d

Daba (ethnic group); language spoken by Daba.

woman's name given to girl who has many brothers but no sisters.

Dembo (Mbay 'Bedege' town, canton capital approx. 30 kms. south of Moissala}.

Day {neighbors of Mbay living to north and west}.

Dajo, or more generally, any 'Hadjerai' people from mountainous area near Mongo.

Doba (Major oil town between Koumra and Moundou).

Muslim; Arab.

Doba {prefecture capital between Koumra and Moundou}.

Beboro {major town on road between Moissala and Koumra; capital of Nar canton}.

on, on top of, over (see dɔ̀).

show, demonstrate.

leaf (of a few plants).

person with a large head (dɔ̀-bòo-dɔ̀ý is also possible).

end of, finish of, last of (kɨ́ dà-bóy 'the last').

tobacco.

type of small grasshopper.

ash pile.

upper arm.

type of climbing plant with grape-like fruit (dɔ̀-dèē is also possible).

small mound, slight elevation.

small mound (see dòr̄-lòo).

type of plant.

place where initiation occurs.

big sore on knee.

hip.

peanut with single grain.

twenty (see dɔ̀-jōó).

compensation, reward (dɔ̀-jī is also possible).

first (wife) (only in expression dèē-kɨ́-dḛ̀ḛ́ dà-jī 'first wife').

known areas, familiar neighborhoods.

{one's} right (see also kò̰)

eighty (see dɔ̀-jī-jōó).

sundown.

branch {of tree}.

nine (see dɔ̀-jī-kɨ́rā).

customs, traditions.

side of road.

period of, time for [s.t.].

first quality of [drink].

bunch of leaves used in potions or fetishes.

resurrected men.

only.

season for (see dɔ̀-kāgɨ̄).

sixty (see dɔ̀-kɨ́-bòy-dètɨ́).

type of oriole (can be shortened to kɨ́-mbī-rīyóò).

type of plant.

toe sore.

fertile area where trees have been burned.

leaf (of a few plants).

fifty (see dɔ̀-mḭ́ḭ).

thirty (see dɔ̀-mɨ̀tá).

type of tree [Moringa oleifera].

end of a closed area (dɔ̀-ngóy is also possible).

used whiskey bottles (empty bottles of 'Daniels').

gift, present.

the ground, the earth.

ground, earth; territory (see dà-nàng).

season, period, time.

sky.

pure, unmixed.

forty (see dɔ̀-sɔ́ɔ́).

seventy (see dɔ̀-tènɨ̀-mɨ̀tá).

gums.

tomb, burial mound.

worn out old tennis shoes.

foreign place (see dɔ̀-ɓēe).

type of grass used to make brooms.

palm of hand.

sole of foot.

remove bran from [millet] (see also gán̄g).

umbrella.

type of two-sided drum.

type of bean sauce.

granary.

government treasury (from where salaries are paid).

large round glass container used to store and sell gasoline.

middle of, center of (see also ndān).

normal sized (person) (often with gɔ̀jɨ̀).

lovely young woman {lit: the center of loveliness}.

in the middle (formed from locative of dàn 'middle').

up and down (bounce).

large one [monkey].

type of plant.

giving little (bear fruit), here and there.

type of dance done on stilts.

prison, jail.

malachite kingfisher [Alcedo cristata].

with pitter-patter (run).

first.

flat of back.

structure consisting of four to six poles with a cover, used to dry foods on.

small section of field that has been plowed previously (in expression lā dàw 'plough a small section of a field').

show disrespect to, lack respect for {as by not listening to an elder}.

type of small grasshopper.

type of flock bird.

that.

now, it's now that (clause following must end in yé).

gold earrings.

horse hobbles.

type of game played with rocks in holes.

male initiation mask.

treat, cure.

completely (cut).

different.

without much noise (break, cut through).

birth place, country of origin.

suddenly {break}.

medicine.

categorically (refuse) (in expression dàw dèē à 'categorically refuse to listen').

waste time, do nothing.

often, a lot (doubled dèjɨ̀-dèjɨ̀ for emphasis).

supple, flexible (desc. of tō).

middle, center.

very (near) (in expression ndā dɔ̀ lòo à 'be very near a place').

shield.

brick.

firstborn child.

December.

The fixed translation with any mangled suffix corrected.

team.

human being, person.

adult.

woman.

man.

villagers.

person with disease that causes body to swell.

master thief.

female (always kɨ́ dḛ̀ḛ́ 'who is female').

warbler.

insect that eats yams.

extremely (full).

responsible.

tiny grain of.

extremely (tiny).

extremely (light) (with tò).

be short.

exactly (the same).

dove, pigeon.

twirls in circles, whirls (commonly in expression ɗāa dér-kétē-gɨ̄ 'spin around in circles; ɗāa dér-kétē-gɨ̄ also possible).

yellow breasted fruit pigeon [Treron australis] or [Treron waalia].

type of light blue dove.

type of small dove.

hide, hide out.

grab with hand, seize (see dùbɨ̀).

grasshopper, locust (very large, edible).

with difficulty, heavily (walk).

extremely (fat); be extremely fat.

beer house, local bar.

type of parasitic plant.

in vigilance, on guard (in expression ndì dìngàm 'be vigilant, be on guard').

male (always kɨ́ dìngá 'male').

be heavy and rigid.

put-put (sound of motor).

principal {of school}.

sprinkle [into a liquid].

vine.

very (dark); very (angry) (in expression kùm [dèē] dūu à 'to be very angry, see red').

take a handful.

start up (trotting) (always with ngɔ̄dɨ̄).

type of vine.

type of vine.

digging pole, pick.

tightly (fill) {dry things}).

patiently (control self).

tightly (stuff {in single motion}).

refusing to move (remain).

extremely (sweet).

with a snapping noise (whip, break).

exactly (the same).

completely (cold, cool).

completely (tasteless).

donation (to church) (see also òprándɨ̀ 'donation given at church service').

extremely (wide).

type of basin (sàmbé dòjɨ̀ is also common ?? get ss).

doctor.

karite nuts carried to another tree by bats.

fetish against theft.

cut, sore, wound.

ancient money equivalent to 1000 kúl.

type of beetle that destroys yams.

small mound (see dòr̄-lòo).

small mound.

type of broad-leafed tree [Uapaca togoensis].

peaceful, quiet.

still, without moving.

bite, sting.

up.

at times, from time to time.

perfectly (white).

short and squat (in expression tíī à, used to describe a dwarf).

type of tree.

type of fish {flat and diamond shaped} [Citharinus citharus].

to the brim (full).

after the rain (in expression ɗèē à dɔ̀ [dèē] tɨ́ 'visit [s.o.] after the rain').

whirl, circles.

duck; cover; dump; overturn, etc. (see déw).

type of bush.

stopped up.

bite {sev. times} (freq. of dò̰o̰).

stop (see dɨ̀bà).

grab with hand, get hold of, seize.

bury.

type of fish spear.

crush {with hand}.

eland (type of large antelope: [Tragelaphus oryx].

name used collectively for two insects {kúr̄-wúl̄-sàr̄ and kúr̄-wúl̄-sàr̄} that attack the nut crop.

different (most commonly ɗóo kɨ́ dùl 'different road').

common or grey duiker [Cephalophus grimmia].

nomadic Muslim herder.

Muslim by conversion, Mbay or southerner who has become Muslim.

surpass, go beyond.

type of tree.

breast of goat {considered most delicious portion}.

web [of spider].

long and ugly (snout).

type of pants.

round and very (big).

wager, bet (ndà dùrò 'to wager').

type of tree [Combretum glutinosum].

concern, be of concern to.

small bar where local beer is sold and drunk.

narrow hole in ground made for planting peanuts.

stare at, give [s.o.] dirty look.

plant, bury.

try to catch.

crush [s.t. dry].

powdered hot pepper.

heavily, with a thump (fall).

tightly, completely (fill {hard things}).

completely (twisted).

with a snatch (take with fingers). ibid. (freq.,emph.).

badly (have eye disease).

dragonfly.

be dull, blunt.

life.

rectangular house with mud roofs made by Arabs (normally kújɨ́ dúr-dùr).

type of large hornbill (see also tíyāng).

meanness.

without much force or noise (break).

vigorously (boil) {with substance churning in a liquid}.

junction [of grass fencing]. dense area.

completely (pierced}.

type of tree [Sterculia setigera].

type of monkey (see also ɓètɨ̄).

accompany.

crowned crane [Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis].

brush, thick grass.

misery, suffering (see also).

unaware.

unaware, not knowing.

flesh (followed by rō 'body').

very one.

tough-guy, strong and ruthless person.

big one [hoofed animal].

cross (see also gāng).

mahogany tree [Khaya senegalensis].

ancestral spirits (in expression à kɨ̀ jèl-gàr-gɨ̄).

type of bush (dīl-wēe is also used).

termite hill with rounded top.

small rounded mound.

be dark, be nighttime.

termite hill. mound.

cross, go across.

large fruit bat.

type of fish [Alestes baremoze] (dried it is known as àmpúl̀).

type of tree [Ficus polita].

thousand.

be wound up/wrapped up.

spinal cord.

last (child) (in expression ngōn-dūn 'last child {in a family}').

stick, pole.

trouble, problems.

pile of, stack of.

be dark, be late at night.

be small.

childhood.

head.

on, on top of.

huge drum {of day origin} (see also kɔ̀dɨ̀,dàlì,gáng).

stalk of sweet potato.

hitching post (dà-bēl is also possible).

brain disease.

big pile (see dūu 'pile').

place where initiation ceremony takes place.

recompense, reward.

eighty.

ninety.

twenty.

period of time for (see dà-kàdɨ̀).

bunch of leaves used for fetishes or traditional medicine.

on hand, nearby.

area above and between eyes.

roof.

season for, time of.

moment for s.t..

section of cloth.

desire, wish.

chiefdom, area controlled by a chief (dà-kɔ̄r is also possible).

sixty.

fertile area where trees have been burned.

fertile area.

fifty.

stomach illness attacking children.

thirty.

stubbornness (literally 'hard head').

yam from second harvest.

reward, recompense.

unmixed with anything else.

ground, earth; territory (see dà-nàng).

period of harvest for [a crop].

unmixed with anything else.

forty.

fever.

seventy.

in addition, on top of it all.

stalk of peanut.

first drink {traditionally to ensure that it has not been poisoned} (dà-yòo is also possible).

foreign country/place.

caution.

morning star (see kɨ́-mḛ̄ḛ-dɔ̀gɨ̀).

buffalo.

rabbit.

type of large rabbit or hare.

rabbit, hare (abbr. of dɔ̀gɨ̀-dɔ̀gɨ̄m).

poverty, misery.

stare at, give [s.o.] dirty look.

upstream.

tie.

tie {several times} (freq. of dɔ̀ɔ̄).

stop [an action] (dɨ̀bà tà ḛ [activity] 'stop doing s.t.').

empty space.

honey beer.

week.

with no feeling, numb.

extremely (tall).

type of bush with tiny sweet red fruit.

type of catfish [Bagrus bayad].

taste (of drink before buying).

taste (of drink before buying) (see dɨ̀rà).

pass away, die.

tightly (stuff {in single motion}).

completely (pierced).

type of tree [Strychnos sp.].

be (doing) (progressive marker; indicates action done while standing; see also ndì, tò).

a lot, all over (tremble).

here, there (normally supposes subj. is in some sense standing -- see also tèn,ndìn).

different, distinct; other.

anvil.

type of plant [Sida rhombifolia].

type of plant, similar to ɗàr, also used to make brooms.

here; there.

where.

firmly (tie, attach).

sell.

with a crack (break {wood or s.t. wooden}).

right off (cut).

forcefully (sneeze).

strong (smell).

together {indicates activity performed by subj. as a group}.

extremely (long).

to such a point that; so much that.

narrow (waist).

then, and so, and then.

straight pole or stick.

sell.

then, and then; when {follows clause}. as soon as.

play, have fun.

well.

shallow well at river edge with very clean water.

come, come to.

extremely (long).

to indicate 'no' (shake head).

moving body jerkily and quickly (desc. of ndà; ndà for emphasis).

with a drip (fall {water}).

ritual speech.

drop by drop (fall {liquid}).

pretending to be serious (in expression lā rō-ǹ à 'pretend to be serious, honest').

thin, narrow and long; extremely (long) and narrow or thin (implied desc. of ngāl).

at the complete top.

where?.

whatever, whichever.

be constipated.

sound of heart beat (desc. of ɔ̀sɨ̀).

directly, angrily, brutally (desc. of ndìgɨ̀ 'answer').

tilt, lean, tip to one side.

very (short),cut off.

extremely (cold, cool).

descend, go down, get down.

what.

ladder, pole used as ladder.

to the brim (fill) (desc. of ɗòsɨ̀ (for things that can be squeezed, such as cloth)).

when.

swinging, swing. swing made of rope; see-saw {or anything one can swing on}.

straight (in expression kɨ́-à 'straight').

play, have fun.

play, have fun.

fill (substance) [container].

road, path.

path separating two fields.

justness, fairness.

road, path.

limit of plowing.

justice, fairness, correctness.

grace, pardon.

smallness; tiny, small.

be bent, twisted {in one spot}.

excessively fat and incapable.

weak (joint).

a lot, all over (tremble).

sound of heart beat (desc. of ɔ̀sɨ̀).

thump thump (sound of pounding millet into flour) (desc. of ùr).

a lot, all over (tremble).

jerking body before death (in expression ɓà à 'jerk about before death').

non-swimmer (optional complement dèē).

truth.

badly (crush).

be bent {in sev. places}.

tightly (stuff).

in a lump, without moving (fall).

completely (broken/cut through).

last born child (optional complement ngōn).

size {generally used in negative}.

perfectly (straight).

do.

settle (liquid).

type of tree [Prosopis africana].

stilt dance.

shrivel up, shrink.

badly, a lot (swell, rise up).

attach ends together, tie.

pay honor to.

in a skin rash (break out).

attach ends of together {sev. times} (freq. of ɗɔ̀tɨ̀). tie {sev.times}.

loudly (crackle).

nut of karite tree (see kḭ̄yā̰ 'karite tree', kḭ̄yā̰ karite fruit').

The fixed translation with any mangled suffix corrected.

disturbance, public disorder.

game played with pieces in holes in ground (like bìrì-bāa, but played with different pieces).

type of spell.

game played with karite nuts.

truth, truthful.

pole with three forks for holding water container (ɗìlà in ngoka accent).

straight pole or stick {one with no branching}.

exactly (one after the other: gives emphasis to succession) (desc. of gō nà̰ā̰-tɨ́, gír nà̰ā̰-tɨ́).

perfectly straight.