Foreword

We must start with a definition of the word "dictionary" which, according to Le Petit Larousse, is a collection of words in a language arranged in alphabetical order and followed by their definition or a translation into another language.

A dictionary has several advantages, both for speakers and for non-speakers. This Waama-French bilingual dictionary aims to allow Waama speakers to have a reference document, to give the Waama language a standard written form, to facilitate the translation of Waama into French, to help linguists make comparative lexical studies, and to provide permanent documentation.

This dictionary contains a variety of words among which may be mentioned:

- words translated from Waama by their French equivalents:
yuubu la tête (head)
buuka le chien (dog)

- assimilated loanwords:
dipɛ̃ le pain (bread)
karansi le pétrole (UK: paraffin, US: kerosene)

- paraphrastic terms:
supirikaŋa l'avion (airplane)
yaadaaro l'interprète (interpreter)

This document has been designed for use by teachers, literacy workers, and all those who wish to express themselves in written Waama.

Users of this dictionary are encouraged to contribute to improving it by sending their comments, questions and corrections on the Contact Us page.