|
The Bambara, or bamanan, language is the most widely used of Mali's 10 national languages. It is spoken in the regions of Kays, Kouliloro, Sikasso, Ségou, Mopti and Bamako. Over 80 per cent of Malians speak Bambara, although words and pronounciation change slightly between regions. It is also the language of radio, public television and most schools.
Bambara is a soft, tonal language and is not easy for Westerns to learn. It appears deceptively simple (many words are single or repeated syllables i.e. 'ta' = go, 'nono' = milk) but because it is an tonal language, the pitch of voice will change the meaning of the word ('si' can have 7 different meanings!)
The following notes are intended to help you get started, but don't be discouraged if you feel lost for the first few weeks. Because most Malians learn by rote in school, it is usually hard to find someone who had break down a phrase for you (subject-verb-predicate), so start by parroting small phrases. Children can sometimes be great teachers, since they do not tire of correcting you and love to the role reversal. Remember that the best way to learn is by practice and try to have fun. Don't be afraid to laugh at yourself as you try to wrap your tongue around new sounds and words.
I have attempted to write the following phrases phonetically. You may want to copy them into a small phrasebook to carry with you in Mali - which you can add to and annotate as you learn. |
