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Continue reading →: Random Vocab
These were taken from the Gambian Wolof – English Dictionary By David P. Gamble. banxa – water lily caxa – necklace daay – bush fire, forest fire kaala – turban pat – a sore throat pukkus – storage place, a retreat raaf – to be destroyed, cease to exist seey…
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Continue reading →: Notes on Orthography
What’s orthography? It is basically a spelling system. Answers.com defines it as: The art or study of correct spelling according to established usage. The aspect of language study concerned with letters and their sequences in words. A method of representing a language or the sounds of language by written symbols;…
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Continue reading →: Opposites Attract
beginning – end dohre – jehh/rach cheap – expensive yormba – sehre easy – difficult yormba – nahary friend – enemy harit – mbargne happy – unhappy contarn – mehr in – out duga – gayna left – right charmorgne – ndeyjohre near – far jeague – sory open –…
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Continue reading →: Happy Tabaski
Today is the Muslim holiday Tabaski. In most Muslim countries it is called Eid al-Adha but in much of West Africa it is called Tabaski. Tabaski is the commemoration of the Biblical patriarch Abraham’s (Ibrahim in Arabic) willingness to sacrifice his son as commanded by God. On Tabaski a sheep…
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Continue reading →: La League DJ Décalé Wolof
La League DJ Décalé Wolof I do not know where this video is from but Décalé is very popular in the Ivory Coast which I have recently learned has a sizable Wolof population. At about position 1:20 in the video they do a call and response where the Wolof is…
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Continue reading →: All In the Family
family – njabort grandfather – marm-bu-gore grandmother – marm-bu-gegain father – papa mother – yarboie husband – jaycahre wife – jabahre son – dorm-bu-gore daughter – dorm-bu-gegain older brother – maq-bu-gore younger brother – raca-bu-gore older sister – maq-bu-gegain younger sister – raca-bu-gegain
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Continue reading →: You got the time?
What time is it? Ban waxtoo jot? Et maintenant en français; Quelle heure est-il? Do you have a watch? Am nga montar? Et en français; Avez-vous une montre? Yes, I have a watch. Waaw am naa montar. Et maintenant en français; Oui, j’ai une montre. No, I don’t…
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Continue reading →: Some Mandinka
The Mandinka language, sometimes referred to as Mandingo, is a Mandé language spoken by millions of Mandinka people in Mali, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea-Bissau; it is the main language of The Gambia. It belongs to the Manding branch of Mandé, and…
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Continue reading →: A Couple Slang Words…
Sai Sai – “That little crafty one.” (Euphemism given to AIDS in the poor suburbs of Dakar, Senegal.) Also means bad person, “playa”, pimp, crooked business person, etc. Used for men & women. Can be like an insult or badge of pride. Bin Bins – A string of beads worn…
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Continue reading →: Pronunciation Tips
Note that these are just general tips and that these rules may not always apply as writers of Wolof sometimes use different spelling systems. CONSONANTS: j is pronounced as in jazz but with the tongue a bit nearer the top front teeth c is pronounced as in church with the…
Dalal ak jàmm,
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