Book Review: Kamusun Hausa na Jami’ar Bayero, Wallafar Cibiyar Nazarin Harsunan Nijeriya, Jami’ar Bayhero. Kano, 2006. 502 p. (Hausa Language Dictionary, Bayero University); Kamusun Harshen Hausa, Ayuba T. Abubakar, Northern Nigeria Publishing Company Ltd. Zaria, 2014. 522 p. (Hausa Language Dictionary)

Abstract

The Bayero University Dictionary, published in 2006, is the first Hausa explanatory dictionary, compiled by a team of authors from the Center for the Study of National Languages of Nigeria, Bayero University in Kano. Unfortunately, the dictionary does not indicate the number of words, but the sheer volume of the dictionary — 502 pages — suggests that the dictionary provides interpretations of a large number of words, including those that are not recorded in earlier Hausa-English dictionaries. The dictionary explains new semantic neologisms that have emerged in the Hausa language over the past 30 years. The second dictionary was created by Ayuba T. Abubakar, who worked on its compilation for more than 25 years and during the work consulted Hausa language scholars both in Nigeria and abroad. Unfortunately, this dictionary does not indicate the number of dictionary entries. It is interesting that the author provided each dictionary entry not only with an explanation of its meaning, but also with a large number of examples. For better understanding, excerpts from songs are also given, since some words are used only in songs. Particularly interesting and useful not only to linguists, but also to ethnographers and historians is the explanation of the various appellatives that the Hausa give to children along with names taken from the Koran. Most of these appellatives are not noted in other dictionaries. Both of these dictionaries are an important source of knowledge on the vocabulary of the Hausa language both for philologists involved in the study of Chadic languages and Hausa in particular, and for students of this language.