Volume 5 Issue 1 2007

Ngbugu Digital Wordlist: Presentation Form Kenneth S. Olson SIL International and University of North Dakota Jacques Vermond Mbomate L’Association Centrafricaine pour la Traduction de la Bible et D’Alphabétisation doi: 10.1349/PS1.1537-0852.A.317 url: http://journals.dartmouth.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/ Journals.woa/1/xmlpage/1/article/317

Linguistic Discovery Published by the Dartmouth College Library Copyright to this article is held by the authors. ISSN 1537-0852 linguistic-discovery.dartmouth.edu

Ngbugu digital wordlist: Presentation form Kenneth S. Olson SIL International and University of North Dakota Jacques Vermond Mbomate L’Association Centrafricaine pour la Traduction de la Bible et d’Alphabétisation This paper presents a 204-item digital wordlist of Ngbugu, an Ubangian language spoken in Central African Republic. The wordlist includes orthographic and broad phonetic transcriptions of the words, French and English glosses, an individual WAV recording of each word, GIF images of the original field transcriptions, and metadata for resource discovery. This presentation form of the wordlist was generated from an archived version (Olson 2006) following the procedure laid out in Simons, Olson and Frank (2007).

1. Introduction This paper presents a 204-item digital wordlist of core vocabulary in Ngbugu, an Ubangian language spoken in Central African Republic by approximately 95,000 people (ISO 639-3 code: [lnl], Gordon 2005). The materials included in this presentation of the data include the following: •Wordlist: this interactive webpage, containing orthographic and broad phonetic transcriptions of each word, as well as French and English glosses. •Recordings: WAV digital recordings of each word, accessible by clicking on the orthographic form of each word in the list below. Your web browser will attempt to play the recording with the sound program that is set up as the default WAV player on your system. The recordings were made with a sample rate of 44,100 Hz and a quantization of 16 bits. •Field transcriptions: GIF images of the handwritten field transcriptions of the data. •Metadata: a resource description of the data. This is useful for resource discovery, for example with the Open Language Archives Community (OLAC) [http://www.language-archives.org] The original wordlist materials include two items: a two-page paper wordlist form and a 16minute audio cassette recording. The wordlist form presents the standardized wordlist of 204 items from Moñino (1988). For each item the form provides a prompt in French and a space for the transcription of the elicited form. The form was filled in with handwritten Ngbugu orthographic transcriptions by the second author, a Ngbugu speaker literate in both Ngbugu and French. Some items included a suggested alternative pronunciation in parentheses or an indication of uncertainty concerning the data. The first author verified the list in consultation with the second author, and together they produced a broad phonetic transcription employing the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA 1999). The first author then created a revised list in Microsoft Word for Windows 2000 that included the French prompt, the orthographic rendering, and the IPA rendering. The accompanying audio cassette contains a recording of the second author repeating this revised list. He produced the French prompt first, then the corresponding Ngbugu form. The recording was

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made with a Marantz PMD 420 monaural cassette recorder and an Audio-Technica ATM 33a microphone. The recording session took place on March 6, 2004, at the ACATBA center (l’Association Centrafricaine pour la Traduction de la Bible et d’Alphabétisation) in Bangui, Central African Republic. The process by which this field transcription and audio data were converted into digital forms suitable for long-term archiving is discussed in Simons, Olson, and Frank (2007). That paper also describes how this presentation form was generated from the archival form. The complete archival recording (Olson 2006) can be ordered from: SIL Language and Culture Archives 7500 W Camp Wisdom Rd Dallas TX 75236 USA [email protected]

2. The Wordlist See complete resource description. See field transcriptions: Page 1 (items 1 - 99) Page 2 (items 100 - 204) French gloss

English gloss

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

abeille acide (vb) aile aller amer (vb) animal année appeler arbre attacher; lier blanc boire bon

bee tart wing go bitter animal year call tree attach white drink good

14. 15.

bouche bras/main

mouth arm/hand

16.

brouillard

mist; fog

orthographic transcription wräto kpï; kï mbrö e chü gia ngû e tchô yö i (reu) grô ndjo (reu) tchô tchôtchô ma könô tchâneû ndrö

phonetic transcription [wʁātò] [kpī] [mbʁō] [ʔè] [ʃū] [ɡià] [nɡú] [ʔè tʃó] [jō] [ʔì] [ɡʁó] [ndʒò] [tʃó] [tʃótʃó] [mà] [kō nó] [tʃá nə́] [ndʁō]

(adjective) (adjective)

(adjective)

(arm) (hand)

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Ngbugu Wordlist

17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.

brûler (intr.) brûler (trans.) ceci celà ce (en question) cendres champ charbon chaud/chauffer

burn (intr.) burn (tr.) this that this ash garden charcoal hot/heat

26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32.

chemin chèvre chien chose cinq Coeur colline/termitière

path goat dog thing five heart hill/termite hill

33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57.

compter connaître corde corne cou/gorge couper (couteau) couper (hache) cracher creuser cuire cuisse cul; fondement cultiver danser debout (être) dent deux dire donner dormir droite (à) eau écorce elephant enfant

count know cord horn neck/throat cut chop spit dig cook thigh bottom cultivate dance stand tooth two say give sleep right water bark elephant child

ju cho aneü âteu aneü lâme reu âteu vöreu keöndeö mbüreu awö wo köbo ëbro ëvrô reu mïndûu su koto koto asâko deu (reu) wunseû wû du geö wa de kuteû di fa kü kpâ bêche djo (keöndeö) da ëngbä kro lafô jï bïchuû to pö za (reu seü) lo (lö) deu ndôkö ngû kongôâ mbala bechë

[ʒù] [ʃò] [à nə̄ átə̀] [à nə̄ lámè] [ʁə̀ átə̀] [vōʁə̀] [kɨ̄ ndɨ̄] [mbūʁə̀] [àwō] [wò] [kōbò] [ēbʁò] [ēvʁó] [ʁə̀] [mīndû] [sù] [kòtò] [kòtò às ákò] [də̀ ʁə̀] [wũ̀sə́] [wú] [dù] [ɡɨ̄] [wà] [dè] [kùtə́] [dì] [fà] [kū] [kpá béʃè] [dʒò kɨ̄ ndɨ̄] [dà ē nɡbā] [kʁò làfó] [ʒī] [bīʃùú] [tò pō] [zà ʁə̀ sə̄] [lò] [də̀ ndókō] [nɡú] [kò nɡó á] [mbàlà] [bèʃē]

(hot (adj.)) (heat (vb.))

(hill) (termite hill)

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58. 59.

enfanter enfler

give birth swell

60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66.

entendre envoyer épine étoile étranger excréments façonner (pot)

67. 68. 69.

fagot faim farine

heart send thorn star stranger excrement make (clay pot) firewood hunger flour

70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85.

femme fer feu feuille filet finir fleche foie forger frapper; batter froid (être) fructifier fumée gauche (à) genou graisse/huile

female iron fire leaf net finish arrow liver forge hit cold bear fruit smoke left knee fat/oil

86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93.

grand gratter (se) griller guerre herbe homme hyène il

big scrape grill war grass male hyena he/she

94. 95.

ils intestines

they intestines

zeo bechë mera suku dje (pö) woan chi kêkêreû yireu kändjâ soa

[zɨ̀ bèʃē] [mèʁà] [sùkù] [dʒè pō] [woã] [ʃì] [kékéʁə́] [jìʁə̀] [kā ndʒá] [soà]

ëwo go zûwü

[ēwò] [ɡò] [zúwū]

ëchë kwö wo kökô gbânda ka (reu) wûlî be mbo ndawo bhi zeo le ngôwo deu gele köta jôrâ kâdâ gbölö ngro teû zo (reu) kwö bë köchë gbongô tche tchetchë andjê chêtê

[ēʃē] [kwō] [wò] [kōkó] [ɡbá ndà] [kà] [wúlí] [bè] [mbò ndàwò] [ɓì] [zɨ̀] [lè] [nɡówò] [də̀ ɡèlè] [kōtà] [ʒóʁá] [kád á] [ɡbōlō] [nɡʁò tə́] [zò ʁə̀] [kwō] [bē] [kōʃē] [ɡbò n ɡó] [tʃè] [tʃètʃē] [à ndʒé] [ʃété]

(alt: zûü (zúū))

(fat) (oil)

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Ngbugu Wordlist

96. 97.

je jumeaux

I twins

më amêä angbola

[mē] [àméā] [à n ɡbòlà]

98. 99. 100. 101. 102.

lancer; jeter langue (organe) laver long lourd

throw tongue wash tall heavy

yi reu tïmï djutu ngbongro keülû

[jì ʁə̀] [tīmī] [dʒùtù] [nɡbò n ɡʁò] [kə̄lú]

103. 104. 105. 106.

lune maison manger marche/marcher

moon house eat walk

107. 108.

mauvais (être) mere

bad mother

109. 110. 111. 112. 113. 114. 115.

montagne mordre mortier mouche mourir ne...pas neuf; nouveau

mountain bite mortar fly die not new

nyîpï nda zeo reu neû neu ngbongbo amâ anyï aga lo frö vömä tchu âbo ngbreôndjï

[ɲípī] [ndà] [zɨ̀ ʁə̀] [nə́] [nə̀] [nɡbò n ɡbò] [àmá] [à ɲī] [àɡ à] [lò] [fʁō] [vōmā] [tʃù] [ábò] [nɡbʁɨ́ ndʒī]

116. 117. 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. 123.

nez noir nom nombreux (être) nombril nous nuit oeil/visage

nose black name be many navel we night eye/face

124. 125. 126. 127. 128. 129. 130.

oeuf oiseau oncle (maternel) ongle/griffe Oreille os panthère

egg bird uncle nail ear bone panther

wün bübü reü ngbäkotche ngawun azeû tchîleû bütchô la tchâtchu prö nyïëneü

[wũ̄] [būbū] [ʁə̄] [nɡbākòtʃè] [nɡàwũ̀] [àzə́] [tʃílə́ būtʃó] [là] [tʃátʃù] [pʁō] [ɲīē nə̄] [] [ʃīmbī] [tū] [ɡbābī] [míʁə́]

chïmbï tü gbäbï mîreû

(for animals)

(alt: külû reu (kūlú ʁə̀))

(noun) (verb)

(alt: ngbrôndjï (nɡbʁó ndʒī))

(eye) (face) (no form)

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[míʁá] [kpòtò] [àɓ à] [ɓà] [àkʁə̀] [àzū] [kpīēkpīē] [wà] [dà] [tāmè] [kù] [lu] [ʃi] [āsə́] [bódé] [kɨ̀]

131. 132.

peau père

skin/fur father

133.

personne; gens

person; people

134. 135. 136. 137. 138. 139.

petit peur pied pierre/caillou plaie planter

small fear foot rock wound plant

140.

plein (être)

be full

141.

pleurer (pleurs)

cry

mîrâ kpoto abha bha akreu azü kpïëkpïë wa da täme ku lu chi äseû bôdê keo

142. 143. 144. 145. 146.

pluie poil/plume poisson pou poule

rain hair/feathers fish louse chicken

nyïvrö su giangû tchô anyï ngötö

[ɲīvʁō] [sù] [ɡià n ɡú] [tʃó] [à ɲī nɡōtō]

yû ngötö

[jú nɡōtō]

fö (adj.) za keulî tu voaneü dambâ tchabô giamâ giamâkä chö chë wu seu bêche mo teû

[fō] [zà] [kə̀lí] [tù] [voà nə̄] [dàmbá] [tʃàbó] [ɡiàmá] [ɡiàmák ā] [ʃō] [ʃē] [wù] [sə̀ béʃè] [mò tə́]

147. 148. 149. 150. 151. 152. 153. 154.

pourri (être) prendre profond (être) puiser quatre queue qui? quoi?

be rotten take deep draw (water) four tail who? what?

155.

racine

root

156. 157. 158.

respirer rester; être assis rire

breathe sit down laugh

(person) (people)

(verb; alt (noun): keö (kɨ̄))

(anyï indicates feminine) (yû indicates feminine)

(verb; alt (noun): mômô

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Ngbugu Wordlist

159.

rosée

Dew

160. 161. 162. 163. 164. 165. 166. 167.

rouge sable sagaie saison des pluies saison seche salive sang sec (être)

red sand spear rainy season dry season saliva blood dry

168. 169.

sein sel

breast salt

170.

semence/grain

seed/grain

171. 172. 173. 174. 175. 176. 177. 178. 179. 180. 181. 182.

sentir (intr.) serpent soleil souffler sucer sucré (être) termite terre; sol tête téter tomber tortue

smell snake sun blow suck be sweet termite earth; soil head nurse fall turtle

183. 184. 185. 186.

tous; tout tousser tranchant (être) transpercer

all cough be sharp pierce; stab

187. 188. 189. 190. 191. 192. 193.

travail trios trou tu tuer un urine

work three hole you (2sg) kill one urine

ngômëä ngômë ngbê woye deö zöngö ngbeôgeô ngrôsö jï gbâkü (adj.)

[nɡómēā] [nɡómē] [nɡbé] [wòjè] [dɨ̄] [zō n ɡō] [nɡbɨ́ɡ ɨ́] [nɡʁósō] [ʒī] [ɡbákū]

ngo ngbreo ngbro ngoa ndjî tchâfo ëkrô lo hro a ä tchö bo cho küma a ngo te külû külâ gbê teko ki su kro kua vötaâ kudû momö won balë ngândï

[nɡò] [nɡbʁɨ̀] [nɡbʁò] [nɡoà] [ndʒí] [tʃáfò] [ēkʁó] [lò] [ʔʁò] [ʔà] [ā tʃō] [bò] [ʃò] [kūmà] [ʔà nɡò] [tè] [kūlú] [kūlá] [ɡbé] [tèkò] [kì] [sù] [kʁò] [kuà] [vōtà á] [kùdú] [mòmō] [wõ̀] [bàlē] [nɡá ndī]

(mómó))

(also used for a sterile woman)

(seed) (grain)

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194.

venir

come

neu atâ

[nə̀ àtá]

195. 196. 197.

vent ventre viande/chair

wind abdomen meat/flesh

198. 199. 200. 201. 202. 203. 204.

village voir voler (oiseau) voler; dérober vomir vouloir vous

village see fly steal vomit want you (2pl)

yi vü gûsû mbë gö wun wro zeo ngbä ndjrateû nyindeû nyë

[jì] [vū] [ɡúsú] [mbē] [ɡō] [wũ̀] [wʁò] [zɨ̀ nɡbā] [ndʒʁà tə́] [kə́ ɲìndə́] [ɲē]

(alt: neu atêteu (nə̀ àtétə̀)) (meat) (flesh)

References Gordon, Raymond G. (ed.) 2005. Ethnologue: Languages of the world. 15th edition. Dallas: SIL. [http://www.ethnologue.com]. International Phonetic Association. 1999. Handbook of the International Phonetic Association. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Moñino, Yves (ed.) 1988. Lexique comparative des langues oubanguiennes. Paris: Geuthner. Olson, Kenneth S. 2006. Ngbugu digital wordlist: Archival form. SIL-LCA-47050. SIL Language and Culture Archives, Dallas, Texas. Simons, Gary F.; Kenneth S. Olson; and Paul Frank. 2007. Ngbugu digital wordlist: A test case for best practices in archiving and presenting language documentation. Linguistic Discovery 5.1:28-39. Online. URL: [http://journals.dartmouth.edu/cgibin/WebObjects/Journals.woa/2/xmlpage/1/article/314] Authors’ contact information: Kenneth S. Olson SIL 7500 W Camp Wisdom Rd Dallas, TX 75236 http://www.sil.org/~olsonk Jacques Vermond Mbomate L’Association Centrafricaine pour la Traduction de la Bible et d’Alphabétisation B.P. 1990 Bangui Central African Republic [email protected]

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