Accueil / Archive / 2017 / Shinni ma Shomi kan Kerfotagha’, a Kushi story
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1. Introduction

<1>

Kushi is a West Chadic language classified in the Tangale proper of the Bole-Tangale group (ISO 639-3 (kuh); Glottocode: kush1236). It is spoken by about 11,000 people (Lewis et al. 2015) living in the village area of Kushi and in a few hamlets nearby on the northern foothills of the Chonge-Mona range (Gombe State). [1]

Figure 1 – Kushi and its neighbours

<2>

Kushi people refer to their language as fò Gòjì lit. ‘mouth (of) Kushi’. Several publications focusing on southern Bole-Tangale languages have appeared over the last three decades. A few of them dealt with punctual aspects of Kushi, mainly under a comparative perspective: Jungraithmayr and Leger (1993, 2006), Leger (1998, 2014).

<3>

No grammatical or lexical description of Kushi has ever been produced. The present contribution is the first output of an on-going project aiming at documenting, describing, and analysing the language as well as the oral tradition of the Kushi people. [2]

2. The story of Shomi and Kerfotagha

2.1. Themes of the story

<4>

The story of Shomi and Kerfotagha (Shinni ma Shomi kan Kerfotagha) narrates how Shomi, the main character, succeeds in turning every threat posed to him into a beneficial opportunity. By means of an unscrupulous cunning led by the instinct for survival, Shomi represents a well-known character in West African oral literature: that of the ingenious hero whose display of deceit is aimed at protecting his own life as well as the life of his family. [3]

<5>

The story can be divided into two parts, either part following the same scheme. In the first part, Kerfotagha visits his friend Shomi with the proposal to fight with him. If Shomi accepts, Kerfotagha will give him a he-goat. Since Kerfotagha is physically superior, Shomi is perfectly aware that his prospects of success are very limited and that playing by the rules would not be the best strategy in order to survive and keep the animal. Therefore, with the help of his sons Amurmulum and Tarangriwet, Shomi manages to fake the match, thus obtaining an otherwise improbable victory.

<6>

The second part is longer and, although built upon the same blueprint, more articulated from the point of view of event sequence. This time the threat is represented by Viper. One day, Viper goes to Shomi’s house with a big rooster and, like Kerfotagha before, a proposal: if Shomi accepts to be bitten, then he will have the cock. Of course Shomi accepts, but on one condition: Viper should come back in three days. Viper does as told, but when he is back Shomi finds an excuse (i.e. his children are not around and he does not want to die without having kissed them one last time) and asks Viper to postpone the biting. After three days and before the coming of Viper, Shomi instructs his wife Firit on what to say to Viper. Then, he transforms himself into a baby boy. So, when Viper comes, Firit tells him that her husband is not around. The successful trick played by Shomi revolves around his surrealistic disguise: Firit goes out to call Shomi and asks Viper to look after the baby (i.e. Shomi) in her absence, but then the baby disappears and when Shomi (once regained his normal appearance) shows up and realizes that his child is nowhere to be found, he gets angry and punishes Viper for not having taken care of the baby. Needless to say, Viper will be killed, cooked and eaten by Shomi and his family.

<7>

An interesting feature of the story is that both Kerfotagha and Viper do not represent an immediate threat. They go to visit Shomi and propose him a deal. Shomi could express his disinterest for their plans and send them away, instead he promptly accepts their proposals. If he acts like that, it is because he knows that, just by relying on his cleverness, he will be able to manipulate the situation in such a way to transform an accepted risk (i.e. fighting with someone stronger than he or agreeing to be bitten by a viper) into a sure victory.

<8>

It is clear that the cunning of Kerfotagha and Viper does not stand a chance against Shomi’s survival instinct. Their offer exists only because it contains the background assumption that the other party will die in the very fulfilment of the deal. This implicit conviction relies on some kind of physical power that both Kerfotagha and Viper possess, but strength alone can’t overwhelm the resourceful mind of Shomi. Interestingly enough, the two agonists (that is the initiators of the chain of events) offer the same kind of explanation for their aim to harm Shomi: Kerfotagha wants to fight and Vipers wants to bite because since they were born they have never had the chance to fight and bite, respectively. This display of naivety, which is meant to mask the true intentions of the agonists, will set in motion the role play leading to the fatal resolution of the conflict.

2.2. Language and style

<9>

The style of the tale is quite linear. The events are narrated in logical order without making use of any special stylistic device, like for example the juxtaposition of (apparently) disconnected events that characterise the Kushi war song analysed by Leger (1993).

<10>

The text displays the following features:

  • the narrator tends to introduce the actions of the characters as things that are said and not as things that are done. This is carried out throughout the text by making an extensive use of the verbal form yàa ‘say, saying’;

  • the preferred strategy to narrate the sequence of events is the use of the imperative form mòo ‘let’ followed by the subjunctive form of the verb ‘say, do’. The result is a chain of sentences, each of them introduced by the construction mòo x yàa ‘let x say/do’;

  • when things are actually said (ex. ‘let x say/do (that) x says y’), a logophoric pronoun is affixed to the verb ‘say, do’;

  • each sentence introduced by mòo x yàa ‘let x say/do’ may contain one or more subordinate clauses encoding the single action performed by x, i.e. the subject. These subordinate clauses need a subjunctive form, namely a subjunctive marker. In presence of a prenominal subject, the canonical subjunctive marker is an enclitic -n attached to the subject pronoun (nè-n, khè-n, shì-n etc.). In absence of a prenominal subject (or when the order is VOS, in which case no enclitic marker can be affixed to the pronoun), the subjunctive marker is an initial ʔìn. Since the kind of subordinate clauses we are referring to tend to be subject-less (the subject being expressed once at the beginning of the sentence), it is this pre-verbal ʔìn that is recurrently found in the text to mark the subjunctive;

  • a few words of clear Hausa origin, more or less integrated into Kushi, are found in the text: amma ‘but’, ashe ‘what!?’, bari ‘let, leave’, daga ‘from’, daidai ‘correctly, exactly’, damina (<Ha. damu ‘be worried’), har ‘up to’, kafin ‘before’, ko ‘or’, kuma ‘also’, kukkuwa ‘wrestling’ (< Ha. kokawa), ƙ auye ‘village’, lie’, lookoci ‘time’ (< Ha. lokaci), maza ‘quick’, sannan ‘after’, sosai ‘very much’, taɓa ‘have never done (something)’, tun ‘since’, and yanzu ‘now’.

3. The text

<11>

The story has been collected by Malam Samson Waziri in the Kushi village area at the beginning of the ’90s. The narrator is Malam Lapandi Babale, 33 years old.

<12>

Kushi is a tonal language distinguishing between two punctual tones – high and low. In the text presented below low tones are marked with a grave accent, while discrete high tones are left unmarked. High tones are marked only in contour tones (ex. tóò ‘well’). Vowel length is also indicated, with the tone marked on the first vowel (ex. pèemò ‘he’). The voiced velar fricative (ɣ) is transcribed with gh, the aspirated velar (kh) with kh, and the voiceless palato-alveolar fricative (ʃ) with sh.

<13>

The following abbreviations are used:

def

definite form

obj

object pronoun

dist

distance extension

pl

plural

fut

future marker

perf

perfect

gen

genitive

pos

possessive pronoun

icp

intransitive copy pronoun

rel

relative

log

logophoric pronoun

s

subject pronoun

m

masculine

suj

subjunctive

neg

negation

vn

verbal noun

<14>

(1)

Kèrfòtaghà

kàn

jèrè-nì

Shòmì

kùttà

mina-jù,

s2pl

Kerfotagha

with

friend-pos3m

in

Shomi

sleep

house-pos3pl

Kerfotagha and his friend Shomi are staying at their homes.

(2)

dàràŋ

nòn

ɗòk

Kèrfòtaghà

ʔìllinà

mina

sheni

sun

of

some

rel

Kerfotagha

stand

on

house

pos3m

One day, Kerfotagha leaves his house

(3)

ʔìn

kèrìn

khù-nì

Shòmì,

suj

follow

head-pos3m

Shomi

and goes to the house of his friend Shomi.

(4)

yàa

shìi

wan-na

gàsshò

ʔàn

nèy,

say

s3m

come-dist

find

person

fight

He tells him that he is looking for a person to fight with,

(5)

tun

lookòci

nòn-nì

pàttàn-nìn

say

since

time

rel

mother-pos3m

beget-obj3m.perf

shìi

taɓà

nèy

kàn

nìyò-m,

s3m

never

do.perf

fight

with

person-neg

because since his mother gave birth to him he has never fought with anybody.

(6)

wende

shìi

tòllì-nà

gbe

fara-ni

kàn

gàsshò

ʔàn

nèy,

now

s3m

pull-dist

big

he goat-pos3m

with

find

person

fight

But now he got a big billy goat and whoever will fight with him will keep the animal.

(7)

mòo

Shòmì

yàa

oh!

pèemò

gàsshàn

ʔàn

nèy,

let

Shomi

say

oh!

he

fut

find.vn

person

fight

“Oh! Are you looking for someone to fight with you?” Shomi asks.

(8)

yàa

oh!

tóò

say

oh!

well

“Yes,” Kerfotagha says.

(9)

yàa

mòo

pèemò

yà-ji

wèeya

shìk-i

say

let

log3m

say-log3m

see.perf

body-def

Shomi tells his friend that he has seen the billy goat

(10)

yàa

mòo

pèemòn

Kèrfòtaghà

ʔìn

tùk

fara-i

ʔìn

tùkkì-nà,

say

let

log3m

Kerfotagha

suj

tie

he goat-def

suj

tye-dist

and that he should tie the animal. Kerfotagha ties the billy goat and

(11)

mòo

Shòmì

yàa

shìi

kòɗɗì

shìn

wàra

yàa

nèy

pèemòn

wàrù,

let

Shomi

say

s3m

fut

put

time

rel

s3pl

fut

go

do.vn

fight

log3m

come

Shomi says that he will put time between now and the moment they will come and fight, so that he will come at that time.

(12)

mòo

Kèrfòtaghà

yàa

duma

dàràŋ

wenne,

let

Kerfotagha

say

that

sun

what

Kerfotagha asks “When will it be?”.

(13)

ʔa

Shòmì

yàa

duma

shàghlò

tàat,

let

Shomi

say

that

day

three

Shomi replies that he should come after three days.

(14)

mòo

Kèrfòtaghà

yàa

to

yà-ji

lèka

tàat

yà-ji

wàrù.

let

Kerfotagha

say

yes

say-log3m

wait

three

say-log3m

fut

come

“Very well” Kerfotagha says, and then he goes back home and waits for three days.

(15)

shàghlò

tàat

ʔìn

wàrù

day

three

suj

come

After three days, he comes back.

(16)

ʔìn

kwònì,

ʔìn

yìw

yàa

nèy.

suj

meet

suj

get

do

fight

They meet and start fighting.

(17)

Kèrfòtaghà

ʔìn

shàr

Shòmì

ʔìn

kàn-nì-nà,

ʔìn

shàr

manni

ʔìn

kàn-nì-nà

Kerfotagha

suj

take

Shomi

suj

lay-obj3m

suj

take

another

suj

lay-obj3m

Kerfotagha takes Shomi and brings him down, and again and again.

(18)

mòo

Shòmì

yàa

pèemò-i

kànnò-ni-m

let

Shomi

say

log3m-def

lay-obj3m-neg.perf

yàa

kàn-na-nì

shibo

shòjàk,

say

lay-dist-obj3m

children

dry grass

Then Shomi gets up and says that it is not him, Kerfotagha, to bring him down, but the grass which is on the field,

(19)

dun

shibo

ʔà

tèmmò

khù

dami-m

kàn-na-nì

because

children

neg

clean.perf

head

field-neg

lay-dist-obj3m

ɓara

shibo

     

only

children

     

because the children have not cleared the area.

(20)

ʔàmma

mòo

pèemòn

Kèrfòtaghà

mènò

pèemò

mina

but

let

log3m

Kerfotagha

go.back

log3m

house

màa

shàghlò

tàat

bìràŋ

pèemòn

shì-rù,

when

day

three

again

log3m

become-dist

He tells his friend to go back home again and to come back in three days.

(21)

shàghlò

tàat-i

ʔìn

yàa

ʔìn

mè-rù

Kèrfòtaghà

day

three-def

suj

do

suj

return-dist

in

Kerfotagha

ʔìn

wàrù

wèey

Shòmì

suj

come

find

Shomi

After three days, he comes back again and meets with Shomi.

(22)

mòo

Shòmì

yàa

pèemò

fòn-nà

yàa

mòo

Kèrfòtaghà

yà-ji

fòn-nà,

let

Shomi

say

log3m

reach-dist

say

let

Kerfotagha

say-log3m

reach-dist

Shomi asks him if he has come back and Kerfotagha says that he is back.

(23)

ʔìn

per

khù

dami

shini,

suj

go

head

field

in

s3pl

Then they go the field (and stand).

(24)

Shòmì

ʔìn

yàllò

shìk-ni

huu huu,

shìi

là-nò

fòn-nì,

Shomi

suj

shout

body-pos3m

huu huu

s3m

son-gen

father-pos3m

shìi

là-nò là-nò

gènnò-nì,

shìi

là-nò

nòn-nì,

s3m

son-gen son-gen

uncle-pos3m

s3m

son-gen

mother-pos3m

Shomi start shouting to himself, (saying that) he is the son of his father, he is the son of his uncle and of his mother,

(25)

shìnì

yàa

kùkkuwà

bwòy,

s3pl

fut

do

wrestling

today

and that today they are going to fight.

(26)

 

ʔàshee

Shòmì

shìrìnà

wè-nì

kagh,

 

what!

Shomi

prepare

thing-pos3m

all

 

But then, what a surprise! (Kerfotagha doesn’t know that) Shomi has played one of his tricks.

(27)

 

yàa-nà

ʔÀmùrmùlùm

kàn

Tàràngriwèt,

 

call-dist

2pl

Amurmulum

and

Tarangriwet

 

He has called Amurmulum and Tarangriwet (his sons),

(28)

 

ʔÀmùrmùlùm

kàn

Tàràngriwèt

wàrù

ʔòppò

jwal

 

s2pl

Amurmulum

and

Tarangriwet

come

dig

hole

 

 

khù

dami

kàn

jòori

 

on

head

field

with

depth

 

and they came to dig a deep hole in the ground.

(29)

ʔìn

shàrù

shòjàk

kàn

shibo

bìrò

ʔìn

màrìn

jwal-i

suj

take

dry grass

with

children

tree

suj

line

on

mouth

hole-def

They have brought waste grass, a small stick and a stone and placed these things near the hole,

(30)

 

ʔìn

pàl

ɓùk

ʔìn

màn

khù

daidai

kerero

sai

kàn

 

suj

collect

sand

suj

push on

head

exactly

enough

only

with

 

 

sai

kàn

ɓùk-i

 

only

with

mouth

sand-def

 

then they have levelled the ground with some sand in the correct way.

(31)

 

tóò

daga

yika

nèy

 

yes

from

rel

started

do

fight

 

When the two friends come to the field and start fighting,

(32)

Shòmì

ʔìn

yìw

shènnù

Kèrfòtaghà

fò-r

pirenna

Shomi

suj

do

push

Kerfotagha

on

mouth-gen

there

kàn

jwal

tèere,

Kèrfòtaghà

waa

kòon

tày

karaw,

rel

with

mouth

hole

there

Kerfotagha

want

go

on

inside

fall

Shomi starts pushing Kerfotagha towards the edge of the hole so that, after a while, his friend falls into it.

(33)

 

dàgà

kokan

tày

jwal

 

from

rel

fall

on

inside

hole

 

When Kerfotagha falls into the hole,

(34)

 

Shòmì

ʔìn

kùman

shàr

ʔànkwàràmì-nì

ʔìn

ɓìrìn

ʔàɗò.

 

Shomi

suj

immediately

take

stick-pos3m

suj

beat

eye

 

quickly Shomi grabs his stick and beats his friend’s eye.

(35)

ʔàɗò

ʔìn

ʔòwòò-ro,

eye

suj

swollen-icp3f

Kerfotagha’s eyes swell,

(36)

Shòmì

ʔìn

tèwìn

ʔàɗò-nì

jwal-i,

Shomi

suj

tell

eye-pos3m

on

inside

hole-def

then Shomi asks what happens with his eyes.

(37)

yàa

duma

yùwa

ʔàɗò

pèemòn

Kèrfòtaghà

wènè

yàa

màa

yùwa,

say

that

do.perf

eye

log3m

Kerfotagha

what

say

when

do.perf

Shomi starts (mocking his friend) asking him what is happening to his face

(38)

 

yàa

pèemè

wàra

gàsshà

nìyò

fara,

 

say

log3m

fut

go

find.vn

person

with

he goat

 

and saying that he will go to find another person with a he-goat to fight with.

(39)

yàa

mòo

pèemòn

Kèrfòtaghà

pè-rù-n

jwal-i,

say

let

log3m

Kerfotagha

get out-dist

on

in

hole-def

Kerfotagha tell Shomi to let him come out from the hole

(40)

 

màa

yùwa,

yàa

pèemò

gàsshò

ʔàn

nèy

khù-nò

 

when

do.perf

say

log3m

fut

find

person

fight

head-gen

 

 

pèemò

ka

khù

shìila

 

log3m

like

head

stone

 

and that he will look for another fighter (because) his head is like a stone.

(41)

yànzu

màa

pèemò

pèrànì

pèemòn

wàra

gàsshù-rò

pèrù

now

when

rel

log3m

will

go out

log3m

go

find-dist

mouth

outside

Now he looks where to come out

(42)

ʔà

wa

koyo

pèrù-m

neg

get

way

outside-neg

but doesn’t find a way out,

(43)

ʔìn

mùrìn

tèerè.

suj

die

on

mouth

there

so he dies there in the hole.

(44)

saʔannan

dàràŋ

non

ɗok

after

sun

of

some

After some time,

(45)

ʔAnkarkenshey

ʔìn

yì-rù

gwé

gokh-ni

Viper

suj

catch-dist

big

rooster-pos3m

Viper catches a big rooster.

(46)

wàra

gàsshò

mòo

shìi

munin

fut

go

find

let

s3m

fut

give

He wants to find somebody to give the rooster to

(47)

 

dum

shìi-n

yèrì,

 

because

s3m-suj

bite

 

and then bite him,

(48)

 

dun

tun

lookòci

nòn-nò

kàn

fòn-nò

pàttà-nin

 

because

since

time

rel

mother-gen

and

father-gen

beget-obj3m.perf

 

because since he was born – from his father and his mother –

(49)

 

shìi

taɓà

yèr

nìyò-m,

 

s3m

never

bite.perf

person-neg

 

he has never bitten anybody.

(50)

àmma

màa

mòo

yìghù

shìi-n

yèrì,

but

when

let

receive

s3m-suj

bite

Hence, whoever will take the cock, he will bite him.

(51)

 

sânnan

ʔìn

wàrìn

mìnà-no

Shòmì,

 

after

suj

go

mouth

house-gen

Shomi

 

He follows the road to Shomi’s house.

(52)

 

mòo

Shòmì

yàa

duma

pèemò

wàn-nà

tòghnè

ka

tèy,

 

let

Shòmì

say

that

log3m

come-dist

where

like

this

 

Shomi asks Viper where he goes like that,

(53)

yàa

mòo

ʔAnkarkenshey

yàa

shìi

wànna

gàsshò

mo

say

let

Viper

say

s3m

come-dist

find

who

fut

yìw

gbe

gòkh-nì

shìi

tèy.

get

big

rooster-pos3m

3m

this

and Viper says that he is looking for somebody willing to accept his big rooster,

(54)

 

màa

mòo

yìwa

shìi-n

yèrì

shìi,

 

when

let

get

s3m-suj

bite

pos3m

 

since he will bite the person who gets the animal.

(55)

 

mòo

Shòmì

ɓara

paroy

tèy

yàa,

 

let

Shomi

only

talk

thìs

say

 

Shomi asks if this is the only thing that has brought him there.

(56)

mòo

ʔAnkarkenshey

yàa

Uuo!

tóò

let

Viper

say

Uuo!

well

Viper says yes,

(57)

Shòmì

ʔìn

yìwì

gbe

gokh-i.

Shomi

suj

get

big

cock-def

then Shomi gets the rooster

(58)

 

mòo

Shòmì

yàa

pèemòn

ʔAnkarkenshey

mòo

pèemò

wànnò,

pèemò,

 

let

Shomi

say

log3m

Viper

let

log3m

go

log3m

 

and tells Viper to go (home)

(59)

màa

yùwa

shàghlò

tàat

pèemòn

shìrù,

when

do.perf

day

three

log3m

return

and come back in three days

(60)

pèemò

màa

pèemòn

wàrù

yèr-nì

log3m

when

log3m

come

bite-pos3m

to bite him.

(61)

 

ʔAnkarkenshey

ʔìn

kòonì

 

Viper

suj

go

 

So Viper leaves,

(62)

 

ʔìn

wàn-ni

mìnà-ni,

 

suj

go-icp3m

house-pos3m

 

returns to his house

(63)

 

ʔìn

yù-rù

shàghlò

tàat

 

suj

do-dist

day

three

 

and, when three days have passed,

(64)

 

ʔìn

shìrù,

wàrù

Shòmì

wèey

Shòmì

mìnà-ni,

 

suj

return

come

Shomi

see

Shomi

on

house-pos3m

 

he comes back to meet with Shomi in his house.

(65)

 

yàa

pèemò

Shòmì,

yà-ji

fòn-nà

wàra

yèr

pèemò,

 

say

log3m

Shomi

say-log3m

reach-dist

go

bite

log3m

 

(So he meets Shomi in the house) and says that he has returned to bite him.

(66)

 

mòo

Shòmì

yàa

shìbò-ni

wàràa-ju

dòoŋ,

 

let

Shomi

say

children-pos3m

go-icp3p

farm

 

Then Shomi tells him that his children have gone to farm,

(67)

 

yàa

mòo

pèemò

meno

pèemò

sai

shàghlò

tàat

bìràŋ,

 

say

let

log3m

go back

log3m

until

day

three

again

 

so that it’s better if he comes back in three days.

(68)

 

kàfin

pèemò

mara

wàrù,

 

before

log3m

when

come

 

When his children are back,

(69)

 

shìi-n

tèw

shibo-ni

ʔà

war

mànnì

piri-m,

 

s3m-suj

tell

on

children-pos3m

neg

fut

go

another

place-neg

 

he will tell them not to go anywhere that day,

(70)

 

dun

kawoo

ghè

mùrù-nì,

 

because

bring

looking

mouth

death-pos3m

 

so they will see the day of their father’s death.

(71)

 

ʔAnkarkenshey

ʔìn

mèrì-ni

mina

bìràŋ,

 

Viper

suj

return-icp3m

house

again

 

Viper returns to his house

(72)

 

shàghlò

tàat

ʔìn

yàa,

ʔAnkarkenshey

ʔìn

kon

mèyàa-ni

 

day

three

suj

do

Viper

suj

leave

return-icp3m

 

and after three days (– as he was told –), he is back again.

(73)

lookòci

mèn,

time

rel

fut

return

The same day Viper is supposed to come,

(74)

Shòmì

ʔìn

shìwòo-ni

tòghmè

kìrà-no

mànnà-ni

Firit,

tóò

Shomi

suj

turn-icp3m

child

baby

on

hand-gen

wife-pos3m

in

Firit

well

Shomi transforms himself into a baby boy on the hand of his wife Firit.

(75)

 

yàa

pèen

mànnà-ni

Firit

 

say

log3f

wife- pos3m

in

Firit

 

he tells his wife Firit to say to Viper,

(76)

 

yàa

màa

fon-na,

 

say

when

reach-dist

 

when he comes,

(77)

yàa

mòo

pèe

tèwò

yà-ji

wàròo-ni

ƙauyè

koo

kuma

shèkì

mina,

say

let

s3f

tell

say-log3m

go-icp3m

village

or

also

between

house

that he has gone to the village or to his friend’s house.

(78)

 

ʔAnkarkenshey

ʔìn

fòn-tù

 

Viper

suj

reach-dist

 

Viper comes (and asks for Shomi),

(79)

 

mòo

Firit

yàa

pèemò,

yàa

mànnà-ro

wàrànì

shekì

mina,

 

let

Firit

say

log3m

say

husband-pos3f

go.vn

between

house

 

then Firit tells him that her husband has gone to visit his friend.

(80)

 

mòo

pèemò

yìw

là-i,

 

let

log3m

get

child-def

 

Let him have the baby boy (she says),

(81)

 

mòo-rò

wàr

tèllù

pèrì

gùn

bìrò

nèsshò-ju,

 

let-pos3f

go

ask

place

on

under

tree

mouth

rest-pos3p

 

so she goes to check the baby under the tree where they usually rest.

(82)

ʔìn

mùnìn

là-i

kira-i,

ʔìn

kòo-ro

wàra

yè-rù

mànnà-ro

suj

give

son-def

on

arm-def

suj

go-icp3f

go

call-dist

husband-pos3f

She gives the baby boy to Viper and leaves to call her husband.

(83)

shimo

Shòmì,

Firit

kònàa-ro

wàra

gàsshò

bìrò

mànnà-ro,

3m

Shomi

rel

Firit

leave-icp3f

go

find

tree

husband-pos3f

As soon as Firit leaves to check on her husband,

(84)

sai

là-i

ʔìn

yàa

shappàn

shìk-nò

ʔAnkarkenshey,

then

son-def

suj

do

diarrhoea

on

body-gen

Viper

the baby discharges a flow of diarrhoea on Viper’s body.

(85)

ʔAnkarkenshey

ʔìn

ràsshò

wè-i

tèghlànì,

Viper

suj

lack

thing-def

clean.vn

Viper doesn’t have anything to clean (himself).

(86)

yà-ji

tègh

làa

tèerè

say-log3m

clean

stool

that

Eventually he manages to clean his body,

(87)

ʔìn

yuwun

manni

bìràŋ,

Ankarkenshey

ʔìn

dàmìnà

sòsai,

suj

do

another

again

Viper

suj

worry

very much

but then the child discharges another flow and Viper becomes really worried.

(88)

ʔìn

shàr

là-i

ʔìn

lì-rù

khù

shàghlò

suj

take

child-def

suj

go

put-dist

on

head

mouth

sleep

So he takes the baby and puts him in a place for sleeping,

(89)

ʔìn

pèr-ni

gàsshò

wè-i

tèghò

làa

là-i.

suj

come out-icp3m

find

thing-def

clean

stool

child-def

then he goes out to look for something to clean the stools discharged by the child.

(90)

ʔìn

pè-rù

ʔìn

gàsshìnà

ʔà

wèey

wè-i

teghlònù-m

suj

come out-dist

suj

find

neg

find

thing-def

mouth

clean-neg

But when he goes out he doesn’t find anything

(91)

ʔìn

kòo

mèn

mina-i

yà-ji

mèya

mina-i

suj

go

return

house-def

say-log3m

return

inside

house-def

and when he goes back inside

(92)

ʔà

wèey

wè-i

shìk

là-i

pèrè

lìya-nì-m

shàghlò

neg

find

thing-def

body

child-def

on

where

put-pos3m-neg.perf

on

mouth

sleep.

the child is not where he has left him, that is in the sleeping place.

(93)

là-i

ʔìllìi-ni

ʔìn

pèrè-ni

fòn-nà,

child-def

stand-icp3m

suj

go out-icp3m

reach out-dist

The baby boy has stood up and gone out,

(94)

ʔìn

yìw

gàsshò

là-i

suj

start

find

back

child-def

and Viper keeps looking where he has gone,

(95)

ʔà

wà-m,

har

Firit

ʔìn

mèrìn

yòl

mànnà-rò-i,

neg

get-neg

up to

Firit

suj

return

on

call

husband-pos3f-def

but without success.

(96)

yàa

duma

pèemòn

ʔAnkarkenshey

yàa

là-i

tòghnè,

say

that

log3m

Viper

say

child-def

where

After a while Firit comes back home. She asks Viper where her child is.

(97)

mòo

ʔAnkarkenshey

yà-ji

lìya

là-i

let

Viper

say-log3m

put

child-def

on

mouth

shàghlò

maghna-ni

shappàn

shìk-nì

sleep

rel

pass to-pos3m

diarrhoea

on

body-pos3m

Viper answers that he has put the child in the place for sleeping

(98)

yyùnzù

yà-ji

wàra

gèe

là-i,

là-i,

now

say-log3m

go

see

child-def

child-def

but now he has just gone to see the baby (106) and cannot find him anywhere.

(99)

ʔà

wàa-m

shàghlò-m.

neg

find-neg

on

mouth

sleep-neg

and cannot find him anywhere.

(100)

màa

gàsshò

là-i,

shìnì,

shìnì

mànnà-no

Shòmì.

when

on

find

back

child-def

in

s3pl

s3pl

wife-pos1m

Shomi

Whilst Viper and Firit are looking for the baby boy,

(101)

Shòmì

rìi,

Shomi

on

enter

Shomi comes in

(102)

mòo

Shòmì

yàa

pèemò

ʔAnkarkenshey

fòn-nà

yàa?

let

Shomi

say

log3m

Viper

reach-dist

say

and immediately asks if Viper has come.

(103)

yàa

Uuh!

yà-ji

fònnò,

say

Uuh!

say-log3m

reach.perf

Yes, Viper says.

(104)

mòo

Shòmì

yàa,

tóò

bari

mòo-ji

shàr

là-nì

let

Shomi

say

well

leave

let-pos3m

take

child-pos3m

Shomi says to bring him his child,

(105)

shìi-n

shùmmò

fòk-i

kàfin

pèemòn

tàgh

yèr-nì,

s3m-suj

kiss

mouth-def

before

log3m

start

bite-pos3m

so that he could kiss the baby before Viper bites him.

(106)

yà-ji

pàmma

yàa

bwòy

dàràŋ

mùròo-ni,

say-log3m

thank

say

today

sun

die-icp3m

He thanks (God) for his death today.

(107)

ʔìn

tèl

mànnà-ni

Firit

yàa

mòo

pèe

shàr-nì

là-nì

suj

ask

wife-pos3m

in

Firit

say

let

s3f

take-pos3m

child-pos3m

Shomi asks his wife Firit to bring the child

(108)

mòo-ji

shùmmò

fòk-ni

kawa

tàgh

mùròo-ni.

let-pos3m

kiss

mouth-pos3m

for

start

die-icp3m

(because he wants) to kiss him on the mouth before (the moment of) his death.

(109)

sânnan

mòo

Firit

yàa

jèrè-nò

pèemò

fòo-na

after

let

Firit

say

friend-gen

log3m

reach-dist

Then his wife tells him that his friend has come

(110)

ʔìn

tèl

pin-no

pèemò,

tè-n

tèwòn

suj

ask

place-gen

log3m

s3f-suj

tell

and has asked for him and that she has told him

(111)

tara

pèemò

wara-no

pèemò

shekì

mina

tèn

shàr

là-i

that

log3m

go.off

log3m

between

house

tell

take

child-def

that he had gone to the village, so she has taken the child

(112)

tèn

mùnìn

tara

mòo-rò

yè-rù

pèemò,

yanzu

tèn

wàrù.

tell

give

that

let-obj3m

go

call-dist

log3m

now

tell

come

and given him to Viper, and then she has left to call him. And now she is back.

(113)

te

wan

là-i

kira-m,

kere

waran

là-i

manni

pirey

s3f

find

child-def

on

hand-neg

maybe

go

child-def

another

place

(But now) she doesn’t find the child, maybe he has gone somewhere,

(114)

te

peno-m,

Firit

ʔìn

tèl

ʔAnkarkenshey

yàa

duma

là-i

tòghnè,

s3f

know-neg

Firit

suj

ask

Viper

say

that

child-def

where

Firit asks Viper where her child is.

(115)

mòo

ʔAnkarkenshey

yàa

là-i

mangha-ni

làa

shik-ni

let

Viper

say

child-def

pass to-pos3m

stool

on

body-pos3m

Viper says that the baby has discharged a flow of diarrhoea over his body

(116)

shìi-n

là-i

khù

fò-r

shàghlò,

s3m-suj

put

child-def

on

head

mouth-of

sleep

and that he has put him in the sleeping place

(117)

shìi-n

wàn-ni

shìɗɗò

làa

là-i,

s3m-suj

go-icp3m

clean

stool

child-def

and then he has gone out to clean himself,

(118)

saja

shìi

wan-na

ʔaɗo

là-i

shàghlò-m.

before

s3m

come-dist

neg

child-def

on

mouth

sleep-neg

but once he was back the child was not there.

(119)

mòo

Shòmì

yàa

pèemò

ʔAnkarkenshey

let

Shomi

say

log3m

Viper

Then Shomi tells Viper

(120)

mòo

pèemò

gàsshù-rù-ni

là-nì

maza-maza

let

log3m

find-dist-pos3m

back

child-pos3m

quick-quick

to find his child quickly,

(121)

nènà

bwòy

dàràŋ

mùrò-nì

yàa.

because

today

sun

death-pos3m

say

for today is the day of his death.

(122)

ʔàdò

paro

ʔAnkarkenshey

tèwànì-m,

nothing

talk

rel

Viper

fut

tell.vn-neg

Since Viper is not saying anything,

(123)

mòo

Shòmì

mòo

pèemòn

ʔÀnmùrùmùlùm

shàr-nì

bàràmtàm-nì

maza

let

Shomi

let

log3m

Red Lizard

take-pos3m

gariyo-pos3m

quick

Shomi asks (his son) Anmurumulum to bring him his gariyo [4] rapidly.

(124)

ʔÀnmùrùmùlùm

wana

ʔìn

shàrìn

bàràmtàm-nì

Red Lizard

go

suj

go

bring

gariyo-pos3m

ʔìn

pèrìn

Shòmì,

tóò

ʔAnkarkenshey

dama

sòsai.

suj

come out

on

Shomi

well

Viper

worry

very much

Anmurumulum brings him his gariyo and now Viper is really worried:

(125)

màa

wàra

she,

ʔìn

wàr

she

gàsshò

when

go

mouth

here

suj

go

mouth

here

in

find

shòw

khù-nì

mouth

put

head-pos3m

he goes right, he goes left, he looks for a way of escape,

(126)

ʔà

wèeyànì-m,

yà-ji

wèeya

gùn

tèkkì

shìila

neg

fut

see.vn-neg

say-log3m

see

under

line

stone

but he can’t find one. Then he finds a hole under a stone

(127)

yà-ji

shòwìn

khù-ni,

say-log3m

fut

put

head-pos3m

and tries to put his head there.

(128)

Shòmì

ʔìn

shàr

baramtam-ni

ʔìn

kànnì

khù

maza.

Shomi

suj

take

gariyo-pos3m

suj

cut

head

quick

Shomi takes his gariyo and quickly cuts Viper’s head.

(129)

Shòmì

ʔìn

wàn-ni

kàwak-nò

ʔAnkarkenshey

Shomi

suj

go-icp3m

abuse-gen

Viper

Shomi starts abusing Viper (for the foolishness he has done),

(130)

yàa

gbe

gònò

pèemò

ka

luru

shèl

jə̀ə.

say

big

stomach

log3m

like

bag

put

beans

saying that his stomach is like a bag of beans,

(131)

màa

Firit

yàa

shùllàn

fòk-nò

pèemò

ka

kuret

dòo-i,

when

Firit

say

pointed

mouth-gen

log3m

like

mouth

snake

in

water-def

while his wife Firit says that his mouth is like that of a water snake.

(132)

ʔìn

tòllù-rù

kùmà-no

ʔAnkarkenshey

suj

pull-dist

corpse-gen

Viper

Shomi pulls out the dead body of Viper

(133)

ʔìn

wàrùn

pippino

kàn

dèet

ʔìn

lìnà

telàŋ

suj

bring

burn

with

fire

suj

put

in

pot

and brings it (home): he burns it with fire, cuts it, puts it in the pot,

(134)

ʔìn

dìnghì-na

ʔìn

ʔàɗɗìnà

shìn

kàmà

shibo-nì

shìn

ɗiŋ.

suj

cook-dist

suj

eat

s3pl

incl

children-pos3m

3pl

all

and they all eat it together.

References

Abraham, Roy Clive 1962

Dictionary of the Hausa Language. London: University of London Press.

Adelberger, Jörg, Karsten Brunk, and Ulrich Kleinewillinghöfer 1993

‘Natural environment and settlement in Chonge distict, eastern Muri mountains, northeastern Nigeria. An interdisciplinary case study.' In Nagel, Günter. (ed.), Berichte des Sonderforschungsbereichs 268, Vol. 2, pp. 13-42. Frankfurt/Main: Goethe University.

Dinslage, Sabine and Rudolf Leger 1996

‘Language and migration: the impact of the Jukun on Chadic speaking groups in the Benue-Gongola Basin’. In Berichte des Sonderforschungsbereichs 268, Vol. 8, pp. 67-75. Frankfurt/Main: Goethe University.

Jungraithmayr Herrmann and Rudolf Leger 1993

‘The Benue-Gongola-Chad Basin – Zone of Ethnic and Linguistic Compression’. In Nagel, Günter. (ed.), Berichte des Sonderforschungsbereichs 268, Vol. 2, pp. 161-172. Frankfurt/Main: Goethe University.

Jungraithmayr Herrmann and Rudolf Leger 2006

‘Loss, shift and growth in Southern BoleTangale languages: The interplay of internal and external factors in language development’. In Nicolaï, Robert and Petr Zima (eds.), Lexical and structural diffusion, pp. 79-89. Nice: Publications de la Faculté des Lettres de Nice.

Leger, Rudolf 1993

‘A Kushi war song.’ Annals of Borno 8/9: 234-238

Leger, Rudolf 1998

‘Grammatical gender in some southern Bole-Tangale langauges: Kwami, Kupto, Kushi and Piya’. In Institute of African Studies (ed.), Africa: Society, culture and language, pp. 204-216. Moscow: IAS.

Leger, Rudolf 2014

‘Some observations on typological features in languages of the Bole-Tangale group’. In Storch, Anne, Johannes Harnischfeger, and Rudolf Leger (eds.), Fading Delimitations. Multilingual Settlements in a Convergence Area – Case studies from Nigeria, pp. 229-262. Cologne: Rüdiger Köppe

Lewis, M. Paul, Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig (eds.)

Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 18th edition, SIL International, Dallas 2015. Online version: http://ethnologue.com/18/ (27.10.2017)



[1] A full account of the environment of the Kushi, Burak, and Bangwinji settlements can be found in Adelberger et al. (1993).

[2] I am very much indebted to Dr Rudolf Leger for having granted me full access to the Kushi-related material collected under the framework of the

Sonderforschungsbereich 268 (Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main).

[3] One of the closest literary cognates of Shomi (and his partner-in-crime Firit) can be identified in Gizo and his wife Ƙoƙi, the tricksters of Hausa folklore.

[4] Hausa word designating the double-bladed Barebari throwing-weapon (Abraham 1962).

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