Mandinka and English/Contrastive Grammar

Grammatical Differences

Word order

Mandinka follows the Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order, while English follows the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) word order.

• (mnk) Suloo be duuta domoo la → (eng) The monkey is eating mango

  (mnk) suloo<n><sg> be<prog> duuta<n><sg> domoo<v> la<prog> → (eng) the<det><def><sp> monkey<n><sg> is<vbser><pres><p3><sg> eating<n><sg> mango<n><sg>

• (mnk) Lutaŋo be jiyo miŋ kaŋ nuŋ → (eng) The guest was drinking water

  (mnk) lutaŋo<n><sg> be<prog> jiyo<n><sg> miŋ<v> kaŋ<prog> → (eng) the<det><def><sp> monkey<n><sg> is<vbser><pres><p3><sg> eating<n><sg> mango<n><sg>

Numerals

In Mandinka, numerals come after nouns, whereas in English the opposite is true.

• (mnk) Muso fulale sonkata nung → (eng) Two women had quarreled

  (mnk) musoo<n><sg> fula<num> le<emph> sonka<v><iv><perf> nung<adv><past> → (eng) two<num><pl> woman<n><pl> have<vbmod><past> quarrel<vblex><past>

• (mnk) Tumo kiling sottota → (eng) Once upon a time

  (mnk) tumo<n><sg> kiling<num> soto<v><iv><perf> → (eng) once upon a time<adv>

• (mnk) Dalasi naani dii a la → (eng) Give him four Dalasis

  (mnk) musoo<n><sg> dalasi<n> naani<num><pl> dii<v><imp> a<prn><obj><p3><m><sg> la<post> → (eng) give<vblex><imp> him<prn><obj><p3><m><sg> four<num><pl> dalasis<n><pl>

• (mnk) Moo muwang ne bi jee → (eng) Twenty people are there

  (mnk) moo<n> muwang<num><pl> ne<emph> bi<vbser><pres> jee<adv> → (eng) twenty<num><pl> people<n><pl> are<vbser><pres> there<adv>

• (mnk) Niŋ mu dalasi taŋ le ti → (eng) This is ten Dalasis

  (mnk) niŋ<n> mu<adv> dalasi<n> taŋ<num><pl> le<emph> ti<adv> → (eng) this<det><dem><sg> is<vbser><pres><p3><sg> ten<num><pl> dalasis<n><pl>

Adjectives

Adjectives are written after nouns:

• (mnk) Niŋ mu buku betoo le ti → (eng) This is a good book

  (mnk) ñiŋ<det><dem> mu<adv> buku<n> betoo<adj> le<ep> ti<adv> → (eng) this<det><dem><sg> is<vblex><pres><p3><sg> a<det><ind><sg> good<adj><sint> book<n><sg>

• (mnk) A mu kee fatiŋo le ti → (eng) He is a brave man

  (mnk) A<prn><p3><m><sg> mu<adv> kee<n> fatiŋo<adj> le<emph> ti<adv> → (eng) he<prn><subj><p3><m><sg> is<vblex><pres><p3><sg> a<det><ind><sg> brave<adj><sint> man<n><sg>

• (mnk) Doku katiriŋo naati → (eng) Bring a broken stick

  (mnk) doku<n><sg> katiriŋo<adj> naati<v><imp> → (eng) bring<vblex><inf> a<det><ind><sg> broken<adj> stick<n><sg>