Malidaba - Dictionnaire Maninka

Malidaba Dictionary

Dictionary structure and User's guide

Content - Searching - Other options - Abbreviations

Features

ꜛThe content

The January 2024 version includes 7283 Maninka lexemes (8,799 entries, including 1,461 phonetic variants with links to the main entries). In comparison with the 2018 version, about 600 entries have been added. Proper nouns (personal names, clan names, toponyms) are not included in the current version (this fact explains the decreasing of the total number of entries in Malidaba; in the 1st version, there were 9.796 entries). At the same time, many duplicates have been eliminated.

Variants : Each secondary variant (their number is 1.461; in the October 2018, they were 1.391) appears as a separate entry, with a link to the main entry.

Some other informations concerning the content of Malidaba:

nouns	5.561
verbs	1.875
proper names (surnames, first names, places)	16
adjectives	487
adverbs	258
interjections, onomatopoeia	106

Indexes (links in the right, at the top)

There is an English-Maninka index which counts 9,900 entries. A French-Maninka index includes 10,490 entries, and a Russian-Maninka index 10,542 entries. The Nko index has 8,106 entries.

Content: The December 2023 version includes 7283 Maninka lexemes (8,827 entries, including 1,482 phonetic variants with links to the main entries). In comparison with the 2018 version, about 600 entries have been added, at the same time, many doubles have been eliminated. The proper nouns (personal names, clan names, toponyms) are not included in the current version.

Synonyms: synonyms are indicated for 5,092 entries; for some entries, more than one synonym can be mentioned.

Multimedia: 76 entries have illustrations. Please, don’t hesitate to send us pictures, audio or files recorded in Guinea to illustrate the phenomena.

ꜛSearch: "ɲinin" button accepts only maninka latin, it provides two search options:

If you do a search without tonal marks, you type ban, and you’ll arrive to the first in the list, i.e. bàn with a low tone. And bán will be found below.

If tones are included, the search is more precise. (e.g., bán and bàn are not the same).

If a searched word is not found, you land at the beginning of the list of words which have the same initial letter as the word you are searching.

English, French, Russian and Nko indexes allow a search in the chose language and its alphabet.

It is also possible to use the alphabetical index A-Z.

Navigation : The links at the upper right side of the screen allow:

Fr : to go to the French-Maninka index

En : to go to the English-Maninka index

Ru : to go to the Russian-Maninka index

Nko : to go to the Nko index

A-Z : displays the index of the letters which allows to go to the letter you need.

ꜛOther options

To hide or to show a language: glosses and translations can be hidden or shown by clicking on abbreviations Fr En Ru to the right of the search window. Exception : The primary gloss is in French and cannot be hidden.

Link to the Maninka Reference Corpus: many entries have a grey number preceded by an arrow. By clicking this number, one can obtain a concordance of the occurrences of the lexeme in the Maninka (Nko) corpus. Note that this number should not be taken at face value. The Maninka (Nko) Corpus has not been disambiguated, and if a lexeme has homonyms, all the homonyms are lumped together (e.g., three homonyms bìla). This problem is absent if a lexeme has no homonyms (e.g., mɔ̀ɔ).

Smartphones : Malidaba dictionary can be used on smartphones.

Smartphone display example...

Keyboard: If you have no keyboard to type Maninka special charaters (ɛ, ɔ, ɲ) on your computer or smartphone, you can click the buttons on the screen, to the left of the search window. If you have a Bambara keyboard, it is compatible. For Nko, you can download a keyboard here: nko_fr.zip. For Russian, a Russian keyboard is necessary.

Off-line version: Malidaba can be downloaded and installed on computer or smartphone: maninka-web.zip (3,4 Mo). You should unzip the file and open it with your navigator. In this case, the multimedia illustrative files are not available (to see them, one needs to be connected to the Internet).

If you are familiar with the Toolbox Toolbox (SIL)software, you can use the following file: maninka-disamb-syn.zip (1.4Mo)

Bugs: If you encounter bugs or omissions, please, drop us an email here

ꜛAbbreviations:

Parts of speech markers :

adj	adjective
adv	adverb
adv.p	preverbial adverb
conj	conjunction
cop	copula
dtm	determinant
intj	interjection
n	noun
num	number
onomat	onomatopea
pers	personal pronoun
pm	predicative marker
pp	postposition
prep	preposition
prn	pronoun (non-personal)
prt	particle
ptcp	participle
v	(dynamic) verb
vq	qualitative verb

Valencies markers :

vi	intransitive verbs
vt	transitive verbs
vr	reflexive verbs
rn	relational nouns
bn	bound nouns

Usage marks :

affect.	affectionate term
agricult.	agriculture
Am.	American variant of English
anat.	anatomy
anthr.	anthropology
arch.	archaic
astr.	astronomy
biol.	biology
Br.	British variant of English
broad	broad meaning
card	card term
chem.	chemistry
christ.	Christianism
coll.	colloquial
dir.	direct meaning
disappr.	disapproving
epith.	epithet
euph.	euphemism
expr.	expressive, emotional
fig.	figurative meaning
fig.sp.	figure of speech
fin.	finances
form.	formal speech
freq.	frequently used form
geogr.	geography
geol.	geology
griot.	term used by casted bards (griots)
hist.	historic term, a word for an obsolete object of phenomenon
hunt.	hunters’ word
iron.	ironic
isl.	Islam
law	law
ling.	linguistics
lofty	lofty
math.	mathematics
med.	medicine
milit.	military
mus.	musicology
neol.	neologism
neol.-Nko	neologism used in the Nko litterature
neutr.	neutral style
nurs.	nursery word
obsc.	obscene
obsol.	obsolete
occas.	occasional meaning
pej.	pejorative term
philos.	philosophy
phys.	physics
poet.	poetic style
polit.	politics, politology
rare	rare
relig.	religion
resp.	respectful
rude	rude
rural	not used in urban speech
secr.	word of a secret language
slang	slang
sport.	sport
tech.	technisc
text.	textile
vulg.	vulgar
zool.	zoology

Documentation for the Maninka Reference Corpus is available here:

Glosses (inflection, derivation, auxiliary words)

Tonal notation

List of primary sources :

Camara Sheick 1982	Camara, Sheick Abdoulkader. Terminologie de commerce en Maninka (Kankan). Mémoire de diplôme. Kankan : Institut Polytechnique, Mémoire, 1982.
Davydov 2012	Davydov, Artem. Stanovleniye literaturnogo yazyka maninka (po trudam Suleymana Kante) [Emergence of the Maninka written norm (throuth the writings of Suleyman Kante)]. PhD Thesis, St. Petersburg State University, 2012.
Kuruma Famori	Kuruma, Famori. Amara ni Fanta/Alamako [Amara and Fanta] (an unpublished novel).
An nye karan	Maninka. An nye karan... An nye sèbèli kè. Manuel d'Alphabétisation. Conakry : Commission Nationale d'Alphabétisation et d'Education des Adultes de la République de Guinée, 1968, 50 p.
Berhaut 1967	J. Berhaut. Flore du Sénégal. Dakar : Editions Clairafrique, 1967.
Burkill	H. M. Burkill. The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens, Vol. 1, 1985; Vol. 2, 1994.
Camara Mamadou 1995	Mamadou Camara. Étude de quelques marqueurs aspecto-temporels du Maninkakan et du Français. Mémoire de D.E.A., Université Stendhal – Grenoble III, 1995.
Grégoire 1986	Claire Grégoire. Le maninka de Kankan. Eléments de description phonologique. Tervuren, 1986.
Dalziel 1937	Dalziel J. M. The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. London, 1937.
Keyita Fajinba	information obtained from Fajinba Keyita, researcher at IRLA
Kante. Fudu sariya	Sùlemaaná Kántɛ. Fúdu` sáriya` kíti` lù n’à bélena. [Legislation and sermon about marriage.] Egypte: Kùrukanfúwa Gbàrá` lá Sádala, 1995, 24 p.
Ibrahima Condé	information obtained from Ibrahima Sory 2 Condé (native of Baté region, Guinea)
Bari Umaru 1999	Úmaru Bári. Súluku` lá ìmaamunyá` wála Játurù [Hyena the Imam]. Kɔ́naakiri, 1999.
Kante. Jibiriba	Sùleman Kántɛ. Jìbiribá fàsá`. Kɔ́nakiri, (1980) [The story of Jibiriba. Conakry, (1980)], 62 p.
Kaba. Moso mere	Dyamanati Kaba. Môso, mêre i den dî? â mînâ n'nye n'kô! Premier syllabaire Kangbè (Maninka, Bamanan, Dioula). Avec quatre sons symphoniques. Kankan – Conakry.
Jaane. Kafa 1	Bàbá Màmádi Jàanɛ́. Ńkó` sɛ́bɛsun jìyamá` wála Ńkó. Kàfa 1. [Nko primer with pictures. Book 1.] Conakry: Librairie papeterie ICRA-N'Ko, 1993, 43 p.
Jaane. Kafa 2	Bàbá Màmádi Jàanɛ́. Kàrangbɛ́` ní kúmaden` kán` fɔ́li` n’à mɛ́n` báju ɲánatɔ̀mɔnnɛ́n nè [Grammar, prononciation and perception: the basics. 2nd book of the course of Nko in the Cairo University]. Kairo, 2002, 70 p.
Jaane. Kafa 3	Bàbá Màmádi Jàanɛ́. Ńkó sɛ́bɛsun jìyamá Kɔ̀nɔ́` sánsan` kɔ́nɔ, kàrangbɛ́` làkarannián báju ɲánatɔ̀mɔnnɛ́n` nè [Nko illustrated ABC “Bird in a cage”, selected basic texts. 3rd book of the course of Nko in the Cairo University]. Kairo, 2002, 70 p.
Kante. Kangbe 1	Sùlemáana Kántɛ. Ńkó` kángbɛ` kùnfɔ́lɔ. [Basic grammar of Nko] Kàrífɔn 1996, 37 p.
Kante. Kangbe 2	Kántɛ, Sùlemáana. Nkó kángbɛ kàfa fìlanán [Nko grammar, book 2]. Bámakɔ, 1993.
Kante. Kangbe kunbaba	Kántɛ, Sùlemáana. Nkó kángbɛ kùnbabá. [Big grammar of Nko] Kánkan, 1998.
Maninka-English	(Paul Ellenberger et al.) Maninka-English Dictionary. Kankan: The Christian Missionary Alliance, n.d. (a Guinean Maninka influenced by Konya).
Labzina 1973	Labzina, Victoria. Yazyk maninka: teksty, slovar’ [Maninka language: texts and dictionary.] Moscow: Nauka, 1973, 104 p.
Jaane 1987	Màmádi Jàanɛ́ Nàfajiká. Nkó kàfa fɔ́lɔ. [First Nko book]. 1987.
Kante. Kafanen 1	Kántɛ Sùlemáana. Nkó kàfanɛn fɔ́lɔ sáurama [First Nko book with pictures].
Kante. Kafanen 2	Kántɛ Sùlemáana. Nkó kàfanɛn fílanan [Second Nko book with pistures].
Luneti fin	Famori Kuruma. Luneti fin [Black sunglasses] (an unpublished novel).
Lexique IRLA	Lexique Maninka–Francais. Conakry, I.R.L.A. (manuscript).
Vydrin	Valentin Vydrin’s field notes and correspondence
Camara Mamadu 1977	Mamadou Camara. Les problèmes de la lexicographie dans nos langues nationales. Application : Langue nationale maninka. Mémoire de diplôme de fin d’études supérieures. Institut Polytechnique de Conakry, 1976/77, 88 p.
Diallo Mbaba	M'Baba Diallo. Origine des Peuls. Les conquêtes d'El Hadj Omar. Fila-Kali Sidibé, dernier chef de guerre peul du Wassolon. La Dina au Macina, Hambodejo, Sekou Amadou et Boubou ardo Gallo. (n.d., n.l.).
Kante. Manden dofo 1	Sùlemáana Kántɛ. Màndén dɔ̀fɔ́` kùnfɔ́lɔ` mɛ́n` kɛ́ dá Sònjada kó` ɲɛ́. [Manding History, part 1: What happened before Sonjada]. Egypt, 1991. 119 p.
Kante. Manden dofo 2	Sùlemáana Kántɛ. Màndén dɔ̀fɔ́ kàfa 2. [Manding History. Part 2.] Conakry, 1990, ms., 43 p.
Kante. Manden dofo 3	Sùlemáana Kántɛ. Màndén dɔ̀fɔ́ kàfa 3: Kùrukanfúwa-Gbàrá kùrundú lù. [Manding History. Part 3: Laws of the Kurukanfuwa Assembly]. Egypt, 1992, 83 p.
Kante. Manden dofo 4	Sùlemáana Kántɛ. Màndén dɔ̀fɔ́ kàfa 4. Mɛ́n` kɛ́ dá Sònjáda tàminnɛ́n` kɔ́ [History of Manding. Part 4: What happened after Sunjata]. Egypt, 1991.
Diane Mamadi	1) Diané, Mamadi. Leksicheskaya kategorizatsiya v mladopis’mennom yazyke maninka (eksperimental’no-tipologicheskoye issledovaniye) [Lexical categorization in a newly-written Maninka language (an experimental typological study).] Moscow: Institute of linguistics RAS, 1990. 2) information received from Mamadi Diané (chercheur à IRLA, puis directeur de l’IRLA)
Kanjamadi	Bàbá Màmádi Jàanɛ́. Nkó kɔ́dɔfɔlan kànjamáadi: Ńkó–Árabu [Nko-Arabic Dictionary.] Egypt, 2005, 138 p.
Kante. Kodoyidalan	Kántɛ Sùlemáana. Nkó kɔ́dɔ-yidalan wála fàsarilán háman kɔ́dɔfɔlan Màndén fòdobakan yíriwanɛn dɔ́, àní Fàdafinna Télebe jàwo kán n'à kán sádamaba dɔ́ [Nko dictionary]. Kankan, 1962. Ed. by Bàba Jàane, Egypt, 1992
Kaba. Namori	Kàba, Béntu Bákari. Námɔ̀ri ní Káninba yàrabí` kànfɔ́: ń dí mɔ̀ɔ mà ń ní mɛ́n` ká dí án`ɲɔ́ɔn ɲɛ́. [Novel of the love of Namory and Kanimba: “Give me to the man whom I love”.] Egypt, Cairo, 2002.
Nzerekore	information from activists of ICRA-NKO in Nzérékoré: Amara Kante, Mohamed Seyiba Traore, Mamadi Jakite, Mori Kamara
Kurana	Kùrana kálanke dálámìdanɛ́n Mànden fòdoba kán dɔ́, nálìmun Nkó dí, Kántɛ Sùlemáana bólo [The Holy Koran, translated into the common language of the Manding, i.e. Nko, translated by Suleyman Kante].
Spears 1965	R.A. Spears. The Structure of Faranah-Maninka. Bloomington: Indiana Univ., 1965 (a dictionary of Faranah-Maninka).
Spears 1973	Spears, Richard A. Elementary Maninka-kan. Northwestern University, 1973, 249 p.
Kante Safian	information from Safian Kantɛ (Solomana Kantɛ’s son)
Kante. Sodon	Sùleman Kántɛ. Sɔ̀dɔ́n bɛ̀dɛbɛdɛlí`. [Political Economy]. Kɔ́nakiri, 1993, 36 p.
Sinjiya Foobe	Sínjiya Fɔ̀ɔbɛ́` [“Fraternity News”, a Nko monthly published in Kucala, Mali]
Jaane Sanusi	information received from Sànusí Jàanɛ Fìnmán, native of Nafaji, Bate arr. near Kankan (Guinea).
Somooya sila	Sómɔɔya` síla` [“Road of civilization”, a Nko monthly.]
Traore Numan	information received from Nouman Traoré (dit Sinbon), native of Kurusa.
Sori ni Mariama	Sori ni Mariama. Sécretariat d'état à l'idéologie, téléenseignement et alphabétisation, Service Nationale d'Alphabétisation.
Kante. Soso	Kántɛ Sùlemáana. Sòsó Fàamalá` dɔ̀fɔ́ bátɔmɔn. [A short history of the Soso Empire]. 1993.
Traore 1977	Kadiatou Traoré. Dictionnaire fondamental du vocabulaire technique des corps de métiers traditionnels en Haute Guinée. Mémoire de diplôme. Institut polytechnique de Kankan, 1977, 94 p.
Kate. Waadu	Kántɛ Sùlemáana. Wàaduu wála Gàná kɔ̀dɔmán dɔ̀fɔ́` bátɔmɔn. [A brief history of Waaduu, or Ancient Ghana] Conakry, 1993, 27 p..
Kante. Wedewedeya kanfo	Bnù Tùfáyilì (Kántɛ Sùlemáana lá dálamidali). Wèdewedeyá kànfɔ́ - Roman philosophique. (translated by Sulemana Kante) Egypt, 1988.