NOTES for The June 2nd 2023 In-Person Conversational Garifuna Language Class with Garifuna Language Teacher Milton Guity Sr.
.
Copyright 2023 by Teofilo Colon Jr for Being Garifuna. All Rights Reserved.
.
Bronx, New York – I arrived about an hour late to this class as I went to a public viewing for someone who died. There was also a rain storm and that slowed traffic which also contributed to my lateness.
.
I asked how to say start or begin in the Garifuna Language.
.
When asked how I was feeling, I asked how do I say, “I am wet” in the Garifuna Language. I was told and then repeated the phrase to the class.
.
We also discussed how to say, “In the rain” and “water”, in the Garifuna Language.
.
I also asked, How do you say, “How do you say ________ in the Garifuna Language?”. We discussed two ways to say that phrase/question in the Garifuna Language.
.
Garifuna Vocabulary Words for Chair, Table, Book, Notebook, pencil/pen and refrigerator.
.
In the instance of pencil/pen, we learned that in the Garifuna Language, you can add a suffix to a root Garifuna verb to turn it into a noun.
.
Here, we added the Garifuna suffix to the Garifuna word for “to write” to turn it into a pencil or pen (writing utensil).
.
The Garifuna Vocabulary Word for “cold” and the phrase, “It’s Cold”, “I’m cold”, “it’s cold here” and “I’m hot” in the Garifuna Language was discussed.
.
The Garifuna Vocabulary Words for “my child” was discussed. In this instance, there’s a way to say it that is exclusive to Men and a way to say my child that is exclusive to Women.
.
We discussed the different ways to say, “I will hit you”.
.
We discussed how to say, “late” in the Garifuna Language. How to say, “He go” in Garifuna.
.
We discussed how to say, “Let’s go”, “let’s go children” and “let’s go son” in Garifuna.
.
The different ways to say, “see you next week” in Garifuna.
.
The different ways to say the command, “Come here” in Garifuna. One phrase is male exclusive and one phrase is female exclusive.
.
We also discussed how to say the commands, “sit down”, “wake up/rise/stand up” in Garifuna.
.
We learned how to say, “don’t cry”, “go to sleep”, “stop”.
.
.
A paper with various sentences in the Garifuna Language was handed out.
.
The phrases included:
Good Morning, sister, mother, brother.
Good Morning,
How are you?
I am fine and you?
I am fine also.
What is your name?
My name is ________
and you?
My name is __________
Where are you from?
I am from _________.
I am from ________ also.
I am glad to meet you. Likewise.
Bye, have a good day.
Bye, have a good day too.
.
We read the sentences and said them to one another in the class.
.
I have an additional two pages of notes, but I didn’t date the notes, so I am not sure if they refer to this class or next week’s class.
.
I will include the notes here just in case.
.
We discussed Garifuna Vocabulary Words for fruit, peel, peel back, food, orange, Mango, grape, squeeze, squeezing, juice, cut, cut with a Machete, cut with a knife, cut in two, knife, can (verb), finger and how to say the phrase, “this rind”, “orange sample” in Garifuna.
.