Yes I believe interest is material when it comes to learning a foreign language. Lugbara language for long has been made complicated by Lugbaras failure to Open Up and learn other languages. Most of our people who lived in Kampala in 1970s did not learn Luganda. Reason was that the Baganda were proud. Most Lugbaras some tine ago could not learn Kakwa, Madi or Alur, reason, some naive superiority complex and defining Arua as the boundary of what they need. If you have interest in learning other languages and you open up to other people, your language begins to grow and with new terms adopted it becomes rich. why should we have one word for example 'ti' to mean, mouth, language, cow, giving birth e.t.c, why should we still call a girl child as 'eza mva' after meat, and not oku mva, since male species are 'agupia mva' and 'tia mva' ndria anva, aua mva, for animals. in Uganda, various events and tabloids are building a certain diction and they have imported words which is bound to remain part of our diction, semantics and create our English. In Uganda today names of places far away mean different things, I do not intend to vulgarize the debate but for example Kandahar, Vuvuzela, mean different things in Uganda. Now because of trade and movements, attitudes are changing, Lubgaras can now speak Kakwa, Madi, Luganda, e.t.c. I am sure as more people speak a dialect of Lugbara which is not typical Vura, Terego, Maracha or Ayivu, we are bound to develop a high breed which cuts across the small counties called tribes in Arua and hopefully our language will become simpler to learn.
Sent from my iPhone On Apr 28, 2013, at 11:03 AM, Asaf Adebua <asaf...@gmail.com> wrote: > Just Charles Male and Maandera have the points. > Awa'difo imini. > > > On 4/28/13, Charles Male <cdm...@gmail.com> wrote: >> Who says Lugbara is difficult... >> >> We Africans all speak English or French because we had no choice if we >> were to progress follow the paths of our colonisers... >> >> English or French was drilled into our heads from early childhood... >> >> depending on who our conquerors were (English or French) >> >> If Lugbaras conquered the world like the English and French did... the >> whole world would be speaking and learning Lugbara...as easy as >> learning English or French.. >> >> And as we all know...everyone is getting ready to learn chinese.... >> >> Just think of how wide spread Lugbara is spoken in Koboko... >> >> Kakwa had no choice... >> >> There were no written books in kakwa... >> >> Missionaries used lugbara books... >> >> Most teachers in Koboko were lugbara speaking... >> >> Most Kakwa who wanted an education migrated to Arua and beyond... >> >> I never had any Kakwa language instruction.. >> >> But I have had lugbara as a language of instruction as well as a subject.. >> >> In fact, I had an option of completing my A levels in UK a few decades >> ago... and i was required to take a foreign language... >> >> My choice was lugbara NOT Kakwa because there were a few lugbaras in >> London at that time who could guide me... >> >> But opportunity to migrate to Canada came so I abandoned England and >> continued my education in Canada instead... >> >> As someone who is fluent in both Kakwa and lugbara and understands >> Madi, I think kakwa is the most difficult of all the west nile >> languages... >> >> Just ask those who studied in St Charles Lwanga, Koboko... >> >> How many returned to their counties knowing more than "Adinyo"... >> >> Even during exile life...the lugbara and madi who were in kakwa or >> Kuku speaking areas of South Sudan found it difficult to learn Kakwa >> or Kuku language (which are related)... >> >> my 2 cents.. >> >> >> >> >> On 4/27/13, Asaf Adebua <asaf...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> A VERY LONG TICK TO YOU MAANDERA1 >>> >>> On 4/26/13, Maandera <ibmaand...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> Hmmm. Before reading this article, I had read another blog about 4 years >>>> ago of an American also living in Arua and struggling to learn Lugbara. >>>> That one was less dramatic than this one. But I'd also heard of people >>>> saying Lugbara is a difficult language to learn. This had actually >>>> gotten >>>> me thinking: Can't you try to make learning Lugbara easier? I made an >>>> outline and soon foxed out, not with "After all the grapes are sour" but >>>> with a barrage of: "After all that is a relative statement. All >>>> languages >>>> are difficult to learn. Try a click language and tell me it is easy. Try >>>> the French which is spoken through the nose. . . etc, etc" >>>> >>>> Well, this blog got me updating my draft again based on some of the >>>> issues >>>> pointed out in it. I am not yet finished. What got me particularly >>>> thinking >>>> was how to best address the challenge of that apt comparison with >>>> Chinese >>>> - >>>> due to the tonality of the language and the fact that we have several >>>> dialects, which makes it a very rich and admittedly "confusing" >>>> language. >>>> Allow me another foxing: Who says English or Dutch is not confusing? >>>> >>>> >>>> As an English language teacher myself, I got loads of examples to which >>>> I >>>> have no explanation or justification apart from saying, "Sorry, but >>>> exceptions confirm the rule!" Why do the English for example say, the >>>> singular form of the verb *to-be* is "*is*" and yet when you meet one >>>> person (that is singular, for sure) you as "How *are* you?" as if there >>>> is >>>> more than one person you are talking to? And the English have the >>>> audacity >>>> to say that is "Correct English"! Don't tell me the word *wound* in the >>>> following sentence has one and only one meaning: The nurse *wound* the >>>> bandage around the *wound* of the *wounded* boy. And why should the >>>> plural >>>> of *box* be bo*xes* and the one of ox be "ox*en*" and not "ox*es*"? And >>>> why >>>> should a *driv**er* be a person, yet *cooker* is a thing for cooking and >>>> the person is a *Cook* and what the *cook* does is to *cook*? They also >>>> confuse us! But, that's the beauty and uniqueness of languages anyhow. >>>> The >>>> more reason why people learn languages. >>>> >>>> >>>> On a serious note: As many people have said, the article indeed made me >>>> see >>>> some things differently. For example, that Lugbara is a visual language. >>>> Hmmm. House-stomach! True, indeed. Visual and descriptive. That should >>>> make >>>> it even easier to learn. Common language teachers, let's do something to >>>> make this thing more palatable for those who want to get a different >>>> peek >>>> into our culture - through the language. >>>> >>>> The time keeping, I agree is something that is kind of "different" and >>>> often works against us. Not only the Lugbara but Ugandans. Did you read >>>> that article of the Teso youth protesting their MPs appearing at 6.30pm >>>> for >>>> a meeting that was scheduled for 3pm. My foot. We still have something >>>> to >>>> learn from the positive aspects of other cultures, which may enrich the >>>> positives in ours. >>>> >>>> >>>> Overall, it was some good food for thought and rib-breaking. >>>> >>>> Thank you George. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Fri, Apr 26, 2013 at 7:56 AM, Santorino Data >>>> <boymuked...@yahoo.com>wrote: >>>> >>>>> Great piece of writing indeed. >>>>> This made my morning and now I understand why I spent 6 years in Arua >>>>> and >>>>> still struggle to speak the language - confusion just that needs very >>>>> meticulous attention to detail and context even though I was from >>>>> across >>>>> the Lugbara border in Kakwa land >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> *Dr. Data Santorino >>>>> **Lecturer Department of Pediatrics and Child Health >>>>> Mbarara University of Science and Technology >>>>> Uganda.* >>>>> >>>>> ------------------------------ >>>>> *From:* Anyole J <anyo...@yahoo.ca> >>>>> *To:* George Afi Obitre-Gama <gobi...@yahoo.com>; A Virtual Network for >>>>> friends of West Nile <westnilenet@kym.net>; A Virtual Network for >>>>> friends >>>>> of West Nile <westnilenet@kym.net> >>>>> *Sent:* Thursday, April 25, 2013 7:21 PM >>>>> *Subject:* Re: [WestNileNet] Learning the Lugbara Language - A bloggers >>>>> 2 >>>>> cents-a good read! >>>>> >>>>> This is a very interesting piece. It is always nice to see things from >>>>> an >>>>> out-siders perspective and make sense of things we are usually >>>>> oblivious >>>>> to, house-mouth, za-mva, et all! >>>>> >>>>> The piece does bring out some things that worry anthropologist too, >>>>> cultures are gradually getting eroded "traditions have been changing >>>>> here >>>>> as the pressure of our Western culture pervades and invades." as well, >>>>> it >>>>> high lights some issues that continue to plague us, such as time >>>>> keeping, >>>>> which has itself not been eroded by the same western culture. >>>>> >>>>> Thanks for sharing this, it did make my day that more interesting, got >>>>> me >>>>> thinking. One of these days, "I'll beat my vernacular teacher a phone" >>>>> >>>>> Anyole >>>>> >>>>> ------------------------------ >>>>> *From:* George Afi Obitre-Gama <gobi...@yahoo.com> >>>>> *To:* A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <westnilenet@kym.net> >>>>> *Sent:* Thursday, April 25, 2013 4:12:31 AM >>>>> *Subject:* [WestNileNet] Learning the Lugbara Language - A bloggers 2 >>>>> cents-a good read! >>>>> >>>>> A new year, a new language, more >>>>> confusion<http://africraigs.travellerspoint.com/129/> >>>>> Why can't everyone speak English? >>>>> 16.01.2013 [image: sunny] 30 °C >>>>> Learning a new language and culture is like discovering a new world, >>>>> opening your eyes and mind to completely amazing and strange ideas, >>>>> some >>>>> shocking, some fascinating, most unexpected. >>>>> Since the beginning of the new year, we have a new teacher, Eunice, who >>>>> is >>>>> hoping to make us into fluent Lugbara speakers within a few months… >>>>> Lugbara >>>>> is the local tribe in Arua, one of the 10 largest tribes in Uganda (out >>>>> of >>>>> a total of 34 ethnicities). The Lugbara are a tribe descended from >>>>> Nigeria to settle here. Their territory extends around Arua and into >>>>> the >>>>> Democratic Republic of Congo, so families have been split by the >>>>> arbitrary >>>>> political boundaries drawn by the Europeans in Berlin in 1884. >>>>> Disconcertingly, we seem to be a source of great amusement for most of >>>>> the >>>>> ex-pats when we tell them we are taking this time to study Lugbara. >>>>> “Good >>>>> luck”, they tell us. They then go on to tell you a story of someone who >>>>> has >>>>> been attempting the language for many years and haven’t gotten very >>>>> far. >>>>> Some compare the language to Chinese, saying it is one of the most >>>>> difficult languages in the world to learn. It is quite depressing >>>>> hearing >>>>> this, obviously… Additionally, having grown up in Congo and learning >>>>> Swahili there, having lived in Malawi and Kenya and trying to learn the >>>>> languages there, while being exposed to various other African >>>>> languages, >>>>> it >>>>> is frustrating to have to start at zero like a baby once again….those >>>>> languages are nothing like Lugbara! >>>>> Most whites don’t even bother to learn Lugbara especially since this >>>>> tribe >>>>> is only one of 5 in the close vicinity of one another. For example, the >>>>> Alur are settled on the outskirts of Arua town. Their language is close >>>>> to >>>>> the Luo language which we were learning in Kenya. To make it even >>>>> worse, >>>>> there are sub-sections of the Lugbara tribe with variations in the way >>>>> words are said. Whoopee to learning a difficult language which is only >>>>> spoken by a few and which is nothing like any other language we have >>>>> ever >>>>> heard! >>>>> [image: Eunice, in action, confusing us] >>>>> Eunice, in action, confusing us >>>>> >>>>> Eunice is a good teacher, though, having patience with us as we sit on >>>>> the >>>>> veranda trying to repeat what on earth she has just said. As a Lugbara, >>>>> she >>>>> is also good at turning up late, demonstrating how a Lugbara should >>>>> act. >>>>> As >>>>> Lilian, another Lugbara who works for us says, “Lugbaras is not >>>>> following >>>>> time, ha!” and laughs out loud. So, anyway, she is almost an hour late >>>>> today, but since we live in Africa, you never know what may have >>>>> happened. >>>>> It could be a relative has just died and she has to go to the funeral. >>>>> Despite the issue of time-keeping, which especially bothers Emma, >>>>> Eunice >>>>> has been effective at moving us on in the language. Emma and I already >>>>> feel >>>>> more confident using some simple phrases and greetings. For example, I >>>>> was >>>>> particularly proud when I asked for 10 eggs the other day in the local >>>>> wooden duka close to our home. “Ife mani augbe mundri”. The word for >>>>> egg >>>>> 'augbe' is spoken as though you are swallowing an egg... >>>>> One of the problems of learning Lugbara is that the same words can mean >>>>> completely different things. So, for instance, the word for sauce, >>>>> “tibi”, >>>>> is the same word for ‘beard’, just with a different tone. Emma wonders >>>>> if >>>>> this has anything to do with someone’s long beard dragging in their >>>>> gravy >>>>> once upon a time. There are other examples, though the best so far is >>>>> the >>>>> word ‘ago’, which if intonated differently, can either mean ‘husband’ >>>>> or >>>>> ‘pumpkin’. A phrase like ‘my beautiful fiancée’ can also come across as >>>>> ‘my >>>>> beautiful warthog’, so any wannabe suitors need to be pretty careful in >>>>> this town… >>>>> Emma also uses a lot of imagination when it comes to remembering the >>>>> Lugbara phrases or words. So, for instance, the word for peanuts is >>>>> ‘funo’ >>>>> (foon-oh). Emma thinks of little peanuts bouncing around and having a >>>>> lot >>>>> of fun. It can be a bit of a tentative or weird link at times. She is >>>>> constantly whispering to me how I can remember a word. Awupi >>>>> (A-whoopee) >>>>> is >>>>> the word for Aunt on your dad’s side. Obviously, this conjures up >>>>> thoughts >>>>> of playing a trick with my Auntie Barbara with a whoopee >>>>> cushion…’Fetaa’ >>>>> (feta) means gift and so it is remembered by thinking of giving someone >>>>> a >>>>> gift of cheese. I often wish I had had Emma as a study partner for my >>>>> IGCSE >>>>> or IB exams in Holland as I would not have spent so many lost hours >>>>> staring >>>>> blankly at walls trying to cram boring information into my struggling >>>>> mind. >>>>> Alongside Emma's visual mind, we are also discovering that Lugbara is >>>>> quite a visual language. The word for ‘fingers’, for example, is >>>>> ‘hand-children’. This also works for ‘toes’ (foot children). The word >>>>> for >>>>> door translates directly as ‘house-mouth’. The floor is the >>>>> ‘house-stomach’. Today, we learnt that veranda is the ‘joeti’ or ‘house >>>>> buttocks’!! You can’t make this stuff up, eh? It’s great! >>>>> Onomatopoeia is often used as well in the language. 'Kulukulu' >>>>> (koo-loo-koo-loo) is the name for a turkey and on hearing the sound a >>>>> turkey makes the other day when passing a homestead, I really thought >>>>> it >>>>> described it well. Barking is ‘agbo-agbo’, crying is 'owu- owu' >>>>> (oh-woo) >>>>> and laughing is 'ogu- ogu' (oh-goo). I can’t remember any of these >>>>> sound >>>>> words properly and instead guess by making any noise that I think would >>>>> fit. It unfortunately doesn’t work. One of our favourite >>>>> onomatopoeiatic >>>>> words is the word for butterfly ‘alapapa’, just like the sound of >>>>> little >>>>> wings beating! >>>>> Language can also be an intimate doorway into the culture. We couldn’t >>>>> believe t, when Eunice explained the word for ‘girl’ is made up of 2 >>>>> words >>>>> in Lugbara, ‘za’ meaning ‘meat’ and ‘mva’ meaning ‘child’! >>>>> 'Meat-child!' >>>>> Girls have been seen as great little earners in a family by providing a >>>>> dowry of up to 20 head of cattle and 15 goats and extras like bows and >>>>> arrows and hoes. >>>>> However, so many of the traditions have been changing here as the >>>>> pressure >>>>> of our Western culture pervades and invades. Loin cloths have been out >>>>> since the 1950s or 60s (Maybe this is a good thing. I can’t see the >>>>> Craig >>>>> family sauntering down the road semi-nude in Arua, and it would make an >>>>> embarrassing family photo). Instead, though, everyone is wearing >>>>> second-hand Western clothes. Out is the tradition to remove your 6 >>>>> front >>>>> teeth using only a hammer and some herbs to encourage healing of your >>>>> mouth >>>>> afterwards (I’m also thankful this is not practised anymore), and >>>>> marking >>>>> the skin by cuts with a razor in adolescence is now stopped. However, >>>>> as >>>>> Eunice explained, the rather exaggerated buttocks size in women is >>>>> still >>>>> favoured by the culture, especially if the buttocks also jiggles while >>>>> walking. >>>>> All-in-all, though pretty tiring, it is really interesting learning the >>>>> language and culture. It definitely does show how very different we >>>>> Westerners are (especially compared to the recent past) and so will >>>>> help >>>>> us >>>>> understand how to approach people more effectively. We are hoping >>>>> knowledge of the language can help us build relationships and get >>>>> alongside people better (until we meet others from the next tribe along >>>>> who >>>>> don’t have a clue what we are saying…). >>>>> [image: Eunice, Lilian and all of us outside on the 'house-buttocks' in >>>>> the 'house-mouth'] >>>>> Eunice, Lilian and all of us outside on the 'house-buttocks' in the >>>>> 'house-mouth' >>>>> >>>>> [image: Amelie in the jokoni] >>>>> Amelie in the jokoni >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> WestNileNet mailing list >>>>> WestNileNet@kym.net >>>>> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >>>>> >>>>> WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >>>>> >>>>> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >>>>> attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >>>>> way. >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> WestNileNet mailing list >>>>> WestNileNet@kym.net >>>>> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >>>>> >>>>> WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >>>>> >>>>> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >>>>> attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >>>>> way. >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> WestNileNet mailing list >>>>> WestNileNet@kym.net >>>>> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >>>>> >>>>> WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >>>>> >>>>> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >>>>> attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >>>>> way. >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>> >>> >>> -- >>> ASAF ADEBUA >>> DIRECTOR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT GULU UNIVERSITY >>> P. O. 166 GULU (UGANDA) >>> TEL. +256 471 435850 >>> CELL +256 772 503909 >>> OFFICE MAIL a.ade...@gu.ac.ug >>> _______________________________________________ >>> WestNileNet mailing list >>> WestNileNet@kym.net >>> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >>> >>> WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >>> >>> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >>> attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >>> way. >>> _______________________________________________ >> _______________________________________________ >> WestNileNet mailing list >> WestNileNet@kym.net >> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >> >> WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >> >> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >> attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >> way. >> _______________________________________________ > > > -- > ASAF ADEBUA > DIRECTOR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT GULU UNIVERSITY > P. O. 166 GULU (UGANDA) > TEL. +256 471 435850 > CELL +256 772 503909 > OFFICE MAIL a.ade...@gu.ac.ug > _______________________________________________ > WestNileNet mailing list > WestNileNet@kym.net > http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet > > WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ > > The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including > attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. > _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing list WestNileNet@kym.net http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. _______________________________________________
