Arcangelo Carradori's Dictionary of 17th Century Kenzi Nubian
The Oldest Dictionary of an African Language
Supplementary Tables and TextObtained 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.