Appendix:Birri word list

The following word list of Birri is from Santandrea (1966).

List

Gloss	Birri	notes
animal	nvàre
anthill	isi; yícì
arrow	gundá; matakada
artist	ámá... ; ɛ̃́mɛ̃́...
ashes	kúvùtu
axe	acä́kpä́; anvadi
baboon	ngboru; ngbäru
back	ágbámòkètí
basket	vaga; thanga; wacini
bat	ávìrìtì; ágìɗò
bee	ámɛ̃-mà
beer	ŋà
belly	ʈi... ; ʈu... ; únyi
bird	uɖá
blacksmith	ámá-kúsi; ɛ̃mɛ̃-kúsi
blood	ɔ́tɔ́
body	rɔ; aɓö (skin)
bone	kpɔ
bow	matagél
hoy	rèndɛ-ùmá
brains	nyɔkurukpɛ̀
breast	mòmágu
woman's breast	nva(a)
elder brother	ánɖu; kabu
younger brother	ngàràgbà
buffalo	ánɖr(ì)
buttocks	nvwèlú
calabash	kpẹri; kpelengo
canoe	kurungba
cat	angbärä
cattle	bagara	< Arabic
chief	a'ú; gbaya
child	rèndɛ; ŋɔ(ɔ)
chin	ala
cloth(es)	vɔ̀ngɔ́; bɔ̀ngɔ́
coal(s)	(i)yí
cotton	rumu
country	mo	home
crocodile	úɗù; nvàràgawú
day	máɗì; gbɛ̃
daughter	rèndɛ-ifu
death (corpse)	úɓà
doctor	ulu-ga-manga
dog	ana
donkey	kìsé; kècɛ̀
door	re-tìmà
doorway	tìmà
dove	kurùngúdù
dream	i'í
drum	únɖ(r)ì
tamtam drum	gúrú
durrah (dura)	ùndhá
ear	nvö; nvu
earth (ground)	vò
egg	ɓä
elephant	nvòrɔ̀
evening	áyívä
excrement	ani, anyi
eye	më́; mʊ́
father	ɓu
papa	ává
fence	ndugu
field	ádha; wë
finger	inyi-diɖr
(cf. hand)	inyi-digbà
fire	úsì
fish	índhí
flour	ívù
fly	úʈrɛ
foot (leg)	úngbà
forest (bush)	thúʈù
fowl	úndhí
frog	rɔngɔ
giraffe	dikara
girl	rèndɛ-ifu
goat, sheep	ínyí
God	Ngothù
gourd	úka
granary	àngbà
grandparent	àvà; àwà
grass	thó
grave	ákú; ávä
groundnuts	curugbaya
guineafowl	úfɛ́
hair	mú
hartebeest	ngìrá
hawk	erɛ; vëndë
head	ɖru
hand	inyi
hill	arì; àngá (stone)
hippopotamus	àngɔ̀nvɔ́
hoe	v̱àràgà, nvaraga, nv̱araga
hole	vu
honey	ámɛ̃́	cf. bee
horn	udhö́
house, home	mó, mú, mʊ́
hunger	nvì, nvẹ̀
hut	dhàrà
hyena	mòyá'u
illness	uɓá
iron	idikpɔ, edekpɔ
jackal	ɔ́gbɔ́
knee	ukú
knife	kä́dyì
leopard	ùgbá
leprosy	gbámvì
lightning	ndígbà
lion	nvùrùwí; silingiri
lip	tyidi-àɓú	mouth-skin
locust	mókòròngbɔ̀
maize	nvomú; kòndì
man (genus)	ulu
male	ùmá
husband	ɔ́mɔ
mat	ìnjá; kutukpa
meat	kàká
cooked meat	útyì	sauce
medicine	manga
moon	áfí
morning	ámuʈ(r)u
mortar	ä́nví
mosquito	nvá(a)
mother	má
mamma	yamá
mouth	tyi(di)
mud	ɔ̀gɔ̀
nail (cf. hand)	(i)nyi-(i)si; nyisi
name	iri
neck	ɔfɔ
neighbour	unɖri
net	ngbàdyí
night	ätyí
nose	ímɔ̀; ámɔ̀
oil	dhö
owner	ama
orphan	ìzɔ́; ìjɔ́
penis	ákpi
pig (wild)	vùngbá
red boar	denvete
pipe	n'vassa
place	kéthrá
pool, lake	ä́vú; úvú
porridge	áɓä́; ä́ɓä́
pot	ndɔ̀rɔ̀
rain	nɖr(i)
rat (common)	késì
field rat	ùtyí
road	ava; av̱a
rope	ùnɖrá
sacrifice	(e)dàkpà Ngóthù
saliva	èndí; èndé
salt	ägä; ögö
sand	áŋá
dust, earth	vo	cf. earth
scorpion	ángùrìnvɔ́; ɛnɛ
seed	ɔʈrɔ; gbaga
sesame	àŋà
pounded sesame	ukpé
shield	gòmvò
shoe	rakata
shoulder	tʊndʊ; ɔfɔkpɔɔ
sister	amù; ämù
skin	áɓú; áɓä́
sky	nɖraa
slave	kanga
smoke	kaka
snake	líí; léé
song	kpɔ
spear	ngbàrá; (e)ssi
star	dangi; ínɖrù
stick	kpávara; gbɔ́tɔ̀ɗɔ̀
stool	mbata
stone	àngá; angbà
stream	ungu
sun	uɖrà
sweat	àmẽrenwɛ̃
tall	tá
tear	náwu
flying edible termite	mɔ̀(ɔ̀)
white ants	ɔ́tɔ́
testicle(s)	uŋu
thing	ìdi; ẹ̀dẹ
thirst	ó'ú
thorn	únhè
tobacco	taba
tongue	ìnɖrɔ́; ìnɖrá
tooth	sì
tortoise	akpokpozo
aquatic turtle	n'gonvo
tree	kpi; kpɪ
tribe	ɔʈrɔ	seed
clan (?)	vùndù
truth	kpɔkpɔ
twins	ruŋa	< Bongo
urine	úɖ(r)ä́
vagina	àkà
varan	akpë́
vein	uɖrì
war	ígà
water	wu
waterbuck	vöndö
well	ndhùré
wind	ílù
woman	ìfú
wife	nɖra
word	aɖ(r)a
work	thung(y)e
yam (home)	inji; ingi
yam (wild)	kongo
year	utu
dry season	utu; issi
rain season	ɔ́kɔ́ʈù
ask	ushi
beat	mɛ̃
beg	ri
beget	aka
bite	(a)'a
sting	anja
blow	ɛ̃fɛ̃
break (trans.)	wi
break (intr.)	ayí
break	ä́kä̀
breathe	ɔ'ɔ
brew (beer)	aé; ar ?
bring	ána (a)r(e)
build	ɔ́ɖɔ́
build	avì
burn (trans.)	àthù
burn (intr.)	áŋɔ́
buy	àgí
sell	ùthó
call	ùngbá
carry	ádi
catch	anvu
cease	ívà
chase	u'a
come	ana; (a)kä
cook	íɗì
cough	ékpe; ikpi
count	uɖrà
cry	ra-mi
cut	ágá
dance	ara
die	àyí
dig (hole)	áɗi
dress	ɔ̀sh(y)ɔ́
undress	áɗì
drink	aya
eat	ɔnyɔ
fall	èɗɛ́
finish	áthì
fly	ifë́
forget	agbí
give	akpa
go	awa
hear	sha
kill	àwì
know	ari; ali
laugh	ɛ́ngɛ́
insult, abuse	ɔɗɔ
laugh at	ugba
leave, depart	ìnyà
lick	ínyí
lie (tell lies)	alá ílí/élé
lie (down)	àfú/àfë́ (gu)vo
(get) lost	agbi
love	lẹ
make	adhi; adhe
marry	(á)di
meet	ɔvɔ
milk	anda
open	ofo; ufo
pain	ádhírú
pain (e.g., head)	ara(ra)
pay	agi
put	agu
rain	aɗí; aɗɪ
refuse	omo; ɔmɔ
return	akë; akɪ
run	(a)wí
see	anda
send	ɔɓɔ
shoot	anja
shut	àngí
lock	ɔgbɔ
sing	re
sit	aɗi
sleep	ɔɗɔ; äɗä
smell	iɗi riŋo
sow (durrah)	uwi
sow (sesame)	ayú
speak	ala
spread	äɗä
stab	aɗu
stand up	inya
steal	ɔ'ɔ
stop	andhi
sweep	wɛ
swim	áfú
tear	ira
throw	ɛdɛ
tie	'ɛ; ɔrɔ
wait (trans.)	udá
walk	demɛ̃; anvá
want	kpamà; áv̱i
wash	avi; ivi
write	unɖri
tattoo	uɓa
yawn	ä́kpä́
bad	akpa-sha
big	ukama
bitter	wú
black	nɖr(i)
cold	(u)só
drunk (verb)	ɔnɔ
dry	ɔ'u
far	ɛgbɛ̃
fat	ungbungbu
female	ama
few	tèketɛ́
good	ákpá(-dá)
hard	ɔ́tɔ́ʈrɔ́, ɔ́ʈɔ́ʈrɔ́
heavy	úmámá
hot (verb)	ɛ̃mɛ̃-kpɔ́
left (hand)	ngálí
light ("heavy not")	àma-sa
little	ngʊ; ngu
long	angaa... ; ɔ́lɔ́kɔ́
loud	nɖra
male	'ú
many	(a)tó(tó)
near	tẹ́re
new	zhya
old (people)	ɔgbɔrɔ
old (things)	igbá
poor	nda
red	gbu
right (hand)	dí
ripe	a'u; alí
sharp	ánví
strong (hard)	ɔ́tɔ́ʈrɔ́
stupid	tätù
sweet (adjective)	ili(li)
sweet (verb)	eɓɛ
thick	ivù
white	fú(ú)
early	(kpa) kawa
fast	kawa; kärä
formerly	kawada
now	ɓiɓi-dò
slow(ly)	yaa
tight(ly)	(a)ngbangba
today	íɖrà
tomorrow	ámùnɖrí
when?	bìré
where?	ala
yesterday	rínɖrɔ́

References

• Santandrea, Stefano. 1966. The Birri language: Brief elementary notes. Afrika und Übersee 49: 81‒234.