Lugbara language


Lugbara, or Lugbarati, is the language of the Lugbara people. It is spoken in the West Nile region in northwestern Uganda, as well as the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Orientale Province with a little extension to the South Sudan as the Zande or Azande people.

Classification and dialects

The Aringa language, also known as Low Lugbara, is closely related, and sometimes considered a dialect of Lugbara. In fact, among the Lugbara of Uganda, it is one of the five clans. Some scholars classify the Lugbara language itself as a dialect of the Maʼdi language, though this is not generally accepted. An SIL survey report concluded that the Okollo, Ogoko, and Rigbo dialects, called "Southern Maʼdi", should be classified as dialects of Lugbara.

Phonology

Vowels

  • /ɛ, ɔ/ can also be heard as as a result of vowel harmony.
  • /a/ can have an allophone of when after sounds /k, ɡ/.

    Consonants

  • /l/ can be heard as a lateral flap within dialectal variation.
  • /t͡s, d͡z/ are heard as within dialectal variation.
  • /tʳ, dʳ/ can also be heard as retroflex within free variation.
  • /ʔj/ can also be heard as an implosive and /ⁿz/ can be heard as , within free variation.
  • A labial affricate may occur within dialectal variation, only rarely occurs among different dialects.

    Orthography

Lugbara was first written by Christian missionaries in 1918, based on the Ayivu dialect. In 2000, a conference was held in the city of Arua in northwestern Uganda regarding the creation of a standardised international orthography for Lugbara.
The Simplified Lugbara alphabet has 28 letters. there is no q or x, and there are four letters for glottalized consonants, namely: ʼb as in ʼbua, ʼd as in ʼdia, ʼw as in ʼwara, and ʼy as in ʼyeta.

In education

In 1992, the Government of Uganda designated it as one of five "languages of wider communication" to be used as the medium of instruction in primary education; however, unlike the other four such languages, it was never actually used in schools. More recently it was included in the curriculum for some secondary schools in the West Nile region, including St. Joseph's College Ombaci and Muni Girls Secondary School, both in Arua District.

Vocabulary

Numbers

Greetings and other phrases

Relationships

Grandfather
Grandmother
Grandson
Granddaughter
Father
Mother
Husband
Wife
Son
Daughter
Brother
Sister
Uncles
Aunts
Cousin brother ; also
Cousin sister
; also
NB: Strictly speaking, the word cousin is alien in Lugbara culture. Cousins are brothers and sisters.
Nephews - maternal nephews
Nieces - maternal nieces
Father-in-law
Mother-in-law
Brother-in-law
Sister-in-law

Days of the week

1 week
A day is called Oʼdu in Lugbara.
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday

Calendar

The simplest way to refer to months is to use numbers, for example January is Mba Alu, February is Mba Iri, May is Mba Towi and so on. But below is the other Latinized way of mentioning them.
Januari/ Oco ʼdupa sere
Feburili/ Kuluni
Marici/ Zengulu
Aprili/ Ayi - Wet season
Mayi/ Ayi Eti
Juni/ Emveki
Julayi/ Eri
Agoslo/ Iripaku
Sebitemba/ Lokopere
Okitoba/ Abibi
Novemba/ Waa
Desemba/ Anyu fi kuma

Common signs

Colours

Eka, Ika by Terego
Foro foro
Foroto


Imvesi-enisi
Ini
Inibiricici, inicici, inikukuru

Food

Lugbara AI

Lugbara AI refers to Artificial Intelligence technology or machines that use Lugbara. The Sunbird Translate system can automatically take text from Lugbara. It includes locally relevant topics such as healthcare, agriculture and society. With its partners including Makerere University AI Lab, Sunbird AI has built open Lugbara datasets, translation and speech systems. It is also used by banks.
Furthermore, other developers are also working on projects.