r/Mali 2d ago

Really how do you say telephone in Bambara

7 Upvotes

14 comments sorted by

8

u/dugulen 2d ago edited 2d ago

It's "nɛgɛjuru" (metal rope), but very few people will understand anything other than "telefɔni."

1

u/Aggressive-Safe7871 1d ago

I even say nege juru sira 😅

1

u/ExpressMess9824 1d ago

This is mobile phone

2

u/OksoR 2d ago

“Metal rope”

0

u/Puzzleheaded-Bed-488 1d ago

As someone who speaks Bambara, this is my first time hearing this. I know what “negejuru” translates to literally but I never heard any other Bambara speaker use that term to refer to “telephone”. Learn something new everyday, but I’ll keep saying telefoni.

2

u/ikishenno 2d ago

I speak Malinke/ Mandingo and it’s telefoni. That’s hiw it’s like for stuff introduced by foreigners

2

u/MartyMcflysVest 2d ago

Telefoni in my old village

4

u/Altruistic-Bison5134 2d ago

Bro-_-

8

u/MartyMcflysVest 2d ago

What do you want? That's what bambara speakers say in everyday conversation.

Besides, the language often simply doesn't have words for things introduced by foreigners.

2

u/dugulen 2d ago

Bambara does have words for "things introduced by foreigners." There are linguists at the University of Bamako who develop new words as news terms are introduced.

They work hard using media channels and education to get these words into the lexicon, but often to diminishing returns.

1

u/Puzzleheaded-Bed-488 1d ago

Yes but in this case, 99.99% of people will say “Telefoni”. You will most likely never hear anyone say “nege juru” to refer to a phone in Bambara lol. Sometimes you might even hear some people say “portable” or “cellulaire” like in French, but most will say Telefoni.

Just like snow, most people say “nèji” derived from “neige” in French. There might be a Bambara word for it, but most people would use the French derivative of it since snow isn’t something that exists in our lands.

2

u/ExpressMess9824 1d ago

Yeah but in village around kati (beledugu) they use negè juru. For cellulaire never heard it.

0

u/Altruistic-Bison5134 2d ago

Excuse him man it s just my cousin trying to win an argument thinking there is actually a word for telephone oder than thelephoni