened his eyes.
They were all persons.
266
THE MENDE LANGUAGE
Kot! i nde Kpana ma,
Y, nge wo
Ga bi bawo lo.
Ye, nu vu hondo fere ji,
Ye, li a tie.
Ye, navo gahei ji kpele,
Ye, li atie,
Li bi nyahei gwela ( = goli
la).
Ke i ya a kpi tei hu.
Hi.
I nyahei goli a navoi na.
Koti i nde Kpana ma, ye,
Nyahei na, ye, ti fenga
biye,
Ye, wa ta a la lo wayakpa,
Be soro.
Ye, Bi solonga,
Ye, be gbate.
Ke ta ta ti ya ti la.
Ti yl lo wo fela e soro.
Yi wayakpa bindi ma
Ngi nyahei ye,
Bi nya jole ( = joloi).
Nga gbele lo bima,
Ke i songa,
Ke i wunga.
I heni kahei bu njela.
Aye i ngi woma gbele,
Kula gahi na wo ngi woma,
Kpele i lula,
Kahibui lulanga woma.
The rock said to Kpana,
Saying, I said before
I would set you up.
It said, These 200 living persons,
It said, Take them.
It said, All these money baskets,
It said, Take them,
Go and pay for your wife with
them.
And he took them all into the
town.
He goes.
He pays for his wife with that
money.
The rock said to Kpana, saying,
It said, That woman that they
have given you,
It said, You and she lie together
eight days,
(But) you must not join with
her.
It said, If you join,
It said, You will not be rich.
And he and she went and lay
down.
They slept seven days, and he did
not join with her.
On the eighth day at night
His wife said,
If you do not join with me
I will leave you,
And he joined with her,
And he woke up.
He sat under the basket at the
waterside.
When he looked behind,
His cloth and the basket that he
had before on his back,
Had all rotted,
The bottom of the basket had
rotted on his back.
STORIES
267
Na mia, nu layia gbialahu So it was, disobedience was not
I nyandeni.
A kotl na layiahu WQ
A gbate lo.
Ke I ngi layia-hui wo.
Tamia i wile i nyani.
good.
If he had listened to the Rock's
word
He would have been rich.
But he did not listen to what it
said.
So it came about that he became
poor.
Na woma yira, i hengd wo Once again what he dreamed of
e loma.
did not remain.
Dapoi i hengii wi'e ( = wile) If what the young man had
na a loma wo,
dreamed of had remained,
Hengd gbi nuinu a pi'e Everything a person dreamed of
(pile) a loma.
would remain (as a fact).
XVIIL SONGS.
Nos. II. to VIII. by a Panguma man.
I.
Dogboi a ye jiji mua le.
When you see the bush shake it
is we.
So ! you have not come !
And you are left,, is it not so ?
(Sung by women in the Bondo bush.)
So, an important personage in the Bondo bush.
II.
7 in a monotone.
Ah ! he sings, my lover, yes,
indeed !
We are an ignorant boy, we come
into the house,
(he turns to the wall ;
he scratches his craw-craw ;
he does so plenty.)
No dirt is on me, my mother bore
me long ago,
No dirt is on me, my head lay
As in a pillow
Spotlessly clean.
Ah, he sings, my lover, yes,
indeed !
= ? precise rendering.
= e hiye, indeed,
craw-craw = a skin disease.
III.
So ! bl wam-oh, eh !
Ke bi loa, kere ?
Lines 2 to
Yia wi yandova i hi !
Mua bowo lopo mua pebu,
i wote pema ;
i nowe yange we ;
i we wa.
Ka I nyama, nya nje nya
le wo,
Ka I nyama nya wui lani
Kia guli hu (in bass voice)
Guli wango (even low voice).
Yia wi yandova i hi (high-
pitcJied voice).
yia wi
ihi
My fellow wife.
I pull cassada, I do so twice.
Mba nya.
Langa vali ga gbia ga hema
fele.
Gbengbe kunya, kunya, A big bundle, it comes ! it comes !
kunya ! it comes !
268
SONGS
269
Nya = nyaha.
Kunya, a word used when pulling up something by the roots
that breaks the ground.
IV.
J()-le hinde na-oh ! There is a deserted place there !
Jo-li na ge ! Show me that deserted place !
Line 1 by a man ; line 2 by a woman.
Jple, joli = different pronunciation of definite form of njola,
desolation, etc.
V.
A lekpe mbe gl nya yengele
goe je yakama.
Nyahei I le ngeleya.
Bola tQwe, bola tQwe, kpa-
ngba ta !
Di mbe-oh, gemoi ! dimbe !
ga li dogbo ma.
Give me a chance (or place) to
pick my "crincre" at the
water side.
The woman cannot climb up (a
tree).
VI.
pumpkin neck, pumpkin neck,
big pumpkin !
Beat me, drummer, beat me. I
am going into the bush.
Translation is as given by the singer.
neck may be rendered vine or runner.
di = ndewe.
kpangba ta = doubtful,
gemoi = doubtful.
VII.
Sombo ! how are you 1
Sombo ! bia na, i ye, ey e,
e 1 (deep voice}.
Bagoe ! Sombo ! biana i
hiye?
Jama ! bia na ey e, e 1
Nyahali jama ! bia na i
hiye ] (rising voice).
Sombo, woman's name.
ey e, e has no meaning.
Bagoe ! Sombo ! how are you
indeed 1
Chief, how are you ?
Jealous chief, how are you indeed 1
Bagoe, man's name.
270 THE MENDE LANGUAGE
VIII.
O ma ngewo ge jondu ge- O God ! I swear not by heaven,
lema honge ! God !
Nyangbawula ! ba to gei Nyangbawula ! you see I swear
jondo ngilime honge. not by heaven, God !
Ngi namubo, ga gula kotl- If I slip, I do not fall on the stone
ma be, honge ! here, God !
O ma ngewo, ge jondu God, I swear not by heaven,
gilima, honge ! God !
Nyangbawula = a man's name.
IX.
Ngi gbate-oh, nga ha lo. I am rich (and) I shall die.
Bi nyani-oh, ba ha lo. You are poor and you will die.
X.
Sung at the Skipping Rope.
E, E, ye ! e, e, ye ! e Gbwa- E, E, ye ! e, e, ye! Eh ! Gbwando.
ndo.
Mu gbS go, e, e, ye ! e, e, ye ! Let us play, e, e, ye ! e, e, ye !
Gbwando = a man's name.
XL
Sung at the Skijjping Rope.
Ko KQndo ! Kondp ! Hi ! Grasshopper ! Grasshopper !
Ma wue ! mu donga-oh. I and you, we stand up (together).
SONGS 271
XII.
Sung at tlie Skipping Rope.
Gbo ! Nina a pe a ko ve a What ! the rat looks into the iron
hugbe lo i hlte. pot before getting into it.
Kg = kolu, iron.
XIII.
Sung at the Skipping Rope
Hagbe \vu' go nyenye vi i ! you with a leg as thin as a
gazelle's !
Reply I yale ! gbe i ya'e. If it break, let it break.
Nya mbe ! It is my ownl
I yale ! gbe i ya'e. If it break, let it break.
Hagbe wuloi gowe. Ya'e = yale.
Vii = ?
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PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE
CARDS OR SLIPS FROM THIS POCKET
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY
PL Migeod, Frederick William
8511 Hugh
M5 The Mende language
