Sample texts in Beng
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15.1. Text in transcription: Two people on a trip
1The humorous story was recorded by Wolfgang Paesler in November 1981 from Kouassi Jean Clement, transcribed by Kouadio Kouadio Destin, and translated by Kouadio Kouadio Patrice into French.
1. |
Sɔ̰̀ŋ̀ |
plāŋ̄ |
ŋó |
tá |
blī-mà̰. |
person |
two |
3pl:Pst+ |
go:L |
place-CONT |
|
‘Two people went somewhere’. |
2Commentary. tá blīmà̰ is an idiomatic expression ‘to take a trip’, literally ‘to go someplace’, related to the usage of blī ‘place’ as an indefinite pronoun.
2. |
Ŋó |
sró |
wē |
ná̰ |
ŋó |
ŋò |
gbà |
pɔ̄-blē-lɛ̀. |
3pl:Pst+ |
arrive:L |
there |
Top |
3pl:Pst+ |
3pl |
give:L |
thing-eat-Nmlz |
|
‘When they got there they were given food’. |
3Commentary. pɔ̄blēlɛ̀ is structurally relativization of the direct object using event nominalization, literally ‘thing eaten’, or ‘eating something’, compare 6.2.
3. |
Dō |
a̚ |
pè |
sá̰ |
ó |
ká̰-nā̰. |
one |
3sg:Pst+3 |
say:L |
that |
3sg:Pst+ |
get.satiated-Prf |
|
‘One of them said he was full’. |
4Commentary. The portemanteau pronoun a̚ contains the obligatory 3rd person direct object of the speech verb, literally ‘He said it that he was full’.
4. |
Dō-lɛ̀ |
drɛ̄ |
a̚ |
wɔ̄ |
pɔ̀ |
ó |
pɔ̄-lɛ̀ |
blè. |
one-Def |
Emph |
3sg:Pst+3 |
hand |
wash:L |
3sg:Pst+ |
thing-Def |
eat:L |
|
‘The other one washed his hands and ate’. |
5Commentary. Here, the portemanteau pronoun a̚ contains a possessive pronoun, literally ‘He washed his hand’. Note juxtapotion of two clauses as the translation equivalent of verb phrase conjunction. Aslo notable is the usage of drɛ̄ as a topic switch marker.
5. |
Gɛ̄ŋ̄ |
kló |
ná̰ |
dō |
lɛ̀ |
ó |
yúó |
bò. |
beautiful |
little |
Top |
do |
Def |
3sg:Pst+ |
oral.cavity |
extract:L |
|
‘After a little while, the first one yawned’. |
6Commentary. Gɛ̄ŋ̄ kló is an idiomatic expression ‘a little later’. It is marked by an overt topic marker, as usual with topicalized adverbial elements. yúó bō is an idiomatic expression ‘to yawn’. The semantic motivation of the expression is transparent: when someone yawns, the oral cavity becomes visible.
6. |
Pɔ̄-blē-lí |
lɛ̀ |
a̚ |
là |
kēsá̰ |
ó |
lɛ́ |
lɔ̀wā. |
thing-eat-Ag |
Def |
3sg:Pst+3 |
ask:L |
that |
3sg:Pst+ |
Cop:L |
how |
|
‘The one who had eaten asked him what the matter was’. |
7Commentary. ó lɛ́ lɔ̀wā? is the idiomatic Beng expression for ‘why’, literally ‘How is it?’. The portemanteau pronoun a̚ includes a direct object: “He asked him”. Note the specific event reference in the interpretation of the agent nominalization in ‑lí.
7. |
A̚ |
pè: |
pɔ̄pɔ̄. |
3sg:Pst+3 |
say:L |
nothing |
|
‘He said: “Nothing.”’ |
8Commentary. pɔ̄pɔ̄ ‘nothing’ is derived by reduplication from pɔ̄ ‘thing’.
8. |
Ó |
yúó |
bò |
mṵ̂ŋ́. |
3sg:Pst+ |
oral.cavity |
extract:L |
again |
|
‘He yawned again’. |
9. |
Pɔ̄-blē-lí |
lɛ̀ |
a̚ |
là |
mṵ̂ŋ́, |
a̚ |
pè: |
pɔ̄pɔ̄. |
thing-eat-Ag |
Def |
3sg:Pst+3 |
ask:L |
again |
3sg:Pst+3 |
say:L |
nothing |
|
‘The one who had eaten asked him again’, ‘and he said: “Nothing.”’ |
10. |
Ŋò-ó |
blɔ̄ |
dɛ́ɛ̄ |
a̚ |
pè |
yī |
ó |
ŋ̄ |
dɛ̀. |
3pl-St+ |
there.Foc |
if |
3sg:Pst+3 |
say:L |
hunger |
3sg:Pst+ |
1sg |
kill:L |
|
‘They were there, and the other one said he was hungry’. |
9Commentary. Here complementizer dɛ́ɛ̄ ‘if’ is used in the sense of ‘when’. The verb dɛ̄ (base sense ‘to kill’) is used in the sense of ‘experience’ with nouns of feelings and senses like ‘hunger’, ‘fear’, ‘heat’, etc. as subjects, and the experiencer in the direct object position.
11. |
Pɔ̄-blē-lí |
lɛ̀ |
a̚ |
pè |
thing-eat-Ag |
Def |
3sg:Pst+3 |
say:L |
|
‘The one who had eaten said:’ |
12. |
sá̰ |
mà̰ |
pé |
mḭ̄ |
nḭ̀ |
ɛ́? |
that |
1sg:Pst-3 |
say:L |
2sg |
BENEF |
Neg |
|
‘Hadn’t I told you?’ |
10Commentary. The structure of the preterite TAM construction is obscured by high tone spread to the verb stem and the tone sandhi, whereby instead of the original mǎ̰ pè (LH L) we see mà̰ pé (L H).
13. |
Sá̰ |
ŋô |
tá |
blī |
mà̰ |
ná̰, |
that |
3pl:Cnd+ |
go |
place |
CONT |
Top |
|
‘That when one goes somewhere’, |
11Commentary. Conditional mood is used here according to the general rule of marking habitual aspect in temporal and conditional clauses.
|
ŋà |
yèɲrè |
pɔ̄-blē-lɛ̀ |
lō |
ɛ́. |
3pl:Hab- |
be.ashame:L |
thing-eat-Nmlz |
with |
Neg |
|
‘one is not shy of eating’. |
12Commentary. The verb yēɲré selects postposition lō. Note the interpretation of pɔ̄blēlɛ̀ contrasting with the object nominalization interpretation in sentence 2.
14. |
Ŋó |
zrɛ̈ |
ɛ̀ |
pòpò |
nyɛ̰̄ |
ŋó |
tá |
ɛ̄ |
ná̰, |
3pl:Pst+ |
road |
Def |
request:L |
Foc |
3pl:Pst+ |
go:L |
Foc |
Top |
|
‘When they said goodbye and went away’, |
13Commentary. To “request the road” is a common formula for guests asking permission to leave from their host in West Africa. Here the focus (and the topic) constructions are used to mark temporal sequence of events.
|
à |
gɔ̄ló |
lɛ̀ |
ó |
bédà |
zrɛ̈ |
lɛ̀ |
yé, |
3sg |
friend |
Def |
3sg:Pst+ |
lie:L |
road |
Def |
mouth |
|
‘his friend lay down on the road’, |
14Commentary. zrɛ̈ is one of the nouns that requires locative postposition yé without the ‘on the edge’ meaning of the latter.
15. |
nà̰ |
wà |
zḭ̀ |
yā |
drɛ̄ |
ɛ́. |
DT |
3sg:Hab- |
can:L |
walk |
anymore |
Neg |
|
‘he could not walk anymore’. |
15Commentary. Particle drɛ̄ is the way to express ‘anymore’ in Beng in the context of the negative particle ɛ́.
15.2. Text in orthography: Chimpanzee’s house
16This folktale was recorded by Wolfgang Paesler in November 1981 from Kouassi Jean Clement, transcribed ny Kouadio Kouadio Destin, and translated by Kouadio Kouadio Patrice into French. For comparison with 15.1, this text is reproduced in the orthography (Kouadio, Kouakou 1997) and in phonological transcription, to provide a sample of this orthography.
1. |
Ganmlàn |
o |
gbèe |
gbɔ. |
Gā̰mlà̰ |
ó |
gbě |
gbɔ́. |
|
chimpanzee |
St+ |
village |
old |
|
‘Of old, Chimpanzee used to live in the village’. |
17Commentary. See 12.1.2 for discussion of time reference.
2. |
O |
suo |
dɔ̀ |
Ó |
súó |
dɔ̀ |
|
3sg:Pst |
house |
build:L |
|
‘He built a house’, |
fɛn |
sɔ̀nŋ̀ |
nùnŋ̀ |
ŋo |
tà |
à |
cà |
nan, |
fɛ̰̄ |
sɔ̰̀ŋ̀ |
nṵ̀ŋ̀ |
ŋó |
tà |
à |
cà |
ná̰, |
Rel |
person |
Pl |
3pl:Pst+ |
go:L |
3sg |
watch:L |
Top |
‘and when people came to see it’, |
18Commentary. The sentence features a serial construction where one subject pronoun shares two verbs in the same (low tone) form.
3. |
ŋo |
à |
pè |
san |
ŋó |
à |
pè |
sá̰ |
|
3pl:Pst+ |
3sg |
say:L |
that |
|
‘They said: |
ganmlàn, |
min |
suo |
lɛ̀ |
o |
lɛ̀ |
gɛŋ. |
gā̰mlà̰, |
mḭ̄ |
súó |
lɛ̀ |
ó |
lɛ̀ |
gɛ̄ŋ̄. |
chimpanzee |
2sg |
house |
Def |
3sg:Pst+ |
Cop:L |
beautiful |
‘Chimpanzee, your house is nice’. |
4. |
Drɛ |
o |
guan nan |
pɔ |
do. |
Drɛ̄ |
ó |
gṵ̄ā̰-nā̰ |
pɔ̄ |
dō. |
|
but |
3sg:Pst+ |
remain-Prf |
thing |
one |
|
‘But one thing is missing’. |
19Commentary. Note the postverbal subject NP with a preverbal subject pronoun, peculiarity of the verb gṵ̄à̰ ‘to remain’.
5. |
Ganmlàn |
aà |
pè |
san: |
pɔ̀ |
pɔ́ |
pɔ̀? |
Gā̰mlà̰ |
a̚ |
pè |
sá̰: |
pɔ̀ |
pɔ́ |
pɔ̀? |
|
chimpanzee |
3sg:Pst+3 |
say:L |
that |
like |
what |
like |
|
‘Chimpanzee said: “Like what?”’ |
20Commentary. pɔ̀ X pɔ̀ ‘like X’ expresses comparison in Beng, usually occurs in nominal positions.
6. |
Sɔ̀nŋ̀ |
nùnŋ̀ |
ŋo |
à |
pè |
san |
pɔ̀ |
kpìnŋ |
pɔ̀. |
Sɔ̰̀ŋ̀ |
nṵ̀ŋ̀ |
ŋó |
à |
pè |
sá̰ |
pɔ̀ |
kpḭ̀ŋ́ |
pɔ̀. |
|
person |
Pl |
3pl:Pst+ |
3sg |
say:L |
that |
like |
door |
like |
|
‘The people said: “Like a door.” |
7. |
Ganmlàn |
aà |
pè |
san: |
Gā̰mlà̰ |
a̚ |
pè |
sá̰: |
|
chimpanzee |
3sg:Pst+3 |
say:L |
that |
|
‘Chimpanzee said:’ |
8. |
pɔ |
fɛn |
ŋà |
sì |
kpìnŋ |
nan, |
pɔ̄ |
fɛ̰̄ |
ŋà |
sì |
kpḭ̀ŋ́ |
ná̰, |
|
thing |
Rel |
3pl:Hab+3 |
call:L |
door |
Top |
|
“The thing that they call door,” |
manŋ |
màn |
nyrɛɛ̀n |
tɔ |
man sà |
do |
ɛ. |
mā̰ŋ̄ |
mà̰ |
ɲrɛ̰̚ |
tɔ́ |
mā̰-sà |
dō |
ɛ́. |
1sg:Foc |
1sg:Pst- |
this |
name |
hear-Prf- |
one |
Neg |
“me, I have never heard this word.” |
21Commentary. ɲrɛ̰̚ is a demonstrative noun, here used as an appositive modifier of tɔ́ ‘name’. Adverbial dō, identical to the numeral ‘one’, combines with perfect aspect and means ‘ever’.
9. |
Aà |
pè |
san: |
A̚ |
pè |
sá̰: |
|
3sg:Pst+3 |
say:L |
that |
|
‘He said:’ |
nyrɛɛ̀n |
pɔ |
drɛn |
bɛɛ |
bì-lɛ̀ |
màn |
zin |
à |
wo |
ɛ. |
ɲrɛ̰̚ |
pɔ̄ |
drɛ̰̄ |
bɛ́ɛ̄ |
bì-lɛ̀ |
mà̰ |
zḭ̄ |
à |
wō |
ɛ́. |
this |
thing |
work |
big |
this-Def |
1sg:Pst- |
can |
3sg |
do |
Neg |
“This big work, I can’t do.” |
22Commentary. Modal zḭ̄ ‘can’ is exceptional as it combines with preterite subject pronouns while itself staying in base form, selecting a verb phrase in a base form, and having present semantics. zḭ̄ is also attested in the regular habitual construction, while still selecting a base form verb phrase.
10. |
Nyɛn |
ganmlàn |
o |
wlo |
Ɲɛ̰̄ |
gā̰mlà̰ |
ó |
wló |
|
Foc |
chimpanzee |
3sg:Pst |
move.out:L |
|
‘And Chimpanzee left’ |
o |
dà |
klɛŋ |
nìn |
wo |
ɛ. |
ó |
dà |
klɛ́ŋ́ |
nḭ̀ |
wó |
ɛ̄. |
3sg:Pst+ |
reach:L |
forest |
Def |
IN |
Foc |
‘and reached the forest’. |
11. |
Nàn |
ganmlàn |
ò |
nun |
guàn |
klɛŋ |
wo |
nan |
Nà̰ |
gā̰mlà̰ |
ò |
nṵ̄ |
gṵ̄à̰ |
klɛ́ŋ́ |
wó |
ná̰ |
|
for.to |
chimpanzee |
3sg:Hab+ |
come |
remain |
forest |
IN |
Top |
|
‘For Chimpanzee to stay in the forest’, |
à |
din-lɛ̀ |
o |
bɔ̀ |
kpìnŋ |
màn |
à |
dḭ́-lɛ̀ |
ó |
bɔ̀ |
kpḭ̀ŋ́ |
mà̰ |
3sg |
cause-Def |
3sg:Pst+ |
come.from:L |
door |
CONT |
‘the reason came from the door’ |
nyɛn |
ganmlàn |
o |
gùàn |
klɛŋ |
wo |
ɛ. |
ɲɛ̰̄ |
gā̰mlà̰ |
ó |
gṵ̀à̰ |
klɛ́ŋ́ |
wó |
ɛ̄. |
Foc |
chimpanzee |
3sg:Pst+ |
remain:L |
forest |
IN |
Foc |
‘that Chimpanzee stayed in the forest’. |
23Commentary. The last sentence of this text was reproduced and discussed earlier as example (268).
References
Bibliographical reference
Denis Paperno, “Sample texts in Beng”, Mandenkan, 51 | 2014, 106-111.
Electronic reference
Denis Paperno, “Sample texts in Beng”, Mandenkan [Online], 51 | 2014, Online since 01 June 2014, connection on 29 March 2024. URL: http://journals.openedition.org/mandenkan/563; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/mandenkan.563
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The text only may be used under licence CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. All other elements (illustrations, imported files) are “All rights reserved”, unless otherwise stated.
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