Rio Nunez languages


The Rio Nunez or Nunez River languages constitute a pair of Niger–Congo languages, Mbulungish and Baga Mboteni. They are spoken at the mouth of the Nunez River in Guinea, West Africa.
The Rio Nunez languages have been studied by Fields, but otherwise remain sparsely documented.

Classification

The two Rio Nunez languages do not subgroup with the Nalu language, contrary to prior classifications. Previously, Fields had proposed a Coastal group consisting of Mbulungish, Mboteni, and Nalu that she considered to be distinct from the surrounding Mel languages. The grouping in its current scope was proposed by Güldemann.
The Rio Nunez languages are currently unclassified within Niger-Congo, and whether or not they are part of the Atlantic languages is also uncertain.

History

Speakers of Rio Nunez languages had cultivated African rice for thousands of years on the swampy coast of Guinea. Mel speakers were later arrivals on the Guinean coast, as the Proto-Mel homeland is located in the north-central highlands of Sierra Leone just to the south of the Lesser Scarcies River, rather than on the coast.
Today, both languages are endangered. As of 1998, fewer than 100 people spoke Baga Mboteni fluently, while Mbulungish had fewer than 500 speakers, although both speech communities had a few thousand people. The language endangerment is caused by a shift to Susu, a Mande language that is the lingua franca of coastal Guinea.

Vocabulary

Basic

Vocabulary shared with Atlantic languages:
EnglishMbulungishMboteniNalu
fournɛŋnabi-nan
headkapkapn-ki
earnopnʌfn-nɛw
eyesyɛt / syi-syɛteir / si-kirn-cɛt / a-cɛt
mouthtulsuln-sol / a-sol
tonguelimlɤmn-lem
breast / milkm-binmbanm-bem
hand / armtɛn-tɛ
legluŋtɛŋk
bonembol / tyʌ-mbolnhol / a-hol
moon / monthbelpʌlm-bilaŋ
treetilin-ti
dogbutwurmaa-bet
egginn-yin

Innovated vocabulary differing from Atlantic languages:
EnglishMbulungishMboteniNalu
manmɛ-silo-kw-cel / ngwɛ-cɛlnlam-cel
dirty / blackbalia-valm-balax
longlanim-lanna
coldhonm-hon
to comebatɛm-ba
to killka-ramelamam-rama
to bitenyɛtnyeram-ŋateŋ
to sitŋoŋonm-ɲɔh
to dieŋu-ripn-ref

Some Mbulungish and Mboteni innovated words that differ from Nalu and other surrounding languages :
EnglishMbulungishMboteni
mosquitoɔ-bo / ɔ-bolleŋa-bɔ
crab i-nep, e-nep, ɛnippel / ɛ-nippela-nep / a-neppel
type of crabi-laŋ / ayel-laŋa-laŋ / alaŋŋel

Cultural

A rich set of rice agriculture-related vocabulary in Rio Nunez languages has been documented by Edda L. Fields-Black.
MeaningMbulungishMboteniNaluSitem
Saltmbesɔ-mbɛlmer
Oil palmyiism-siis / a-siis
Seasonal streambɔlɔŋ / cubɔlɔŋ; para / cipparaŋ; ipal / appalleŋpɔlm-tɛsɛ / a-tɛsɛ
Small seasonal streammasaleŋilex / alexeŋ
Tree used to fabricate the short fulcrum shovel and the shovel handleki-malm-silaa / a-silaa
Red mangrove used to fabricate the short or long fulcrum shovelki-kiɲc / ɛ-kiɲcil; ku-wɔl / a-wɔlleŋe-ma, ɛ-ma / a-mam-mak / a-maka-kinc / kinc
Rice cultivated in the red mangrovesmalɔ bɛ kinycilpon / cimmalɔŋ bɛ kiɲcilponfor ɛma
White mangroves yɔp / ki-yɔpe-wɛleŋ, weleŋ / awelleŋm-yɔɔf / a-yɔɔfkopir / copir
Rice cultivated in the white mangrovesmalɔ biyɔppon / cimalɔ ciyɔpponmaafer
Order given by the elder to begin fieldworkfɔfuduŋkusɔkɔp
Enough water in the mangrove field to begin fieldworkasofɔilawoladumun dɛncmɛ dukubora
Order given by the elder to stop fieldworksenden afancaŋkatefer
Harvest ceremony xesara lemmakuwurɛ malɔ
Order given to begin the harvestndebe loŋŋonkitɛl kufɔlɔ
Fulcrum shovel handlekur capɔn / cukurkappon; ki-ti akɔp / ɛ-ti akɔpndii kɔpm-kuŋgbala / a-kuŋgbala
Small pieces of wood used to reinforce shovel foot when tying it to handle wac / cuwaceli-xare / aŋ-xarem-ba iŋkifɔhlasen / a-ba iŋkifɔhlasen m-caanahsen / a-caanahsenmɛ-kɪnc
Shovel bladea-fenc / e-fenccelma-fanc / a-fanc
Sculpted blade of fulcrum shovelkɔp nyetelponi-cel / aɲ-cel
To sharpen the fulcrum shovel bladea-fenc gbatinʊmi celm-namtah / a-namtah
Vine used to attach shovel foot to handlentel / ɛteelleŋaɲcelm-nintamp / a-nintampdɛ-tɛmpa / s-tɛmpa
To clear the red mangroves to make the large dikeɛ-cɛpasaɓɛn wucer akuvɔr
To burn the rice hay before the rainy seasonmuxalɔmppasinalkɪcɔs yikaya malɔ
To trace the grand dikeki-bereŋ wurtɛwac nxɔfɔrn
To cut the earth with the shovel to make the dikeabereŋ yɛkɛt / cibereŋ yɛkɛtebaxacakca
To cut weeds and separate two ridgesawulm-sɔɔaŋ / a-sɔɔaŋkɪ-cɛs
To walk on the weeds to diminish their sizei-camanasenma-daka / a-dakakɪ-namp
To cut the weeds on the bottom before turning soil with the shoveliŋcɛpel mɔlɔ inpenna; a-cappama-cɛsa / a-cɛsakɪ-cɛs yika
First turning of the weeds and soil with fulcrum shovelbɔŋwaca; ki-cɛp / a-cappa; a-beret / ɛ-beretafancm-kes / a-kes
One shovelful of earthforma-bees / a-beesdamba / samba
To walk on weeds for a second timeelɛrpɛrnanasɔxɔlm-ŋakten / a-ŋakten
To tuck weeds into the soil with hands or feetwaltaayixil; ibaxanas ; ibaxayekel kɪ-nas anɛk
Second turning of the soil to cover the weeds with fulcrum shovelbɔŋkubut; awupurm-wupur / a-wupur
Short fulcrum shovelki-taŋgbaŋ / ci-taŋgbaŋŋelaŋ-kumbɛl; faa-aŋkumbɛl ma-kumbal / a-kumbal
Long fulcrum shovel kɔp kokilannɛ / ci-kɔppel kokilannɛɛ-lar m-kɔp lanna / a-kɔp lanna
Ancestral fulcrum shovel used without metal bladekɔp amaŋkre cel / su kɔpamaŋ i-cel
Dike / moundki-bereŋ / ci-bereŋaxɔɓɛrn / aŋxɔɓɛrnma-bɔŋɛn / a-bɔŋɛn
Ridgeɛ-nɛk / ki-nɛke-nɛk / a-nɛkma-nɛk / a-nɛɛka-nɛk
Furrowku-bont / a-bontole-won / a-wonm-sumuunt / a-sumuunt
To sow in rowsa-sappasuk mmaoma-cɛɛpkɪ-cɛp tɛcɪr
To sow in the fieldsa-meŋkermbuŋma asina
To sow by broadcastingmalɔ pɛnmboo mmaoma-yarakɪ-glal ka malɔ
To sow directly in the fieldafur mmaoma-yaara
To sow directly, done tightlyaxɔfɛlm-dafeet / a-dafeetkɪ-fɪlfɪl; kɪ-gbɛɛ malɔ
To sow directly, done tightly and then to pull up some seedlings and leave somemalɔ seŋmɓɛlmmalon
To sow directly, done looselymalɔ bɛ kabatɛŋŋɛ biliŋmponmaasɛpnam-yolyolen / a-yolyolen
To sow on flat landbɔkitefɛmaaxɔfɔla
First rice nurserytabla mbuŋŋund kamaokɪsɪmɪ kɪɪnɪkicɔkɔ cɔkɔ
Second rice nurserymbuŋna asendenkɪsɪmɪ kamɛrɛŋ
Too much water beneath the rice nurseryasoyokokinin mmaokiŋkankla dumun
Normal cycle of the rice nurseryfam mmaoocomas
To wash bottom of germinated rice seedlings before transplantingabɔxɔr mmaoki-yaak malɔ
To attach germinated rice seedlingsɛra mmaoku-kutus malɔ
To put the attached and germinated rice seedlings in water before transplantingndepman asɔlaaŋgbɛ midirɛ
To cover the seeds with banana leavesmalɔ gbopret / cimmallɔŋ gbepretwofor mmaokukumpus malɔ
Germinated seedlingsɛ-tiebelaŋŋa ɛcɔlcenaxɔfɛlm-kicɛɛpa / a-kicɛɛpamalɔ mopoŋ
Seedlings that did not germinatemalɔ tɔti / cim-mallɔŋtɔti; malɔ beabuwɔcɛmaamaŋ kulummalɔ mɛlɛcɛ
To pull up weeds with the handsɔtulutiŋkur awewen
To transplantbelaŋ ɔcɔlɛ; a-sappaiwaasom-cɛɛpapa-cɛɛp; tøk yɔkɔ an luksɪrnɛ kɪ-bɔf mɔ
To weed after replantingiŋkur aɓaɓɛnkʊwas malɔ
To clean the canal to begin fieldworkwuxucer asokɪfɪnc kibɔŋɛn
To open the canalbamcaɔtɔimuaxurtuŋunm-bannataŋ / a-bannataŋkɪ-ŋɛr
To evacuate the water when the rice is ripeɛbɛlaso kamatomalɔ mɔlɔl
To close the canalwulci; ɔtɔcaŋcaimuarumtuŋm-laŋŋaŋ / a-laŋŋaŋkɪ-ŋiri
End of the canalbampɛtɔtipotɛ / cim-bammelpɛcitɔtipetɛalubana
Canal used to evacuate water from fieldbampetelɔtɔ / cim-bampetɔlɔtɔtuŋ / suruŋm-tisɔɔtɔ / a-tisɔɔtɔ; m-sumunt / a-sumuntdɪk wurɛ du mun; dobo
Principal drainkubŋkumtuŋ / suruŋ
Secondary drainmawuŋkummulfatuŋ / fam suruŋ
To guard the rice field from predators during the hungry seasona-kecek mmelma-lɛɛm kabafrɛ / a-lɛɛm kabafrɛkɪ-bum
Temporary shelter in the rice fieldagbɔŋk / agbɔŋkeliŋgaɲcaŋma-gbɔɔŋk kamtɔh / a-gbɔɔŋk kamtɔhʊ-bal dalɛ tetek
To move to the field until the harvestncebel asinasiŋkɔdalɛ dikidirɛ
Harvestmalɔ ɛtɛlmɓɛrma-bit / a-bitkɪ-tɛl ka malɔ
To evacuate the harvested rice to the dike so that it will not get wetyokon mal awultɔŋpatel dikibɔŋɛn
Small handful / pile of harvested riceɛra mmaomalɔ kɪcaka
Large pile of rice arranged with the grains on the insidemaasuŋ saŋ kappaamboc kur
To fan ricekɔ-fuŋŋam-fentah kɪ-foy
To fan rice with fannermalɔ petelafoi mmaokɪ-gbap malɔ
To fan rice with windmalɔ fuŋŋawuluŋ mmaokɪ-foi malɔ
Rice fannerki-rɛbɛ / ci-rɛbɛkɛbeim-dɛhɛnkɪ-rɛbɛ / cɪ-rɛbɛ
To mill riceka-tampaicɛrma-maθ
To mill rice for first timemalɔ tampayuŋkapt mmaunkɪ-sɛpɪr; kɪ koŋos
To mill rice for second timemalɔ bekɛbiritɛwuŋ ailimanxɔ diksɛpɪt
To mill daily rations of rice with feetmalɔ ɛcɛɛk ɛsupunsux mmao
Daily ration of ricemaalɔw / maŋŋalɔmalɔ medi
Area where rice is beatentɛtek kubɔrtonaɓomama-tana
To cover the rice after beating but before fanning itwupurmaayɔŋŋɔnpakis malɔ
To transport the rice to the granarysuŋ maarunkɪsarɛ malɔ
Rice granary for seedstɛlɛ pasansi
To dry the parboiled ricefambɛn mmao arufulkɪ cɛɛs
To distribute cooked rice for consumptionwal malɔnkiyeres yɛɛc
Calabash in which rice was servedisar mmaopɛpɛ
Wooden bowl in which rice was servedifɛrlpo-ros / si-ros
Rice is spoiled, because it was prepared with too much fire and smokemmambɛl fusyɛɛc yɛntɛɛ
Weeds used to reinforce the big moundkɛp / ci-kɛppelseɲɲel wonm-hoof / a-hoof
Water mossa-fuc / ku-fuccelafuɲcm-cufran / a-cufrankɪ-foc kadumun
New field with no mounds or ridgesaventm-bitik / a-bitikkɪ-pɪr
To make new ridgesabeta / abetelaŋ
Field on high ground whose soil is sandyɔtɔ yɛiboŋkorolɛ / ɔtɔllɔŋ yɛciboŋkoroŋaninannces
Field lying fallowcakara ɛnɛkicot; bɔŋ bɛ pepiyɛcilɛ / cimboŋŋel pepiyecilɛm-woskamtɔh atilɛbah / a-woskamtɔh watilɛbah
Low-lying areatimbilɛ apol / citimbilɛŋŋeliniyapɔŋm-cumbaaŋ / a-cumbaaŋ
Rice huskm-kisɛɛŋŋa / a-kisɛɛŋŋaʊ-fɔnta / fɔtʊ
Rice seedagba agbaleŋaxɔfɔl mmaom-kofok ka maro / a-kofok ka maro
Threshed, unmilled ricemalɔ bipɛc / cimmalɔ ciabolɛmaŋkulm-maaro tabobor / a-maaro tabobormalɔ mɔbomba
Pounded ricecaaki / cicakileŋmanduŋŋundm-maaro ntɔɔn / a-maaro ntɔɔnmalɔ mɔsɔkɪr
Rice strawmalɔ baba tampamamiŋ kɛlɛcɛrm-maaro nsimaθ / a-maaro nsimaθmalɔ mɔtɔ sɛpɪr
Rice graincaakimaŋkulm-maaro yaaŋka / a-maaro yaaŋkamalɔ mɛgbɪntɛ
Rice broken during processingmɛɲim / cimmɛɲimaɲcakasm-ɲin ka maaro / a-ɲin ka maaro
Parboiled ricemalɔ yiŋŋin / cimmalɔ yiŋŋinarufulm-maaro nton / a-maaro ntonmalɔ mocuf / talɔ pocuf
Cooked riceɔromandulm-fɛɛf / a-fɛɛfyɛc
Rice broth made with rice flourbaxambɔs ammasam; alafam-mɔni / a-mɔni
Rice broth made with ricemɔnimbɔs; asowasam-baha / a-baha
To form grainmalɔ fuŋŋam-yeenɲcaŋ
Head of the rice plantkapa malɔ / ciŋkapel amalɔ “literally head of rice”kap mmao / saŋka mmaom-ki ka mba putna / a-ki ka aba putnado-bomp da malɔ “literally head of rice plant”
Early-maturing rice varietymabaxam-rɛfnaha / a-rɛfnahamalɔ mɔkɔ mɔ nunkɛnɛ
Clusterm-tɔnsɔ / a-tɔnsɔkɪ-ncɔnc / ŋcɔnc
Beginning of gestationawal siŋŋapaŋŋalm-lafkam lah / alafkam lahmalɔ mɛlɛk cor
Rice in gestation periodmaawulmalɔ melɛ cor
Rice forming the headmaafutuŋmalɔ kuwurus
Rice plants in the same field form heads at different timesmaalɔ mdafutuŋŋulkunɔmkul malɔ
Approaching the rainy seasonɛllɛ lɛpɛrmɔlɔfɛ
Rainy seasontɛmeisakuiyoŋm-tɛm kamkaak a-tɛm kamkaaktɛm ta kɪfe
Cold seasonwɔɔppipepisɔɔm-hɔɔh kamcacŋah / a-hɔɔh kamcacŋah
Beginning of the rainy seasontɔ-lɔfɛtablɛ eleɓɛr; elɛpɛrma-lɔɔfɛ / a-lɔɔfɛ
Beginning of fieldworkkitaŋkɛmɛcsux mmao; ku-sɔk mmao
End of the rainy seasonkayɛmin / ci-kayɛminelɛlɛŋ
End of the rainy season, hungry seasonelɛlɛŋ; ɛlɛlaŋm-lank / a-lank
Hungry seasontcippelɛmpep worilaŋɲin sabɔk / ɲinnɛ sabɔk
Surveillance periodyilaŋxɔckɪmɔmɔn kɪbora
Dry seasonabanan / tɛmu abananm-hɔɔh kamθabraan / a-hɔɔh kamθabraankɪ-tɪŋ

Areal words borrowed from Mande languages such as Susu :
EnglishMbulungishMboteniNalu
ricemalɔmaomaro
foniom-pindi / apindipundɛ / cu-pundɛlɛŋpundu, pundo
short-handled hoekeri/ci-kerikeri / si-keri
moundtukunyim-tukuɲi / atukuɲi
fulcrum shovel kɔp / ci-kɔppelkɔp / su-kɔpm-kɔp / a-kɔp