Tuesday 25 August 2009

To learn the general basic Mandingo language

Nko- which means 'i said' in Mandingo is a website dedicated to explaining Mandingo language in its varied dailects.
I will recommend this website to all mandingoes and those interested in learning the language:
http://www.nkoinstitute.com/

The Sankoreh institute did well by developing the Nko phonics.

Monday 24 August 2009

Mandinka Icon, Kunta kinteh oral history

Cutesy of www.onegambia.com. A video clips of oral history of the mandinka icon kunta kinteh. The video is all in Mandinka in a traditional oral history setting conducted by Alh. Lalo Samateh of radio Gambia.
the link: http://www.onegambia.com/orahistvids.php

Kunta kinteh la tariko woo nin badibu kinteh kunda silo. kora and nin mandinka tariki fola. Alh. lalo samateh men be radio gambe yaa. tariko nyin diyata baaki. alaa lan moi. inmna taran siloo, nun too koowo kacha kadiyale. nin yaa moi nunto, womu wati merin neti.

sandoli 8- mandinka proverbs

1. Nyaah beekan anin nyaah duntela tee kilin (my eye on you and i don’t respect you are different). To admire an individual and trying be like him is not equal to disrespecting him.

2. Loo tebanna seloto, loo nyii nin na lebuka futa (there are lots of fire wood in the forest, it is the seekers that don’t reach the logs). This statement is usually made in cultural praise seeking events. A patron is praise with this accolade, loo in Mandingo means something precious, so to get a gift, one has to ask the right people.

3. Daali (make predictions). Ancient Mandingo Kings are told to make predictions on their coronation day.
4. Santo jara falandun (changing the name of an adult). This term means, when a person converts into Islam, if his/her name is contradictory to the teachings of Islam, he/she has to change the old name. So that name change is seen as santo jara fala dun.


5. Taah-jireya (cruel or merciless or an act of torture). Jankay Wally was said to have asked his governors to be harsh with subjects. He used the term tah-jirehya

Mali mandingo dialect, cutesy of Amadou Touman

Mali la mandinka kanwu. bambaran nin gambia mandingo la kumo doli mukilinti bari doli fatata lee.
http://www.koulouba.pr.ml/spip.php?article1864

an inetersting interview with Mali president Toumani Toure. This is another dialect of mandingo. the verson is slightly different from that of the Senegambia mandingo speech. some of the words cross part, others don't. The Mali Mandingo dialect is the most original.

Friday 21 August 2009

Sandoli 6

kanfa muu adama jaaw baleti ( anger is man's worst enemy)

Fan kanta kurto, mone buka afara ( when you plan ahead, you avoid disappointments)

mandinka sukuwo (hyms)

Ali Landin kinteba la sukuwo lanmoi.

aka mooli laa limaniya lafaa lee

http://www.iladinolong.com/index/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=64