I ni ce! As I begin to learn Bambara, I’m interested in the words and expressions derived from Arabic. Are there any good articles/academic articles/books which give insights into Arabic/Arab influences on Bambara or Manding more widely?
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I ni ce, @Angus ! Thanks for posting.
Here are some general refereces:
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Baldi, Sergio. 2008. Dictionnaire Des Emprunts Arabes Dans Les Langues de l’Afrique de l’Ouest et En Swahili. Paris, France: Éditions Karthala.
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Hunwick, John O. 1964. “The Influence of Arabic in West Africa: A Preliminary Historical Survey.” Transactions of the Historical Society of Ghana 7 (January): 24–41.
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———. 2004. “West Africa and the Arabic Language.” Sudanic Africa 15 (January): 133–44.
Here are some references for Bambara/Manding more specifically:
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Dumestre, Gérard. 1983. “Note à Propos Des Termes Bambara Empruntés à l’arabe.” In Langue Arabe et Langues Africaines. Mémoire Spécial Du Centre d’Études Sur Les Relations Entre Le MondeArabe et l’Afrique et Du Centre d’Études Sur l’Océan Indien Occidental, 13–20. Paris: Conseil International de la Langue Française.
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Green, Christopher R., and Jennifer Hill Boutz. 2016. “A Prosodic Perspective on the Assignment of Tonal Melodies to Arabic Loanwords in Bambara.” Mandenkan 56: 29–76.
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Zappa, Francesco. 2011. “When Arabic Resonates in the Words of an African Language: Some Morphological Features and Semantic Features of Arabic Loanwords and Calques in Bambara.” In The Word in Arabic, edited by Giuliano Lancioni and Lidia Bettini, 229–49. Leiden; Boston: Brill.
There is also a discussion of this in one of Sulemaana Kantè’s books about the Manding language (written in Manding in N’ko script):
- Kántɛ, Sùlemáana. 2007–1958. Màndén fòdòbà kán’: dɔ̀fɔ́’ ládɛsɛnɛn’ ߡߊ߲߬ߘߋ߲߫ ߝߘߏ߬ߓߊ߬ ߞߊ߲: ߘߐ߬ߝߐ ߟߊߘߛߍߣߍ߲ [The Common Language of Manden: An Abridged History]. Edited by Màmàdú Jàrà. Bamako: Bakoroba.
Let me know if you dive into any of them!
I ni ce! That’s really helpful, I’ll let you know how it goes.
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