Loma (Löömàgòòi / Löghömàgòòi)

Loma is a Southwestern Mande language spoken in northern Liberia, particularly in the Belleh district of Gbarpolu county, and also in Lofa county. In 2020 there were about 299,000 people who spoke Loma.

Loma is also known as Loghoma, Looma or Lorma, and native names for Loma include Löömàgìtì, Löghömagiti, Löömàgòòi and Löghömàgòòi.

Dialects of Loma in Liberia include Gizima, Wubomai, Ziema, Gbunde and Briama. A related dialect, or separate language, known as Toma, is spoken in southern and central Guinea by about 261,000 people.

Written Loma

Loma is written with a version of the Latin alphabet. There is some literature in the language, and there is a literacy program. In the 1930s and 1940s it was written with the Loma syllabary, which invented during the 1930s by Wido Zobo (Widɔ Zoɓo) of Boneketa in Liberia.

Latin alphabet for Loma

Latin alphabet for Loma

Sample text (The Lord's Prayer - Luke 11: 2-4)

  1. É ɣɛni te ma, “Wa ɣɛ na Gala felizu, a ɣɛ tea, ‘Gé ɣeea, ƃaa la yà laa‐zeigi ma, yà masadai va,
  2. è gá ʋolo ɣile‐gile daa‐mii ŋɛnii ʋe ga gela‐bo pele ɣile‐gile,
  3. è gá ʋaa yowũitiɛ zu ʋaa yɛ, ƃɔvɛlaale gá ɣagi gá numai niitiɛ zu ʋaa yɛsu gá ʋaa ɣa ɣɛ te va. Mɛ lɛ kɛ tɛ‐ga ɔ́ wo ga gíɛ.’ ”

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/1456/LUK.11.DN1971

Translation

  1. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
  2. Give us day by day our daily bread.
  3. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/1/LUK.11.KJV

Some details provided by Michael Peter Füstumum.

Sample video in Loma

Information about Loma | Loma syllabary | Phrases

Links

Information about Loma
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loma_language
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loma_(Sprache)
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/LOM

Syllabaries

Afaka, Bamum, Caroline Island Script, Celtiberian, Cherokee, Cypriot, Dunging (Iban), Eskayan, Hiragana, Iberian, Katakana, Kpelle, Loma, Mende (Kikakui), Mwangwego, Nüshu, Nwagụ Aneke, Vai, Yi, Yugtun

Other writing systems

Page last modified: 01.05.24

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