What is the most typical expression for “left” (as in, the physical location that is opposite of “right”) in Maninka?
In the Malidaba Maninka dictionary, the term “maranbolo” is listed as a noun meaning ‘left’ and there is no mention of numanbolo (a form that is very common in Bambara).
In the Latin-based Maninka reference corpus, the term maranbolo is attested 18 times, but only in a Christian Bible translation.
Here’s what some other academic linguists on the Mandelang listserv pointed out:
Ebermann points out that Friedänder’s book has máranbolo, but not numanbolo and that Spear’s book lists màran for Faranah Maninka.
Salouma Doucouré lists màráa and màraabúlu for Maninka of Dantila (in western Senegal)
Creissels says that màráa is the only term for “left” in Mandinka
Vydrin says that núman and màran are both in the Malidaba Maninka dictionary. (As he acknowledges, this isn’t exactly true since it only lists màranbolo and numan, but not màran or númanbolo)
While this interesting context, none of it answers the question of which word is more typical in spoken lingua franca Maninka in Guinea. Both màranbólo and númanbolo appear in Grégoire’s 1986 lexicon for Maninka of Kankan. As such, I think that beginner students of Maninka should simply learn both:
