LIMBA LANGUAGE COURSE For JSS STUDENTS

Author: Gibrilla Kamara

April 2023

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5808-0267

Classes 1 to 3

Learning objectives:

By the end of this unit, learners will be able to:

Identify pictures and discuss them
Read the letter sound in the Limba alphabet.
Distinguish between consonant and vowel sounds
Merge consonant and vowel sounds to make syllabic sounds

E.g. banka, manthoka, kubonka, kumpa, Lekethe gbͻdͻ

UNIT 1

Lesson 1

Pre-reading and pre-writing skills of Hulimba sounds.

Ɔ Ɔ Ɔ Ɔ Ɔ

С С С С С

Ɔ Ɔ Ɔ Ɔ Ɔ

Lesson 2

Limba autography

A, B, ͻ, D, E, Ɛ, F, GB, H, I, K, L, M, N, ŋ, O, P, R, S, TH, T, U, W, Y

A, B, ͻ, D, E, Ɛ, F, GB, H, I, K, L, M, N, Ŋ, O, P, R, S, TH, T, U, W, Y

vowel sounds (ŋatͻŋa ŋa ŋatɛ ŋaŋ)

a, b, ͻ, d, e, ɛ, f, gb, h, i, k, l, m, n, ŋ, o, p, r, s, th, t, u, w, y

a ͻ e ɛ i o u

Syllables

Vowel	A	E	I	O	U	ͻ	ɛ
Consonant
B	Ba	Be	Bi	Bo	Bu	bͻ	Bɛ
D	Da	De	Di	Do	Du	Dͻ	Dɛ
F	Fa	Fe	Fi	Fo	Fu	Fͻ	Fɛ
Gb	Gba	Gbe	Gbi	Gbo	Gbu	GBͻ	Gbɛ
H	Ha	He	Hi	Ho	Hu	Hͻ	Hɛ
K	Ka	Ke	Ki	Ko	Ku	Kͻ	Kɛ
L	La	Le	Li	Lo	Lu	Lͻ	Lɛ
M	Ma	Me	Mi	Mo	Mu	Mͻ	Mɛ
N	Na	Ne	Ni	No	Nu	Nͻ	Nɛ
Ŋ	Ŋa	Ŋe	Ŋi	Ŋo	Ŋu	Ŋͻ	Ŋɛ
P	Pa	Pe	Pi	Po	Pu	Pͻ	Pɛ
R	Ra	Re	Ri	Ro	Ru	Rͻ	Rɛ
S	Sa	Se	Si	So	Su	Sͻ	Sɛ
Th	Tha	The	Thi	Tho	Thu	Thͻ	Thɛ
T	Ta	Te	Ti	To	Tu	Tͻ	Tɛ
W	Wa	We	Wi	Wo	Wu	Wͻ	Wɛ
Y	Ya	Ye	Yi	Yo	Yu	Yͻ	Yɛ

Hora kaaye (Two Syllables)

Ta+ka	taka	sheep
Da+ma	dama	Hunt
Pa+ma	Pama	scare
Ka+ma	Kama	Dance
To+ta	Tota	Cook
Pi+ya	Piya	Stop
Ki+ta	Kita	Escape
Ni+ne	Nine	Sleep
Na+ma	Nama	How
Ra+ka	Raka	Stone
Ya+ri	Yari	Cat
Ye+ma	Yema	Follow
Ka+ta	Kata	Carry
Gbo+ŋa	gboŋa	Road
Gba+ku	Gbaku	Chief
Te+te	Tete	Now
Bɛ+ti	bɛti	Bird
Ke+le	Kele	Sense
Mɛ+ti	Mɛti	Town
ŋͻ+ta	ŋͻta	Fall
ŋɛ+na	ŋɛna	Shake
Ba+ra	Bara	Meat
Dͻ+ŋͻ	Dͻŋͻ	Sit down
Sͻ+kͻ	Sͻkͻ	Word
Po+ro	Poro	Noise
So+bo	Sobo	Water well
To+ko	Toko	Gug
Pa+sa	Pasa	Diarrhea
Mͻ+nɛ	Mͻnɛ	Poverty
Yu+ka	Yuka	Tie

Ba-a-hu

UNIT TWO

GREETINGS

Learning objectives:

By the end of this unit, learners will be able to:

Greet in Limba and in the appropriate time of the day.
Express questions associated with greetings in Limba.

Lesson 1

Morning greetings

Practice dialogue one

Kaba: Hɛribahure wɛndama Good morning.

Musa: Iyo, hɛmͻŋ inwali Yes, hello sir.

Kaba: Mbɛ kenda? What is your name?

Musa: Yama dͻma Musa, ambu yi? My name is Musa, and you?

Kaba: Yama Kaba I am Kaba.

Language focus

Nwali ------------ This can be “thanks” which literally means “Hello”

Kenda------------- keŋ means name, nda is the possessive pronoun. It is “your name”

Assignment

Practice the dialogue with any Limba neighbour, or with a learning companion.

Lesson 2

Afternoon greetings

Ami: Nwali Fathu Good afternoon Fatu. Fathu: Iyo Ami, nama gbɛɛn baŋ? Yes Ami, how is the afternoon?

Ami: Alathanthu Thanks be to God.

Fathu: Kama yi key? Where are you going? Ami: Yando key ka mɛti I am going to town.

Language focus

Kama ---------- Where

Yi --------------- You (singular) Pronoun

Alathanthu -------- (Ala means “God” borrowed from Arab) thanthu means “thanks”

Lesson 3

Evening greetings

Dora: Hɛribayiŋe Pa Sori Good evening Pa Sori.

Pa Sori: Iyo Dora nama hͻnkͻlɛ baŋ? Yes Dora, how is the evening?

Dora: Alathanthu, ambu yi? Thanks to God, what about you?

Pa Sori: A kaahi ye It is difficult.

Dora: Mbɛmu niyͻ yi? What is wrong with you?

Pa Sori: Kotho haŋ huna yama thoŋ. I have a stomach ache

Dora: Thͻͻrͻ nɛɛ. I am very sorry.

Pa Sori: Iyo! Yes.

Language focus

Hͻnkͻlɛ baŋ Hͻnkͻlɛ = evening. Baŋ= article “the” the evening

Thͻͻrͻ nɛɛ Thͻͻrͻ = Sorry Nɛɛ = is emphasis

Limba Language Course JSS

LIMBA LANGUAGE COURSE For JSS STUDENTS

UNIT 1

Lesson 1

Lesson 2

UNIT TWO

Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Lesson 3