Acholi Language Manual - Live Lingua

Acholi Language Manual

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About the Language

Acholi belongs to the family of Luo languages. Acholi language is predominantly spoken in the districts of Amuru, Gulu, Kitgum and Pader. Acholi is a tonal language, though tones are not normally written. Hence two seemingly identical words can actually mean different things depending on the tone of their vowels. Tone is therefore important if such fluency is desired to reduce ambiguity to a minimum. The people who speak Acholi are called Acholi (singular Acholi). These groups of people occupy areas of northern part of Uganda. Acholi has five sister languages in Uganda i.e Lango, Palwo, Alur, Kumam, Lango and Dhopadhola. It is closest to Lango and Alur but even speakers of Palwo, Lango, Dhophadola and Kumam can understand few words in Acholi and vice versa.

How to Use the Acholi Language Manual

This manual is not a teach yourself manual, rather it will be more helpful with the trainers' assistance. The manual is specifically prepared for Peace Corps Volunteers. Therefore, lessons are organized in a chronological order of a Peace Corps trainees' needs especially as they go through their Pre-Service Training. There is a glossary at the end of the manual arranged in an alphabetical order. The glossary comprises the vocabulary used in the manual. Having it both in English and Acholi will be found very valuable by the learners. The recorded activities on cassette tapes will help in comprehension as well. The manual has a workbook which has very comprehensive practice activities. The workbook has an answer section, thus making it more user friendly for the learner. Enjoy your learning. Apwoyo!

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Introduction

What you will find in this manual:

This manual is intended to give you all you need to learn basic Acholi with your teachers during PST and continue learning independently and/or with a tutor during your two years of service.

Organizatiyon:

The manual is organized into 9 units which roughly correspond to the weeks of the PST.

Table of Contents:

A detailed overview will show you where you can find what.

Unit:

Each unit covers several communicative tasks and includes a variety of exercises.

Dialogs/Texts/ Proverbs: Communicative tasks are introduced by a dialog or a text or a proverb accompanied by pictures.

Reading and Listening Exercises:

A variety of exercises helps you practice in more language of each communicative task. Exercises are geared toward variius learning tasks and include both classroom and community-based activities.

Grammar Notes:

Grammar necessary for creative use of language in each communicative task is explained in the brief notes interspersed throughout each unit.

Culture Notes:

The notes draw your attention to interesting facts about the culture of the Acholi.

Safety & Security Notes: These notes give you important key points concerning your Safety and Security related to the communicative task you are learning.

Learning on Your Own: Some units contain several tips and activities designed to help you become an independent learner.

Grammar Reference:

Points of Acholi grammar are explained in more detail. You will also find comprehensive grammar charts and answers to frequently asked questions about Acholi, its background and history.

Functional Phrasebook:

Gives you phrases and idioms for all situatiyons from mapologizing through promises to surprise.

Glossary:

Contains almost all words used in the manual and basic grammatical informatiyon about them.

Tapes:

The tapes accompaning this manual contain all the dialogs and listening exercises. They can be used for self-study as well as in class.

Evaluatiyon:

At the end of the manual you will find a one-page form to evaluate its effectiveness. Please take a few minutes to fill it out and turn in to the Language Coordinator.

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How this language manual came to be

The revised version of this manual is a result of PCV and trainer responses after having used the original one for five years. The majority of the revised manual was prepared in November-December 2005 by PCVs Brian Kuhl, Andrew Buck and Michelle Joffe in collaboration with a team of writers and translators: Henry Kabayo, Ven Kitone, Diana Kabahinda, Mary Olinga, John Kintu, Celestino Oriikiriza, Anatoli Kiriggwajjo, Joan Kakongoro and Shirley Byakutaga.

The same manual was revised in December 2006 ? July 2007 to incorporate into it PEPFAR Communicative tasks looking at the three pillars of Prevention, Care and Treatment by a team of writers and translators: Susan Oce, Deogratias Emuron, Rael Kampanya, Samalie Kirya, Phillip Oketcho, Godfrey Omalla Chombo, Cornelius Gulere, Lydia Magoola, Florence Hadudu Kiingi, Andrew Luke Wandera, Rachel Nandelenga, David Woniala, Henry Kabayo, Lucy Ofuti Musoke, Hidaya Mayende and Shirley Byakutaga.

Acknowledgement: We appreciate the valuable advice, guidance and input from McGrath Jean Thomas (CD), Jeffrey Goveia (APCD- Health), Roger Follas (APCD-Administration), Mary Amali Olinga (APCDEducation) and Gordon Twesigye (PEPFAR Coordinator).

The May/June 2008 was based on imput and suggestions from Rasa Edwards (Language Training Specialist ? PC Headquarters) to incorporate into it the Training Design and Evaluation (TDE) process proposals. This task was undertaken by Henry Kabayo, Lucy Ofuti Musoke and Shirley Byakutaga with the guidance of the Country Director, McGrath Jean Thomas.

This version of July 2009 is a result of more innovative ideas contributed by PCVs with the guidance of PCV Michelle Johnson, who contributed more practice exercises for the Lusoga Language Manual. Based on that, 2 handbooks have been prepared: one for grammar practice and another for general practice activities. Thanks to PCVs Michelle Johnson, Victoria Engelstad and Laura Corcoran and Henry Kabayo for working tirelessly to come up with the current version with the guidance of Shirley Byakutaga. Other writers and translators included: Tsongo Longino Bamande, Biira Costance, David Woniala, Samalie Kirya, Lucy Otto and Moses Adonga Opiyo.

Acknowledgement: We appreciate the valuable advice, guidance and input from the Country Director: Dr. Larry Brown and Administrative Officer: Gary Vizzo.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

About the Language ..............................................................................2

Introduction............................................................................................3

Acknowledgement..................................................................................4

Unit 1:

Greetings..................................................................8

Grammar: Simple Present Tense

Simple Present Negation

Interrogatives

Pronounciation

Unit 2:

Introducing Self and Others.....................................18

Grammar: Verb Infinitive

Sound Changes

Separate Personal Pronouns

Habitual Tense

Near Future Tense

Imperatives Subjunctives

Use of "Wek"

Unit 3:

Foods........................................................................43

Grammar: Verb "To Have"

Noun Classes

Adjectives

Gerunds

Initial Vowels

Colloquialisms

Unit 4:

Shopping...................................................................67

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Grammar: Near Past (Yesterday Tense)

Already and "Not Yet" Tense

Numbers

Agreement of Numbers

Conjunctions

The Past Tenses

Modified Verb Stem

Verb "To Be"

"Whole" and "All" Suffix

Unit 5:

Telling Time.............................................................92

Grammar: Possessive Particle "Of"

Ordinal Numbers

Adverbs of Time

Demonstratives

Far Future Tense

Unit 6:

Community Integration.............................................126

Grammar: The Passive

Conversational Managers

Reported Speech

Prepositional Verbs

Unit 7:

Transport...................................................................145

Grammar: Adverbs of Place

Conditionals

"Ku" and "Ng" Modal Verbs

Adverbial Suffixes

Unit 8:

Know Your Body......................................................165

Grammar: The "Stiff" Infix

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Reflexive Verbs

Reciprocal

Relatives

Causatives

Statics

The "Ever" and "Never" Tense

Unit 9:

Family.......................................................................189

Grammar: Far Future Tense

Grammar Reference................................................................................201

Functional Phrasebook...........................................................................237

Glossary...................................................................................................245

Grammar chart.........................................................................................284

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Acholi

Unit 1

Greetings

Quote of the week:

Swahili is an easy language, its use is widespread, and it may be that there is no

easier language to learn. The Late A. B. Hellier, Canon and Chancellor of Zanzibar

Acholi is even easier. Adonga Moses and Otto Lucy, Language Writers.

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