Does anyone know a Congolese translator?
Thread poster: Anne Lee
Anne Lee
Anne Lee  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:02
Member (2003)
Dutch to English
+ ...
Jul 2, 2003

Could anyone please put me in touch with a Congolese translator? I have a song in traditional Congolese and am prepared to pay to have it translated, but it is not one of the languages on this site.

 
Juan Jacob
Juan Jacob  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 19:02
French to Spanish
+ ...
It's swahili, I think, not congolese. Jul 2, 2003

I know it from my father, belgian, who was going to go to Belgian Congo and had to learn swahili. Try over there...

Good luck.

Yes, there is swahili en ProZ, I just saw it.

Good luck bis.

[Edited at 2003-07-02 19:27]


 
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)  Identity Verified
French to English
+ ...
There are MANY languages in the Congo; there is no "Congolese" Jul 2, 2003

Sorry, but it embarrases me that two people don't at least know that. See this reference materials to see if you can figure out which one! Swahili is certainly NOT Congolese! Please, it is mostly spoken in EAST AFRICA and was the language of slave traders!

[PDF]Les langues du Congo-Brazzaville : inventaire et classification
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
Your browser may not have a PDF reader available. Google recommends visiting our text version of this
... See more
Sorry, but it embarrases me that two people don't at least know that. See this reference materials to see if you can figure out which one! Swahili is certainly NOT Congolese! Please, it is mostly spoken in EAST AFRICA and was the language of slave traders!

[PDF]Les langues du Congo-Brazzaville : inventaire et classification
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
Your browser may not have a PDF reader available. Google recommends visiting our text version of this document.
... LES LANGUES DU CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE Inventaire et classification PAR André JACQUOT*
RÉSUMÉ Les langues parlées au Congo-Brazzaville (République Populaire du ...
www.bondy.ird.fr/pleins_textes/pleins_textes_4/ sci_hum/19840.pdf - Similar pages

CENTRE D'ETUDES DES LANGUES CONGOLAISES - [ Translate this page ]
... (Antoine LIPOU). - Recherches sur les langues du groupe C20 du Congo: embosi,
koyo, akwa, ngare, mboxo, likuba, likwala ( Pr. Antoine NDINGA-OBA). ...
www.lpl.univ-aix.fr/projects/alaf/celco.html - 6k - Cached - Similar pages

Les langues nationales du Congo - [ Translate this page ]
Les langues nationales du Congo-Kinshasa. Source: MKD Management http://users.skynet.be/mkd/5-langue-fig.
Retour à la page précédente. ...
www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/afrique/czaire-map-lng.htm - 2k - Cached - Similar pages

Dernières nouvelles : Communiqués de presse - Les langues de la ... - [ Translate this page ]
... Les langues de la Francophonie célébrées à Kinshasa : l'administrateur général
en visite de travail en République démocratique du Congo - 20/12/2002. ...
agence.francophonie.org/dernieres/ communique.cfm?der_id=252 - 14k - Cached - Similar pages

[PDF]Les langues de la Francophonie célébrées à Kinshasa - 20/12/ ...
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
Your browser may not have a PDF reader available. Google recommends visiting our text version of this document.
Communiqué de presse Paris, le 20 décembre 2002 L'Administrateur général en
visite de travail en République démocratique du Congo Les langues de la ...
agence.francophonie.org/upload/ dernieres/cp_02_124_com_hk.pdf - Similar pages
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Bruce Popp
Bruce Popp  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 18:02
French to English
Four regional languages, hundreds of local languages and dialects Jul 2, 2003

Hi,

In Congo-Kinshasa, the four regional languages are Lingala, Tshiluba, KiKongo (the regional language, not to be confused with the tribal language by the same name), and Kiswahili. These, with French, are the official languages.

In Congo-Brazzaville Monoketuba is widely spoken along with Lingala.

If this is song lyrics, then very likely it is Lingala. (Although, I once had some 45s with KiYansi Musique Folklorique.)

What format is the musi
... See more
Hi,

In Congo-Kinshasa, the four regional languages are Lingala, Tshiluba, KiKongo (the regional language, not to be confused with the tribal language by the same name), and Kiswahili. These, with French, are the official languages.

In Congo-Brazzaville Monoketuba is widely spoken along with Lingala.

If this is song lyrics, then very likely it is Lingala. (Although, I once had some 45s with KiYansi Musique Folklorique.)

What format is the music in? If it's Lingala or KiKongo I can help you.

Bruce
[email protected]

[Edited at 2003-07-02 22:17]
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Juan Jacob
Juan Jacob  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 19:02
French to Spanish
+ ...
Uppps... Jul 2, 2003

En verdad lamento mucho mi traspié, y, sobre todo, haberte "embarazado". Y tienes razón, no verifiqué: el swahili se habla, ahora sí con diccionario a la mano, en Kenya y Tanzania.
Y conste que escribí claramente "I think", para que aminores un poco tu "unnecessary roughness".
Saludos, Juan.

[Edited at 2003-07-03 01:08]


 
Anne Lee
Anne Lee  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:02
Member (2003)
Dutch to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Traditional 'Congolese Song' Jul 3, 2003

The song in question (Sisi Sisi Dolada) will be sung this week-end at at least 2 diferent school concerts, and I have been contacted by other educationalists who are trying to establish its meaning. It now appears in VoiceWorks 2 published by OUP.It said Traditional Congolese at the top of the music. When I first tried to find a translation, I dismissed the idea that Congolese could be a language, the same way I get irritated when people think 'Belgian' is a language, so I understand people's re... See more
The song in question (Sisi Sisi Dolada) will be sung this week-end at at least 2 diferent school concerts, and I have been contacted by other educationalists who are trying to establish its meaning. It now appears in VoiceWorks 2 published by OUP.It said Traditional Congolese at the top of the music. When I first tried to find a translation, I dismissed the idea that Congolese could be a language, the same way I get irritated when people think 'Belgian' is a language, so I understand people's reaction here. When I posted the song in Kudoz under Swahili, I was told that it is not Swahili. I think it is close to a Rwandan dialect. My question for a 'Congolese' translator was a last-ditch attempt to use the only clue I had.
By the way, I don't know how to build in a link here to another thread I posted 10 days ago, so I'll quickly repeat this short song. If anyone knows its meaning, I would be very grateful.
Sisi sisi dolada, Yaku sine ladu banaha
Banaha, banaha,
(the rest of the song consists of the same lines, repeated). Many thanks!

[Edited at 2003-07-03 07:04]
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Els Hoefman
Els Hoefman  Identity Verified
Local time: 03:02
English to Dutch
+ ...
Si si tunata? Jul 3, 2003

Hi Anne Lee,

I live in Belgium and this song is popular with scouts here.
However, although the song is probably distorted as it is mainly passed on orally, I think you will find it interesting to know that the lyrics are sung differently here:

si si si si si si tunata
ya ku sengela tu banana

I have no idea which are the correct lyrics, nor what it means, though.


 
trono
trono
Local time: 04:02
Russian to English
+ ...
Song's translation Jul 3, 2003

Ann,
I have a friend, Congolese, who can potentially help you with the translation of the song. Just send me the text in pdf or as scanned copy and tomorrow you will get the translation in English.

[Edited at 2003-10-01 10:53]


 
trono
trono
Local time: 04:02
Russian to English
+ ...
Song's translation Jul 3, 2003

Ann,
I have a friend translator, Congolese, who can potentially help you with the translation of the song. Just send me the text in pdf or as scanned copy and tomorrow you will get the translation in English.

Anne Lee wrote:

Could anyone please put me in touch with a Congolese translator? I have a song in traditional Congolese and am prepared to pay to have it translated, but it is not one of the languages on this site.




[Edited at 2003-10-01 10:54]


 
Bruce Popp
Bruce Popp  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 18:02
French to English
not Lingala or KiKongo Jul 3, 2003

Hi,

I don't recognize the words, so it is not Lingala or KiKongo. It doesn't "sound" like any of the common languages from the Bandundu region (Yansi, Mbala, Pende).

Good luck ... if you find something, perhaps you could report back.

Best wishes,
Bruce


 
Anne Lee
Anne Lee  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:02
Member (2003)
Dutch to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Here's the translation of the 'Congolese' song! Jul 4, 2003

I have just received an email from Oxford University Press with the answer we've been looking for:

Dear Anne

Thanks for your inquiry. We've had a look in our files and literally it means 'At the foot of the pineapple tree Yaku ladles a banana into his aunt's red hat.'

With best wishes

Alastair Henderson
Music Department, Oxford University Press
Great Clarendon Street
Oxford, OX2 6DP
-------------------
Many th
... See more
I have just received an email from Oxford University Press with the answer we've been looking for:

Dear Anne

Thanks for your inquiry. We've had a look in our files and literally it means 'At the foot of the pineapple tree Yaku ladles a banana into his aunt's red hat.'

With best wishes

Alastair Henderson
Music Department, Oxford University Press
Great Clarendon Street
Oxford, OX2 6DP
-------------------
Many thanks to all the kind people who contributed to the search. Your help was greatly appreciated.

Anne
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DGK T-I
DGK T-I  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:02
Georgian to English
+ ...
The story made fascinating reading. Did..... Jul 5, 2003

Anne Lee wrote:

I have just received an email from Oxford University Press with the answer we've been looking for:

Dear Anne

Thanks for your inquiry. We've had a look in our files and literally it means 'At the foot of the pineapple tree Yaku ladles a banana into his aunt's red hat.'

With best wishes

Alastair Henderson
Music Department, Oxford University Press
Great Clarendon Street
Oxford, OX2 6DP
-------------------
Many thanks to all the kind people who contributed to the search. Your help was greatly appreciated.

Anne


Did OUP have any indication what language the song was in - what the language was called, and who & where the people who spoke (sang:-) it ?

Best wishes
Giuli


 
Anne Lee
Anne Lee  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:02
Member (2003)
Dutch to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
No further details on precise language available yet. Jul 5, 2003

No, I have (not yet) had those details. I myself am fascinated by the linguistic aspect, i.e. how such a long sentence in English can be contained in only 5 different words in that mysterious language...(Sisi, Sisi, Dolada, Yaku sine ladu banaha.) Maybe the aunt's red hat is mentioned in a verse I haven't yet caught sight of... I may receive more info from OUP next week when they've had time to ask the relevant people. I will pass on any further details as I receive them.
Someone contac
... See more
No, I have (not yet) had those details. I myself am fascinated by the linguistic aspect, i.e. how such a long sentence in English can be contained in only 5 different words in that mysterious language...(Sisi, Sisi, Dolada, Yaku sine ladu banaha.) Maybe the aunt's red hat is mentioned in a verse I haven't yet caught sight of... I may receive more info from OUP next week when they've had time to ask the relevant people. I will pass on any further details as I receive them.
Someone contacted me personally to tell me that David Vinden, a Kodaly expert in
the UK taught this song at a conference celebrating the 120th anniversary of
Kodaly's birth at Birmingham Conservatoire. He also told me that the song was published by OUP, which led me into the right direction.
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Does anyone know a Congolese translator?






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