Dictionnaire massa-français

Welcome to this dictionary! The data you will find here comes from the research work carried out by Antonino Melis (Tonino). This dictionary is based on the Gumay and ɦaara dialects of Chad.
If you can't find certain forms that match your speaking, don't worry! This project is scalable and aims to expand. After this dictionary, our ambition is to digitize that of Gizey speaking (developed by Tonino). Our goal is to create a polylectal dictionary, which reflects the diversity of this beautiful language.
We are counting on you to enrich this tool by actively contributing. Share your knowledge, your comments and your suggestions: each contribution is valuable to help this collaborative project grow.
Happy exploring!

Here is the guide provided by Tonino in the paper version:
1. Transcription system and alphabetical order of masa used in the dictionary
(i) For the transcription of the phonemes we used the signs of the A.P.I. with the exception of the two palatal affricates which are noted /c/ and /j/, and the phoneme [j] which is noted /y/.
(ii) For tones, register differences are denoted by: á = high tone to = low tone
(iii) Vowel length is noted by a redoubling of the vowel.
(iv) The alphabetical order used is as follows: b, ɓ, c, d, ɗ, f, g, h, ɦ, j, k, l, m, n, ŋ, p, r, s, ɬ, t, v, w, y, z, ɮ, ʔ.

2. Abbreviations and symbols
I. adv = adverb
II. cf. = refer to
III. conj = conjunction
IV. dict = saying
V. exist = existential
VI. fem = feminine
VII. id = ideophone
VIII. indef = undefined
IX. ins = insult
X. int = interrogative
XI. interj = interjection
XII. loc = locator
XIII. masc = masculine
XIV. n = name
XV. neg = negation
XVI. num = numeral
XVII. n.anat = anatomy term
XVIII. n.bot = botanical term
XIX. n.med = medical term
XX. n.prop proper noun
XXI. n.zoo zoology term
XXII. positional pos
XXIII. rel = relative
XXIV. pl = plural
XXV. pr pers = personal pronoun
XXVI. prep = preposition
XXVII. prov = proverb
XXVIII. quant = quantifier
XXIX. sg = singular
XXX. v = verb
XXXI. voc = vocabulary
XXXII. (…) = text not present in the masa but necessary for a good translation
XXXIII. [ / ] = simplified word for word
XXXIV. / = separates two variants
XXXV. (é) = vowel fading
XXXVI. (g,ɦ) = term common to the Gumay and ɦaara dialects
XXXVII. (g) = term specific to the Gumay dialect
XXXVIII. (ø) = term specific to the ɦaara dialect
XXXIX. (GF) identification taken from GASTON, A. and FOTIUS, G., Glossary of vernacular names of plants in Chad.
XL. Volume 1 and Volume 2, 1971, and which could not be confirmed.
XLI. < A. = Arabic loan
XLII. < F. = French loan
XLIII. < H. = Hausa borrowing
XLIV. < K. = Kanouri loan
XLV. < P. = Fulani loan
XLVI. * = marks phrases and expressions with a particular meaning
XLVII. = *fig. figurative sense

3. Structure of entries
(i) The order of lexical information obeys the following principles:
- first the root followed by other possible realizations, the plural form if it exists, the dialect(s) in which the term is attested and finally the grammatical category;
- follows the French translation(s) and possibly ethnographic notes;
- examples followed by their translation and, when necessary, a word for word between square brackets [..]; in certain cases we will find in parentheses (…) additions necessary for a good translation into French;

(ii) For verbs, the main entry gives the verbal root with the tones of the incomplete, followed by the form before pause.