Introduction | 1 | A Grammar of the Margi Language | Carl Hoffmann

ABSTRACT

1. The Margi (in their own language Màrgyí) live in the extreme northern parts of Adamawa and the south-eastern parts of Bornu Provinces, including small strips of country in the neighbouring parts of the Trusteeship Territory, which are administered as parts of those provinces. Their number is given as 134, 937, of which 75, 585 ¹ live in Bornu and 59,352 (1954/5)¹ in Adamawa. My informants gave me the following names of Margi villages (in alphabetical order): Bàgàjáu, Bdàghttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/img7.tif"/> , Bdélí, Bhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>zhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>ndà, Bìaŋ, Bùwì, Bhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a.tif"/>tkhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/u.tif"/> (Bhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a.tif"/>tkhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/u.tif"/> ?), Cúl, Dágálí, Dàkwámá, Dìhykhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/img7.tif"/> , Dlhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>kù, https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/img1a.tif"/> dzú, https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/img1a.tif"/>zhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>gálùgwà, https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/img1a.tif"/>zhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>ghttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/img7.tif"/>, Fúmábdzà (also Kúmábdzà), Gàshíná, Gùghyáŋgwàl, Gùlàghttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/img7.tif"/>, Gyìrghyím, Gyíwá Hhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>gyì, Hyàmbhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>là, Khttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>dlhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>ndhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>là, Khttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>lhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>kàsá (Khttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>ìakàisa), Kúbhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a.tif"/>r Cácá, Kúbhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a.tif"/>r Kùdà, Kúbhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a.tif"/>r Mádóhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/d.tif"/>ú, Kúbhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a.tif"/>r Músà, Kúbhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a.tif"/>r Támpúl (also just Kúbhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/u.tif"/> , Kúbú Támpúl, Támpúl, formerly KúbƏr Wàncínà), Kúbhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a.tif"/>r Wìtá, Kúbhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a.tif"/>ráshú, Kwámbhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>là, Kwáŋ, Kwápà, Kyàrmà, Kyélé, Làgù Nàsàrá, Láŋshttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/u.tif"/> , Làsà, Màdàgàlì, Mádhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>bù, Màgàr, Máigàná, Màikàdhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a.tif"/>rí, Mâivà, Málgwì, Mbégò, Mbhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>làŋgýtlhttps://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/>ŋ, 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https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/> mb https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/> m, Ríbá https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/d.tif"/> ù, Shàshàu, Shúwá, T https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/> f https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/> l, Tláwúl, Ts https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/> dz https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/> l, Wànù, Wàsà https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/d.tif"/> à, Wúrgà, Wúzò, Yázà, Yínág https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/img7.tif"/>, Zhù. Besides these I obtained the following names of villages of the West Margi (Màrgyí Pùtái) (cf. § 4): ájìr, Dàmbúwà, G https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/> ms https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/> rí, ímír Shíká, Kábbà (?), Káujì, Kùràdái, M https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a.tif"/> dlà; and the following names of the so-called South Margi (cf. § 4): Bìatsù, íghyì, M https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/> và, M https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315108735/f1588474-ecd6-46bc-8868-6d971878b6a5/content/a1.tif"/> shárá, údá, ùvù, Wàmdì, Wù?à.