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 considered a dialect of Lugbara, although the 1996 constitution of Uganda considers it as a different tribe from Lugbara. In fact, among the Lugbara of Uganda, it is one of the five clans (Ayivu, Vurra, Terego, Maracha and Aringa). 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 FrontCentralBackCloseNear-closeClose-mid ~ ~ Open-mid()Open

/ɛ, ɔ/ can also be heard as [e, o] as a result of vowel harmony. /a/ can have an allophone of [ʌ] when after sounds /k, ɡ/.

Consonants LabialDentalAlveolarPostalv./PalatalVelarLabial-velarGlottalplaintrilledNasal()Plosive/Affricate ~ ~ FricativeTrillLateral ~ Approximant

varies dialectally as a lateral flap . vary dialectally as . can be retroflex with free variation. can be implosive and can be with free variation. A labial affricate may occur with 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 NumberTranslation0.Toko/ ogbo1.Alu2.Iri3.Na4.Su5.Towi/ tawu6.Azia7.Aziri8.Aro9.Oromi10.Mudri/ modri11. Mudri drini alu12.Mudri drini iri13.Mudri drini na20.Kali iri21.Kali iri drini alu22.Kali iri drini iri23.Kali iri drini na30.Kali na40.Kali su100.Turu alu 500.Turu towi900.Turu oromi5,000.Alifu towi4M.Milioni su7B.Bilioni aziri12T.Trilioni mudri drini iri

Greetings and other phrases

LugbaraEnglishMi ifu ngoni?How did you wake up?/ Good morning!(Mi) ngoni?How (are you)?(Ma) muke!(I'm) fine! Ma azoru!I'm sick! Mi aa ngoni?How did you stay?Ayiko ni ma fu!Happiness is killing me!/ I'm happy!Abiri ni ma fu(fu)!Hunger is killing me!/ I'm hungry!Sa(w)a si?What time is it?Etu alu oʼbitisi.7:00 a.m. [To tell time, you mention the number on the opposite side of the clock. Etu iri is 8 o'clock, etu na is 9 o'clock, etc]Etu mudri drini alu5:00 p.m.Mi efi!Come in!Ife mani yi!Give me water!Kirikiri!Please!Ada!True!Inzo!Lies!Iko ma aza!Help me!Ine!See!Mi a'bua ozi si?How much do you sell bananas?Ajeni si?How much [is the price]?A le Obangulu!I want mashed whiteants!Ma mu Gili Gili-a ngoni?How do I get to Gili Gili?Arojo ngoa?Where is the drugshop/clinic/hospital?Mi ru a'di-i?What is your name?Ma ru Ayikobua!I'm called Ayikobua!Te mi-i?How about you?Mi omve ma Letasi!You call me Letasi!Awaʼdi fo!Thanks!A le mi!I love you!/ I need you!/ I want you!Inya ci?Is there food?Ma enga Ediofe-a.I'm from Ediofe.Ma mu kanisa-a.I'm going to church.Mi ma agi!You are my friend!Ma mu Ojapi-a ngoni?How do I get to Ojapi?Masikiti ngoa?Where is the mosque?Mi ma ji Ragemu-a ra?Can you take me to Ragem?Iji ma Ringili-a!Take me to Ringili!'Ba mucele ozi ngoa?Where is rice sold?Aje/ andru/ drusi/ droziYesterday/ today/ tomorrow/ the day after tomorrowIla muke!Sleep well!A le ra!I do want! [The word 'ra' after a verb denotes positivity]A le ku!I don't want! [The word 'ku' after a verb denotes negativity]

Relationships Grandfather (aʼbi, aʼbipi)

Grandmother (dede, edapi, e'di)

Grandson (mvia)

Granddaughter (zia)

Father (ati, ata)

Mother (andri, andre, ayia)

Husband (agupi)

Wife (oku)

Son (agupiamva, mvi)

Daughter (zamva, zi)

Brother (adri)

Sister (amvi)

Uncles (paternal: atapuru [singular], atapuruka [plural]; maternal: [singular], [plural])

Aunts (paternal: [singular], [plural and in some cases maternal]; maternal: [singular], [plural]

Cousin ()

Cousin brother(s) (); also

Cousin sister(s) (); also

NB: Strictly speaking, the word cousin is alien in Lugbara culture. Cousins are brothers and sisters.

Nephews (adro anzi) - maternal nephews

Nieces (adro ezoanzi, ezapi) - maternal nieces

Father-in-law (anya)

Mother-in-law (edra)

Brother-in-law (oti, otuo)

Sister-in-law (onyere)

Days of the week 1 week (Sabatu alu, sabiti alu, yinga alu, yumula alu)

A day is called Oʼdu in Lugbara.

Sunday ()

Monday (Oʼdu alu)

Tuesday (Oʼdu iri)

Wednesday (Oʼdu na)

Thursday (Oʼdu su)

Friday (Oʼdu towi)

Saturday (Oʼdu azia, Sabato)

Calendar The simplest way to refer to months (Mba in Lugbara) 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 seasonal way of mentioning them.

Januari/ Oco ʼdupa sere (January)

Feburili/ Kuluni (February)

Marici/ Zengulu (March)

Apirili/ Ayi - Wet season (April)

Mayi/ Ayi Eti (May)

Juni/ Emveki (June)

Julayi/ Eri (July)

Agosilo/ Iripaku (August)

Sebitemba/ Lokopere (September)

Okitoba/ Abibi (October)

Novemba/ Waa (November)

Desemba/ Anyu fi kuma (December)

Common signs LugbaraEnglishAgupiMenOkuWomen

Colours Eka, Ika by Terego (red)

Foro foro (gray)

Foroto (grayish)

(white)

(very pure white)

Imvesi-enisi (black and white)

Ini (black)

Inibiricici, inicici, inikukuru (very dark)

Food LugbaraEnglishMuceleRiceFun(y)oGroundnutGbanda/ OlaCassavaOsuBean, Kaiko in Terego dialectBurusu/ BurusoGuinea peaKakaMaizeAgoPumpkinAnyuSimsimOnduSorghumMaakuPotato(M)ayu(ni)YamOnyaWhiteantOpeGuinea fowlAuChickenEzaMeatTi ezaCow meatNdri ezaGoat meatEʼbiFishKawaCoffeeMajaniTeaI'diPorridgeKpeteBeerMbasalaOnionNyanyaTomatoCikiri/ Osu nyiriChick pea

Lugbara AI

Lugbara AI refers to Artificial Intelligence technology or machines that use Lugbara. The Sunbird Translate systemSunbird AI. "Translation and Speech". can automatically take text from Lugbara.Ministry of ICT (26 January 2023). "Ministry of ICT and National Guidance to Leverage AI to Drive The ICT Innovation Agenda Across Uganda in a Partnership With Sunbird AI". It includes locally relevant topics such as healthcare, agriculture and society.Ntezza, Michael. Chimp Reports (24 January 2024). "Gov't, Sunbird AI Partner to Boost English to Local Languages Translation". With its partners including Makerere University AI Lab, Sunbird AI (a Ugandan startup) has built open Lugbara datasets, translation and speech systems. It is also used by banks.Centenary Group. "Centenary to Deploy Artificial Intelligence Across Uganda".

Furthermore, other developers are also working on projects.IndabaX Uganda. "Deep Learning IndabaX Hackathon".

See also Agofe Districts of Uganda Lugbara music Lugbara proverbs

References

Further reading