This volume re-issues the second, revised edition of 1955. This grammar and vocabulary of the Àcoólî language (here spoken by the central group Patíko-Al??ro-Payïïra) contains numerous examples partly to illustrate rules, partly to supply phrases relevant for daily life. The vocabulary also contains many phrases in order to show the various uses of words. In addition, the substantial introduction gives invaluable information on the linguistic poistion of the Àcoólî among the remaining Lwóò groups of Uganda, as well as geographical and social data of the Àcoólî clans and groupings.
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Yes, you can access A Study of the Àcoólî Language by J. P. Crazzolara in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Languages & Linguistics & Historical & Comparative Linguistics. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
1. The orthography adopted in this book follows that of the Rejaf Language Conference, 1928, and its suggestions. Additions, where necessary, have been made in accordance with the principles laid down by the conference. The so-called ‘central’ vowel-type is represented in the Rejaf orthography by the symbol ö. As further vowels of this type had to be adopted, the diacritical mark has been used to distinguish them.1
I. Vowels
2.General Notes. (1) The quality of a vowel, when distinct from the normal or principal vowel, and its intonation, is indicated by signs above the symbol. Example: më
t agreeable, là
skin.
(2) All vowels may be short, semi-long, or long. The length of a vowel is expressed by doubling it. It is a common phenomenon in Acooli that a long vowel in a word does not appear so very clearly in speech or in a phrase. The word will be written as when standing alone, unless there are particular reasons to the contrary.
(3) The vowels have the so-called Italian value, as a rule.
3.The single vowels. (A), i, ï. There are, in Acooli, two types of the i-vowel. The one type is that of cardinal i: symbol i. This is the less common one. It corresponds approximately to the sound of ee in English ‘see’. In pronouncing the other, the organs of articulation are less stiff, the opening for the breath to escape is larger and removed slightly backwards: symbol 1. It is similar to i in the English ‘it’.
4. Examples:
5. (B). e,e,ë. Three vowels of the e-type will be used. The open-variation, similar to è in French ‘père’, is closer than cardinal ε: symbol ε. The normal vowel of the e-type, to which the greatest percentage of words of this type belong, corresponds to cardinal e: symbol e. In pronouncing this e the front part of the mouth is well enlarged, lips in neutral position; the sound is normally very clear. The close vowel of this type lies between ï and e, sometimes very close to the former: symbol ë. Its place of articulation is towards mid-tongue: it is a ‘central’ vowel.
6.Notes on ε, e, ë. (i) The open 8 is not so open that it would always be easily and quickly distinguishable. Again, in one part of the country it is pronounced more open than in another. Between this not very pronounced extreme point of the e-type towards open ε, and the other extreme towards close ë (or ï), the distance in Acooli does not seem to be very great, but the degrees are many. This fact implies that, while there are words where no reasonable doubt can exist about their vowel quality, say múkεεn
another, keenò hearth, më
t agreeable, there are others which are less easily decided upon. Evidently, close observation and, possibly, comparison with similar words will often be required.
(2) Again, the distinction between e and ë will leave room for discussion and, still more, between ë and ï. I find in my manuscript, in proof of this, one word written on one occasion with e and on others with ë, or ë and ï. Again, this does not mean that the majority of such words presents such difficulty, they are few. Thus I never entertained any such doubts about the words më
t (in Do-cεllε [Shilluk] mεth, mεdho), të
ò to say. However, I have written at different times ë
lò and ï
lò to lift, also ë
t and ïεt source.
(3) On hearing a native pronounce words with ëë like ëët, ëëlo,
, &c., one hears a sound hard to define. It is doubtful, whether it precedes the vowel or whether it lies between the ëë. The nearest description of this sound is a semi-vowel glide with the quality of ë: symbol
. The native pronunciation of such words is quite general; they criticize the pronunciation without such ‘semi-vowel’. It should therefore, correctly, be written
finger-ring.
7. Examples:
8. (C). a, ä. There are two vowels of the a-type. a is the front open one, nearing a in father’. Farther backwards and with slightly raised tongue is pronounced the close dull a. The distinction of these two sounds presents no difficulty. There are, however, words which are pronounced with clear ä in one, with clear a in another part of the country, as ŋ
di: ŋàdi ss. d
gî: dágî.
9. Examples:
10. (D).
, o, ö. Three vowels of the o-type will be used. The open one is normally pronounced very clearly: symbol
. It corresponds to cardinal
. The half-closed o is pronounced with the front part of the mouth well enlarged and with neutrally open or, more commonly, open-rounded lips. It is, on closer observation, well distinguished from the open a as well as from the close ö. o as a terminal has the tendency to become close (ö); some people even pronounce it u. Its symbol is o. The very close variety is pronounced with a ‘close-rounding’1 position of the lips, slightly raised tongue and to the bac...
