M. Dingemanse

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Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Epistle to the Romans 12:21

Dùngììn máárrá góshkó gáályá.

In the kingdom of blind men the one-eyed is king.
(Nobiin proverb)

Núnyá gale núnyá gódó.

There is knowledge beyond knowledge. (Ewe proverb)

Did you know...

Mark Dingemanse is presented this Africa Award for his work on African linguistics, particularly his creation of beautiful maps and illustrations. Presented by Amcaja from the Africa-related regional notice board

From articles I contributed

...that Sonjo, a Bantu language of northern Tanzania, has been spoken for centuries in an isolated enclave in Maasai territory?
...that a large portion of the vocabulary of the coastal Mozambiquean language Ekoti derives from a past variety of Swahili?
...that the border between Nilo-Saharan languages and Bantu languages among the languages of Uganda roughly coincides with the Victoria Nile?
...that Diedrich H. Westermann found out that some of the Sudanic languages were related to the Bantu languages but did not explicitly state this conclusion until much later in his career, out of respect for his teacher Carl Meinhof?
...that the 1318 Mamluk Qala'un Mosque was considered the most glamorous mosque in Cairo until its wooden dome collapsed in the 16th century?
...that the Yaaku at a community meeting between 1925 and 1936 decided to abandon their own language in favour of Maasai?
...that Bono Manso, the capital of Bono state, was an ancient Akan trading town in present-day Ghana, which was frequented by caravans from Djenné as part of the Trans-Saharan trade?
...that Dorobo is a derogatory Maa term for various unrelated hunter-gatherer groups of Kenya and Northern Tanzania?
...that the Defaka people of Nigeria are gradually abandoning their language in favour of the language of the Nkoroo, their close neighbours?
...that missionaries of the Belgian Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae did missionary work in China, Mongolia, the Philippines, and in Congo Free State/Belgian Congo?
...that many speakers of Nobiin were forcedly resettled to Kom Ombo (Egypt) and New Halfa (Sudan) due to the construction of the Aswan High Dam?

I could go on and on, but I will leave it to this gesture to tell you how important you have been to Africa on wikipedia.Ezeu 04:17, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

For your brilliant work on linguistics-related articles and the creation of superb maps, I award you the Barnstar of Diligence TreveX^talk 16:21, 10 August 2005 (UTC) (KC)

For your exceptional work in mentoring newcomers (not to mention your unflagging patience with everyone else), I hereby award you this Random Acts of Kindness Barnstar. --Dvyost 15:41, 16 August 2005 (UTC) (KC)

About me

I edited here on a regular basis from August 2004 until February 2007. I was made an administrator in March 2005. I haven't been an active contributor since early 2007, though I do check in now and then. See here for my current whereabouts.