Language in Basse
on Duncan in the Gambia (The Gambia), 15/May/2011 13:42, 34 days ago
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In Basse people speak: Wollof, Madinka, Fula, Arabic and English. Often in the same conversation.I did a few Mandinka classes with VSO when I was in the Kombos and when I arrived in Basse I thought I’d spend a couple of weeks to work out which the “street language” was and then learn that. I’m now rapidly realising that there is no one “street language” so I’m going to have to do a bit of each language.Helpfully English is the language of government and Mandinka seems to be the language of water-cooler chat and I have head start on both of those. Fula seems to be the most common language to encounter in shops so that’s my next target, here’s the Fula I have learned so far in Basse:A walay jam - Good morning (to one person)Jamtan - It is fine (this is the response to most questions and statements; sort of the Gambian equivalent to the french“ca va”)A ngalay jam - Good afternoonJamtan - It is fineHeray jam - Good eveningJamtan - It is fineTan ahla - How are your compound people?Hono nga lorma on (“on” pronounced like a french “en”) - How is the dayAr - come hereHondo fa da? - What do you want?Occam… - Give me…Jarama - thank youMee ya hee - I am going
