n

Tumak {Chadic people living north of Gulay in area around Gundi: the Mbay do not differentiate Ndom from Tumak}.

subgroup of Beju Mbay.

Mbay subgroup originally from Doku (but still considered ɓēe-jùu).

male name given to second twin when first is Lábɨ̄.

male name {with twins, either preceding a second male twin (Ngābà), or following female twin (Ngābà)}.

Ngalo {Day town, canton capital north of Moissala}.

Ngambay {Sara people, principal inhabitants of area around Moundou}.

Ngam {Sara people, neighbors to the east of Mbay, principal inhabitants of subprecture of Maro}.

female name {often given to 2nd of female twins, or to 1st when second is male named Ngāró}.

name often given to youngest child.

Ngum - tiny Mbay subgroup (found only in villages around Ngúmú).

male name often give to second of two male twins {first is named Ngàa-kūtū}.

male name, often given to second of two male twins when first is named Súu.

Ngoka - small Mbay subgroup.

Ndjamena {capital of Chad}.

Nar {Sara people, neighbors of Mbay living between Moissala and Koumra in villages around Beboro}.

November.

fisherman caste among Sara at Bedaya, known as anti-social people.

hit.

type of vine the fruit of which has rough sponge-like material used for bathing [Luffa acutangula/cylindrica].

great thief.

be white, light-colored; become white, light-colored.

tremble.

type of bird, known for bad smell.

chat at night.

squirrel.

with a plop or drip (fall).

shock {with electricity}.

write.

be spotted {lots of small spots] (see also tɨ́lā ɓál).

type of grass.

fry {in pan with oil}.

go by different road from.

blankly (stare).

centipede.

type of bamboo-like tree [Mitragyna inermis].

bridge.

value of, worth of.

excessively (derived from ndájɨ̄-àĺ 'not imitate').

straighten.

imitate [obj. usually ndī dèē 's.o.'s voice].

thunder (subj. is ndīi).

completely (pull off, come off).

completely (stunned) (in expression kùm [dèē] ndōgɨ̄ ndá̰a̰ '[s.o.] to be completely stunned, see stars').

completely (dried up).

filter, leak through.

catfish [Clarias lazera].

have diarrhea.

be thick.

decant, pour {leaving the grinds or residue at bottom}.

concern, be of concern to.

tremble.

filter, strain [liquid]; distill.

have [food] made by [s.o.].

whip.

rest of, remainder of.

pick up off ground.

right (by, next to, near). soon, very soon, any moment now.

quickly.

be (doing) (progressive marker; see also tò, ɗà).

answer, respond.

ask.

become thin, stretched.

here; there (Plural: ndìn-ndìn).

calm; quiet; placid.

quietly, silently (walk) (desc. of ndīyā).

twin.

extremely (sticky).

broom, hand broom.

here, there (normally supposes that subj. is in some sense 'seated' -- see also ɗàń,tèń).

onion-like plant commonly used in preparing spells {in part [Pancratium trianthum], in part [Urginea sp.]}.

shade.

court, shady area where chief holds court.

type of plant, 'sisal hemp' [Agave sisalana].

completely (filled).

be resistant, hard to break through.

burn [mouth] (spicy food).

spice used in preparation of sauces.

grass fencing.

be ripe.

bathe [s.o.] (second obj. is màn̄ 'water').

mud wall; a siding of mud used to replace grass fencing.

light brown.

type of tree.

ground squirrel.

rub [oil on s.o.].

testicles.

type of plant.

roll up {in s.t.}, wrap up.

tongue.

liquor made from manioc.

male initiation. initiation in general {male or female}.

deceive, trick.

diving game where children line up and jump off bank into river.

pound, grind [grain with husk and bran] without using any water (accomplishes results of both of sòō and sòō).

person with same {female} name as (see also kɨ́-màdɨ̄).

lack of.

tell fortune; divine (often followed by tēe).

tongue.

centipede.

be itchy to, cause to itch.

wake up.

become lost.

help, aid.

test [one's limbs].

very (short).

study.

type of short thick snake.

flour.

Venus (at night) {lit: follow after husband (the moon), where tone of ndùlò the same as in Sar, not Mbay}.

shrivel up, dry up.

be rotten.

decant, pour off top of liquid leaving heavy bottom part in container.

capsize, cause to sink.

thud {desc. of pounding when mortar is full}.

very (fat) and smooth.

follow (à gō [dèē] 'follow [s.o.]').

shine, glitter {reflected light}.

female cricket.

stack, pile up.

dead rotting thing.

hard (pounding in mortar) (see also ndùkɨ̀).

stack, pile.

ant lion (insect that digs hole in sand, and then pulls other insects into it and seizes them}.

hedgehog.

small glass container (smaller than dàm-jān).

bellows {for blacksmith}.

scatter about; search through scattering about.

put, place [s.t. that can stand].

type of bird.

duck.

type of duck.

type of small duck.

hibiscus seeds.

the middle of [s.t. long] (see also dàn).

be full, satisfied.

running, taking off (in expression ùgɨ̀ à 'start up running').

intentional action.

skin.

eyelids.

lips.

offer, offer to give.

be full.

tapioca plant.

voice.

rule, law.

rain.

type of guinea fowl.

scars, scar.

designs {drawn with hand in ground}.

covet, desire.

cook (by boiling).

walk; take a walk.

search carefully for.

search carefully for.

ululate, wail; ululate in admiration of or to encourage [s.o.] (prep gō is optional before obj.)

type of bustard.

be stunned (subj. always kùm [dèē] '[s.o.'s] eyes').

dance.

kingfisher.

childbirth pains.

be jealous of, criticize because of jealousy.

mound made by animals covering hole.

worship {chr}.

purchase, buy.

toss and turn.

be worm-eaten (wood).

knock down.

dust from worm-eaten wood or tree.

burst; explode, blow up.

intelligent person.

ripen (corn), be ripe.

roll; toss; wiggle; help; get by, etc..

be twisted, bent.

type of vine.

meet, run into.

bicycle with no brakes.

bean dish prepared with leaf.

is hard for, confusing for.

slime; something with slimy or gummy texture (ɔ̀r̄ à 'be gummy, slimy').

extremely (gummy, slimy).

testicles.

rub [oil on s.o.]; paint.

fetish serving to prevent sale of merchandise.

roll up, wrap up.

force, push or knock out of the way; push into, run into.

farm; cultivate; work on field.

perfectly (smooth).

become lost, be lost.

repair, do a major repair.

pull.

move.

crackle, pop (many times).

spell and fetishes related to hunting and fishing.

sparkle {sev. times}.

type of cookie made with millet bran and flour.

dance.

crackle, pop.

pray to.

be cross-eyed.

curse, put a curse on.

night, nighttime.

day, 24 hour period (does not take locative -ɔ́; see also -ɔ́ 'night').

spark, sparkle.

problems, worries, trouble.

yell at (à [dèē] tàa 'yell at [s.o.]').

devilry, sorcery.

red clay used to treat inside of gourds.

death place.

thick scar.

broom, hand broom; grass from which broom is made.

rest.

lend; borrow (used when lent object itself is to be returned (as with a pot); see also tɨ̄nā).

lean [s.t.].

intelligent person.

find.

corn with only a few good kernels on ear.

game similar to hide-and-seek.

little balls of ground beans.

trigger (of gun).

satchel woven of young palm leaves (see màr 'palm tree').

underpants {male, tied at sides}.

December.

hard palate.

older sibling.

type of plant.

underpants {male} worn under Muslim tunic (jàlàbéè).

blouse.

cold, flu.

intolerable, excessive (in expression àl̄ à 'be intolerable, excessive').

extremely (rough).

be extremely thin; extremely (thin).

force, strength (see also gɔ̀gɨ̀).

stiffen [one's body] {to vomit, defecate, etc.}.

be hard.

center [of stalk].

type of large river lizard.

type of small white monkey {known for commonly biting dogs}.

cassava.

thorn bush; tree [Acacia ataxacantha] and [Acacia macrostachya].

husband.

sty, growth next to eye.

germ; initial shoot of seed, first part of plant to come out.

center of [s.t. round].

edible fruit of tree Grewia venusta.

sharp prong sticking out of throwing knife (mḭ̀yā̰).

dog.

away (in expression ɔ̀r̄ à 'send away').

type of bush.

sauce made from beans.

type of grass.

type of plant, leaf used in sauce [Solanum aethiopicum].

with difficulty, with the words not coming.

extremely (frightened) (in expression kàm-á gāng màn̄ à 'be extremely frightened').

children (irreg. pl. of ngōn).

women's hairstyle with braids all over head (always dɔ̀ à).

small commerce.

small fish, sardines.

extremely (tough).

breaking off friendship (in expression ɔ̀r̄ [dèē] à 'end friendship with [s.o.]).

type of ngúl̄-ɓēe yam, considered special and often served to guests.

sand, dirt.

clean sand used for grilling nuts.

toy spear.

with a flick (brush off,sweep).

value, worth, interest.

a lot, a great deal.

parent (normally plural) (irregular plural: ngé).

shaman, traditional healer.

sickly person.

free-loader.

judge.

creditor.

goalkeeper {soccer}.

carpenter.

one-armed person.

Christian, believer {in a western religion}.

prostitute {woman}.

bearer of the news of a death.

gossip, person who gossips.

blacksmith.

dead person.

person who does things all wrong.

lover of fine things, epicurean.

bright, intelligent person.

blind person {by an accident} (see also mùndō).

verse singer {to whom others answer in refrain}.

Christian {lit: one who has promised}.

tailor.

shaman, traditional healer.

fat person.

lazy person.

trouble-maker.

death chant leader.

hunter.

fortune teller {using rock (kɔ̄sɨ̄)}.

messenger.

public crier.

prophet {(chr.) lit: God's public crier}.

poor person.

mischievous or troublesome person.

person of bad character.

beggar.

sick person.

sorcerer, evil-doer.

drummer.

imitator.

living person {as opposed to dead}.

person who sings refrain in songs (see also ngè-ùn-dɔ̀-pāa 'leader of song').

trickster, hustler.

poor person.

fortune teller.

creator.

mason, house maker.

fish sorcerer.

pregnant one.

cripple.

farmer (see also bɨ̀rà-kɔ̀sɨ̀).

workers who work in someone's field and are paid for it with drink.

person who hunts by means of hunting fetishes and rites.

receiver of news of a death.

boyfriend.

widow.

lazy person.

meat-lover.

cattle raiser.

self-important person.

pedestrian, someone on foot.

crippled person.

person with club foot.

person who paddles in a fishing pirogue.

temperamental person.

paralytic.

sick person.

plaintiff.

sorcerer, someone learning sorcery.

someone who loves [s.o.].

goalie {soccer}.

famous person.

shaman; fortune teller who can tell the causes for illnesses and other problems.

tax collector, person who collects for chief in market.

strong person (derived from tɔ́gɨ́ 'strength').

butcher.

warriors, night raider.

rich person.

lunatic, madman (denotes irrational, violent behavior; see also ɓòdɨ̀).

sorcerer.

thief.

potter.

earth chief, chief with authority over local land use.

merchant, seller.

bearer of the news of a death.

rainmaker.

politician.

greedy, selfish person.

straw {to be used as torch}.

sheath for throwing knife (mḭ̀yā̰).

laziness.

stalk.

parents.

type of tree.

extremely (fat).

extremely (scaly,rough).

make trot in fancy style.

be big and strong.

move, step.

old worn-out thing.

shave.

natron.

arrogantly, out of spite, defiantly (à-à for plural subj.).

stick firmly; firmly (sticking).

with a plunk {s.t. in water}).

a lot (drink).

flea, fleas.

hard (hit {with s.t.}).

extremely (full).

lift off, take off (freq. of ngḭ̄ḭ).

chicken pox.

whistle (kɔ́r̄ à 'to whistle').

be proud; boast; be careful.

type of small satchel or sack.

area not burned in bush fire.

dried liquid that becomes crusty.

chew.

sickle.

string of net laced through bottom of fishing net between two poles at sides.

chest.

karite fruit which is ripe and fallen off tree.

crouching tensely {before physical effort} (in expression gɔ̀jɨ̀ mɨ̀là à).

head cloth used to place loads on.

game played by children in which they form a circle.

badly cooked.

badly (stab, pierce).

children (irreg. pl. of ngōn 'child').

hernia.

be big and fat (said with small things).

gourd, calabash.

large gourd used in collective fishing (gourd is placed in net kòr̄).

area around eye, whole eye.

unripe fruit.

completely (better, cured).

extremity of, end of.

wait for.

get by, survive.

knot [in rope].

senselessly in a low voice (talk).

protruding, sticking out.

extremely (thin) (can be desc. of yā̰m).

flesh.

biceps.

fruit of kɨ́má tree.

plump, round and (fat) {birds}.

extremely (twisted, winding).

perfectly (well cooked).

yam [Dioscorea sp.].

type of yam in shape of fat hand.

type of red yam [Dioscorea sagittifolia].

manioc [lit: yam of cotton tree].

edible root of young palm tree (màr).

snout.

type of yam with white interior.

trouble maker.

jerking about, waddling back and forth.

completely (lifeless).

with a ripping sound (tear); badly (torn}.

be cured.

type of termite.

thoroughly (split) (desc. of kāy).

badly (torn), in rags.

river spirit.

be long.

disease caused by violation of taboos concerning male ceremonial rites (dà-kóy).

teeth.

limit of. outside area; foreign parts.

chief, king, head.

river man, one who knows river.

type of bird of prey.

type of field lizard.

type of small scorpion.

clitoris.

type of small insect.

peel [s.t. whose skin comes off easily or in one piece].

peel off/open [s.t. stuck]; open [letter, envelope].

grandchild; descendent.

devilry, sorcery.

herd, raise [animals].

son, daughter (irreg. pl. ngán-gɨ̄).

March.

paternal cousin (see also ngōn-nān).

stomach disease that causes swelling.

younger sibling who comes immediately after [s.o.].

younger brother or sister.

finger (pl. ngán-jī-gɨ̄).

grandchild.

great-grandchild.

minute (lit: child of hour) (pl. is ngán-kàdɨ̀; if hour (ngán-kàdɨ̀) is already mentioned, becomes ngán-kàdɨ̀ 'its minutes').

sibling, brother or sister.

fetisher hired by official to protect him.

December.

key (see also kó̰o̰-kɨ̀lē 'lock').

premature child.

lively young person.

infant, baby.

occasion, event.

toes (pl. ngán-njà-gɨ̄).

maternal cousin (see also ngōn-bɔ̀ɔ̄).

limb, part of body.

child whose mother gets pregnant when he's still small.

July.

infantile behavior.

firewood (smaller sticks); kindling.

bogeyman, mythical monster used to threaten children.

braggart.

dandy.

type of small white-breasted dove [tambourine dove].

nylon rope for nets.

fail to develop.

be dented.

small house bat (see also dōw).

fruit of Ziziphus mauritiana tree (kɔ̄n-ngɔ̀kɨ̄r or kɔ̄n-ngɔ̀kɨ̄r).

pride.

perhaps; unless I'm mistaken.

near, nearby.

extremely (short).

recently, nowadays, now.

be rough, hard, raw.

oppress (followed by dɔ̀ ḛ obj.).

dead tree.

type of very short shorts {lit: bald on the rump of the Gbaya}.

round and about size of grapefruit.

scabies.

blister beetle [Mylabris sp.].

type of large fish [Heterotis niloticus].

completely (full).

skin, pod, peel [of fruit or vegetable]. shell [nut]. skin [snake]. cardboard box used as container for [s.t.] (see also kàrtō̰o̰). scale [fish].

type of bɨ́lá yam with reddish interior.

hard surface of trees; bark.

type of small beetle.

type of squash with long grains.

skin of millipede.

harass, bother.

running.

insides of [squash] {which are removed during seed drying process} (normally followed by gòwúr̄).

sadness.

root, roots.

achilles tendon.

cable, wire.

tuber.

extremely (tough) (desc. of ngɨ̀rà).

completely (full).

flea, fleas.

hide, skin.

trick played on children.

completely (rolled up).

hard (hit with, chop).

foot, feet; leg, legs.

time, occurrence.

type of bush [Trema orientalis].

disease caused by fetish.

type of edible mushroom.

place for defecating.

place for defecating.

be split.

for a long time (chew).

thoroughly (bless) {to protect from evil}.

correctly, truthfully. exactly.

cut up {into many pieces}.

little bit that remains of.

horribly (covered with sores) (desc. of tɔ́r̄ dòo).

for a long time.

extremely (clean).

often, very often.

extremely (thin).

ankle bracelet (worn by girls being initiated (bà̰y-gɨ̄)).

be extremely slim.

type of plant.

type of plant.

with bubbles in water (in expression ɗāa à 'make air bubbles'; see also ɗāa à). thoroughly (covered with dew) (in expression tàl hɔ̀ à 'the area was wet with dew').

brightly (shine).

completely (pierced,cut,chopped, etc.).

lots of small amounts (in expression kɨ̀-lòo-gɨ̄ à 'a little bit everywhere').

to the top (fill {liquid}).

completely (cold {food}).

carefully (measure).

firmly {grab}.

kiss [mouth].

type of small round light-colored eggplant [Solanum gilo].

type of small green eggplant.

type of eggplant with bright yellow fruit.

type of small yellow eggplant used in making medicines.

European eggplant.

type of fat white eggplant.

type of yam in shape of fat hand.

extremely (sweet).

long eared rat.

fiery (red) (desc. of kɨ̀rē).

be very hard.

young woman.

extremely (long).

perfectly (even).

clear of day (in expression lòo à tīi à 'tomorrow in the clear of day, early tomorrow')

be extremely thin.

type of plant.

in piles or clusters.

with a slurping noise (suck).

foaming.

thoroughly (tied together) (desc. of ndà bɨ̀rà).

completely (foam up, rise up).

foaming up (desc of ɓà).

vigorously (boil).

hard (hit,punch).