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Nubian Dictionary Christ's Language What is an EL? EL Foundations

 

Arcangelo Carradori's Dictionary of 17th Century Kenzi Nubian

The Oldest Dictionary of an African Language

Supplementary Tables and Text
Obtained through an interpreter at Girga in Egypt by the Prefect, Brother Arcangelo Carradori da Pistoia, Minore Osservante of Saint Francis and Apostolic Missionary in those parts. Finished on 8 August 1635 amidst frequent dangers to his life, and recopied at the convent of Giaccherino outside Pistoia. Completed on 20 July 1650.

Personal Pronouns

Possessional Pronouns
io aghi I mio andighi my
tu echi you tuo tendeghi your
quello alaighi he suo tendu his
noi arghi we nostro andama our
voi erghi you (all) vostro endeghi your
quelli terghi they loro echielinghi their

Present Tense of the verb for "Eat"
io mangio ai calsim I eat
tu mangi er calsom You eat
quello mangia ter calsom He eats
noi mangiamo calsoma We eat
voi mangiate calsom You eat
quelli mangiano calsam They eat

Imperative of the verb for "Eat"
mangia cal eat! (singular)
mangiate calue eat! (plural)

Future of the verb for "Eat"
io mangero calghi I will eat
tu mangerai calli You will eat
quello mangera teconcale He will eat
noi mangeremo calu We will eat
voi mangerete callu You will eat
quelli mangieranno callu They will eat

Past Perfective of the verb for "Eat"
io ho mangiato ai calsim I have eaten
tu hai mangiato ercalsom You have eaten
quello ha mangiato tercalsom He has eaten
noi habbiamo mangiato ari calsom We have eaten
voi hauete mangiato arcalsom You have eaten
quelli han'mangiato ter calsam They have eaten

Past Imperfective of the verb for "Eat"

io mangiaua calsom I used to eat
tu mangiaui calsom You used to eat
quello mangiaua accalsom He used to eat
noi mangiauamo accalsom We used to eat
voi mangiauate accalsom You used to eat
quelli mangiauano accalsam They used to eat

Present Indicative for "Want" (Positive and Negative)

io uoglio dolsim I want
tu uuoi ai dolli You want
quello uuole ter dolen He wants
noi uogliamo ai dolli We want
voi uolete ir dolsum You want
quelli uoglino tir dolsam They want
io non uoglio cur menim I do not want
tu non uuoi ai dolmesim You do not want
quello non uuole tir dolmenam He does not want
noi non uogliamo ar cur menon We do not want
voi non uolete tir cur menam You do not want
quelli non uogliono tir dolmenam They do not want

Present Indicative for "Can" (Positive and Negative)
io posso escheri I can
tu puoi escheri You can
quello puo ter esche He can
noi possiamo eschesuma We can
quelli possano teri escharam They can
io non posso eschemni I cannot
tu non puoi eschemno You cannot
quello non puo ter eschemno He cannot
noi non possiamo ai schensim We cannot
voi non potate areschemnuma You cannot
quelli non possano tir eschansam They cannot

Present Indicative for "Have" (Positive and Negative)
io ho annaida I have
tu hai ennaidan You have
quello ha ter tenaida He has
noi habbiamo annaidan We have
voi hauete tennaida You have
quelli hanno teri tennai They have
io non ho annaidamno I do not have
tu non hai ennaidamno You do not have
quello non ha tennaidamno He does not have
noi non habbiamo annaidamno We do not have
voi non hauete innaidamno You do not have
quelli non hanno marghoroidamno They do not have

Present Indicative for "Remember" (Positive and Negative)
io mi ricordo gillesima I remember
tu ti ricordi aigellesima You remember
quello si ricorda tergellen He remembers
noi ci ricordiamo teruni gillasam We remember
voi ui ricordate terconi gillasoma You remember
quelli ricordano terconi gillaram They remember
io non mi ricordo ai gillemsim I do not remember
tu non ti ricordi ai gillemsim You do not remember
quello non ci ricorda tergillemsom He does not remember

Present Indicative for "Forget" (Positive)
io mi son scordato icossim I have forgotten
ti sei scordato iuossima You have forgotten
quello si e scordato ter iuossima He has forgotten
noi ci siamo scordati ariuossoma We have forgotten
voi ui sete scordati iruossima You have forgotten
quelli si sono scordati ter iuossima They have forgotten

Conjugation for the Verb Meaning "Know"

io so agnorri I know
tu sai erognere You know
quello sa terogneren He knows
noi sappiamo giamaognore We know
voi sapete erignorrum You know
quelli sanno terchognorram They know
io no so ognermenim I do not know
tu non sai ognormesam You do not know
quello non sa terognorme He does not know
io ho saputo aiognorcim I have known
tu hai saputo eriognorsim You have known
quello ha saputo teriognorsam He has known
noi habbiamo saputo giammaognorsam We have known
voi hauete saputo eriognorsam You have known
quelli hanno saputo tercolognorsoma They have known
se io sapero canghi ognorri if I will know
se tu saprai canghi ognorson if you will know
se quello sapra canghi asarognerem if he will know
se noi saperemo canghi giomma ognorrom if we shall know
se voi saperete canghi eri ognorrum if you will know
se quelli saperanno canghi tercol ognorsam if they will know

Conjugation for the Verb Meaning "Sleep"

io dormi nerburi I sleep
tu dormi erneros you sleep
quello dorme nerbon he sleeps
noi dormiano arnerra we sleep
voi dormite irnerra you sleep
quelli dormino ternerossama they sleep
io dormiuo arbusuma I was sleeping.
tu dormiui aribusim You were sleeping.
quello dormiua tenerbusum He was sleeping.
io ho sonno aideri I have slept.
tu hai sonno eridum You have slept.
quello ha sonno teridum He has slept.
noi habbiamo sonno aredim We have slept.
voi hauete sonno eriuossuma You have slept.
quelli han sonno tercolidima They have slept.

Textual Materials
si naamghi yes
no lau no
doue uai? sai giurri? Where are you going?
vado a casa car giuru I am going home.
donde uieni? sanerto? Where are you coming from?
vengo dalla piazza sugurton tasi I am coming from the square.
dammi da bere mascerupatta Give me [something] to drink.
dammi da mangiare calgha tacallu Give me [something] to eat.
andiamo insieme giamma bugiuru Let's go together.
buon di fratello sabah il hair ambes Good day brother!
buona sera signore mesalhaer ambes Good evening sir!
stai bene? ercom bore? Are you well?
Iddio ui aiuti tirach saader May God help you.
doue è la tua casa? en case? Where is your house?
qua uicino ighittoma nearby
io credo in Dio torched amnesim I believe in God.
bisogna far peniteza lazem tuberi One must do penance.
bisogna che io uada a casa lazem car giuri I must go home.
io ti ringratio sabietersim I thank you.
sia ringratiato Dio e laudato tirch sciachieresom hamdiesom May God be thanked and praised.
io ti son'obligato echielesmeburi I am obliged to you.
per che causa? immende? For what reason?
come ti chiami? eche moneghogieram? What is your name?
io ti amo per l'amor d'Iddio eche dolli tirdeghed I love you for the love of God.
Iddio ti dia ogni bene tirach chair chetersom May God give you all good things.
Iddio ti conserui tirach hadiesom May God keep you.
Iddio to dia il Paradiso tirach fardus catersom May God give you paradise.
Iddio ti dia lunga uita tirach oghunasoch terer May God give you long life.
Iddio ti salui tirach salam ghetersim May God save you.
io ho perso un libro sor dabossam I have lost a book.
o tu che hai perso ennaitomin dabossam Or have you lost it?
quello ha perso il cavallo ter caigda bossom He has lost the horse.
voi haue perso lo scugot cerberdaig dobossom You have lost [the scugot?]
quelli han perso la salu callos tachesam They have lost [the salu?]
io ho cercato mio padre ambabeshi vadersim I have sought my father.
non importa balemnan No matter.
hai trouato tuo compag eurighi elma Have you found your [compag?]
porgimi il calamaro ergidiano dauaghi Hand me the inkwell.
che cosa in hai portato menghatadeno What have you brought?
io ho perso la strada gherchioussima I have lost the road.
vuoi in che se l'insegni vuer dolchurcheddem Would you like to teach?
di gratio piacesse a Dio enscialla by the grace of God
che fai men ghaui What are you doing?
che ha fatto terneghawi What has he done?
ha fatto una bella cosa tiraussam He has done a good thing.
et io la faro ancora nidauri and I shall do it again
io ho dormito poco stanotte nermesim oghughi I have slept little last night.
tu hai dormito molto degrighi nersoma You have slept much.
quello ha dormito un poco tercurrech nersoma He has slept a little.
noi non habbiam dormito arcab nersoma We have not slept.
voi non hauete dormito arnersoma You have not slept.
quelli dormiuano terbusan They were sleeping.
io dormiuo stanotte hersima oghughi I was sleeping last night.
tu dormirai domain ercharighi nersoma You will sleep tomorrow.
quello dormirapoi ternerua He will sleep afterwards.
non è tempo di dormire voibel mermenim It is not time to sleep.
riposati velese Rest!
si riposa veresesom May he rest!
sueglialo anghesi May he awake!
l'ho chiamato e non sente vuetersim ghegermesom I've called him but he doesn't hear.
aspettami qui aigherim Look for me here.
torna presto vidogrossim I shall return quickly.
non ti fermare teghomen Don't go far away.
tornero presto vidogrossim I shall return quickly.
siedi in terra ghurtego Be seated on the ground!
lieuati in piedi embalos Stand up!
sono stracco maresburi I'm tired.
mi duol' la testa vrodden I have a headache.
Dio ui dia sanita tir amme May God give you health!
non hauer paura sarchime Don't be afraid!
non cè male sarcheme It isn't bad.
ei gagliardo? er combore? Are you vigorous?
sono zoppo foghorsim I'm limping.
sali a cauallo caigh caghir Mount up on horseback.
temo di caschare deghirrighi sercheri I'm afraid of falling off!
gl'è piaceuole hadibon That's pleasant.
sai nuotare? bausom Do you know how to swim?
non sputar ancora bersemen elghon Do not spit again.
douè il necesso? ognin case? Where is the "indispensable?"
egli ua del corpo ter ussesom It goes forth from the body.
come ti chiami? men oghugeram? What is your name?
voglio comprar il pane cal ghigiandi I want to buy the bread.
quanto si uende? moncatteghed? How much does it cost?
ho comprato giamsim I have bought
che domandi? men gheuersen? What do you want?
non so la strada gher cognormenin I don't know the road.
passa di qua ennertontan Go here.
torna a dietro diossoma Turn back.
son tornato di piazza such dortasim I have turned at the square.
non ho uisto alcuno nalmesim I have not seen anyone.
se lo cercaui lo trouaui vadel elsim Seek and ye shall find.
non è possible machenemeno It is impossible.
tu dici la bugia morsegnesom You are lying.
gl'è la verita aliema It's the truth.
lo giuri? giod? Do you swear it?
per Dio valla By God!
ti credo alieghersim I believe you.
va con salute afiat agiu Go with health.

Kenzi Nubian Dictionary
Introduction by Jay Spaulding

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