-~A 
 
 6} 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES

 
 lA 
 
 t
 
 COLLECTIONS 
 
 HANDBOOK 
 
 YAO LANGUAGE 
 
 Bt EDWARD STEERE, LL.D. 
 
 CHAPLAIN TO BISHOP TOZEE. 
 
 LONDON: 
 SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE : 
 
 SOLD AT THE DEPOSITORIES: 
 
 77> GREAT QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS; 
 
 4, ROYAL EXCHANGE; 48, PICCADILLY; 
 
 AND BY ALL BOOKSELLERS. 
 
 1871.
 
 LONDON : 
 
 GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, PRINTERS.. 
 
 ST. JOHN'S SQUARE.
 
 PL 
 
 2802 
 SS>lc 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The Yao language is at first particularly puzzling to 
 a foreigner on account of the rapid and even pro- 
 nunciation and the extraordinary number of euphonic 
 changes. All the syllables of a word are uttered 
 with as nearly as possible the same degree of accent, 
 except perhaps that the last syllable but one is a 
 little louder than the last, and that the mere difficulty 
 of enunciation gives a slight extra length to a syllable 
 followed by a double consonant. The words of a 
 sentence are run together so as not to be easily 
 separated. The letter u and the vowels cause many 
 euphonic changes, and the remarkable forms of the 
 past tense of the verb are exceedingly baffling. Thus 
 ambele means he gave me, and it is formed from knpa, 
 to give to, of which it has not retained a single letter. 
 It is formed of «-, the sign of the third person, a- the 
 sign of the objective first person (me), and -peU-, the 
 past tense of -pa. From kulvya, to" bewitch, is made 
 for he will bewitch vie, tandoje, being by construction, 
 ti-a-n-loge. The -i- is swallowed up by the -a- which 
 follows it, the -n- changes the -/- into -d-, and the 
 change of the final -a into -e compels the change of 
 
 a -1 
 
 1217007
 
 IV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 the hard -g- sound into that of an English -/-. The 
 rules for these changes will be found in the alphabet, 
 and numerous examples occur in the section on verbs. 
 It is scarcely possible to construct a sentence which 
 shall not contain two or three euphonic changes, 
 more or less baffling to any but a native. Another 
 puzzling usage is that of adding -je to verbs and -jpe 
 to other words; they are generally untranslatable, 
 but serve to define the ideas better, — all the people, is 
 wandu wose, but a Yao will almost always say wandu 
 wosejje, as though we should say, just every one of 
 them. Kuchita is to wish, and for " I wished " one 
 hears generally njiteje. The -j- is the -di- as modi- 
 fied by the n- } which is the sign of the first person, 
 and the final syllable is a mere enclitic conveying 
 something of the effect of I wished, yes I did. All 
 these euphonic changes and light enclitics tend to 
 facilitate and smooth the pronunciation, and do in 
 fact give a very singular effect to the general sound 
 of the spoken language. 
 
 The Yaos inhabit the country on the east side of 
 the Lake Nyassa, which is generally marked in our 
 maps with their name according to the Portuguese 
 mode of spelling as Hiau or Wahiau. They have 
 been a very numerous tribe, and used to supply a 
 large part of the slaves brought down to Zanzibar; of 
 late years, however, their country has been ravaged 
 by the Maviti, and all trade for the time prevented. 
 It is said that only one of their great chiefs suc- 
 ceeded in holding his own against the invaders. One
 
 INTRODUCTION. V 
 
 could not, indeed, expect much courage from a people 
 who enjoy the proverb — 
 
 Kuaja woga Jcwenda chiseko, 
 Kuaja chisongolo Jcwenda cliililo. 
 
 Whoso is fearful goes to laughing. 
 Whoso is bold goes to weeping. 
 
 The Yaos are one of the bow and arrow tribes, who 
 are invariably despised by the tribes that use spears 
 and shields, as the Maviti (who are said to be Zulus) 
 always do. 
 
 A number of words in the Yao language were 
 published by Dr. Krapf, in his " Vocabulary of Six 
 African Languages." The Yao boys who were in 
 Bishop Tozer's school when I w r as in Zanzibar re- 
 cognized many, though by no means all of them. 
 Their recollections were too imperfect and their shy- 
 ness too great to allow me to learn very much from 
 them. It is very remarkable that there should be 
 thousands of Yaos in Zanzibar, and yet that it should 
 be difficult to find a competent teacher. The reason 
 lies partly in the shame which all Africans from the 
 inland seem to feel about their own origin. They 
 will profess the most utter forgetfulness of every 
 thing connected with their old homes and language, 
 merely in order to avoid being questioned about 
 them. Another reason is that in proportion as they 
 learn Swahili they forget Yao, and for the most part 
 speak neither language at all correctly. I began 
 with the help of a young slave, who gave me a great
 
 VI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 many words and grammatical forms, but who mixed 
 up the Yao with much that really belonged to the 
 Nyassa language. One of my Arab friends intro- 
 duced me to a man of some importance from Kilwa, 
 who with the help of his slaves gave me some further 
 information. I then noticed the curious fact that 
 Arabs and men of Arab origin put an aspirate between 
 consecutive vowels, though I never heard a native 
 use any aspirate either there or elsewhere. I found 
 at last a really good teacher in a man called by the 
 very common name of Mabruki. I heard afterwards 
 that his original name was Mpanda. He had been a 
 slave employed by his master in trading journeys to 
 and from his own tribe. His master had by his will 
 given him his freedom, and he then got a living by 
 selling small ventures in one of the markets in 
 Zanzibar. It is only men employed as he had been, 
 and who besides have a natural aptitude for language, 
 who really speak and understand both Yao and Swa- 
 hili, and can adecpuately explain one language in the 
 other. I then made out a vocabulary containing all 
 Dr. Krapf s words and all those I had collected from 
 my teachers and other sources, and went carefully 
 through it with Mabruki, testing my grammar by 
 illustrations as I went along. I now publish the 
 result ; and it will be clear enough to the reader that 
 I must have had a good teacher to enable me to find 
 my way among such a tangle of idioms, inflexions, 
 and euphonic changes. It has been to me a work of 
 singular interest; and I have a good hope that this
 
 INTRODUCTION. y£j 
 
 great tribe, which now holds the country in which 
 Bishop Mackenzie first tried to plant our Central 
 African Mission, may yet in its own tongue praise and 
 glorify the great God and our Redeemer. 
 
 EDWARD STEERE. 
 
 Little Steeping, 
 Michaelmas, 1871.
 
 COLLECTIONS, 
 
 8,'c. 
 
 THE ALPHABET. 
 
 As a general rule the vowels are intended to be 
 pronounced as in Italian, and the consonants as in 
 English. 
 
 A is pronounced like the a in father. When in compo- 
 sition followed by a, it coalesces with it into a 
 single sound ; when followed by e or ?', it forms 
 with it the sound of e ; when followed by v, the 
 two vowels unite, and form the sound of o. 
 
 B as in English. When n has to be prefixed to b, p, 
 or w, the two letters become mb. 
 
 C is used only in the compound eft, which is pro- 
 nounced as in English, or as c before ? or e in 
 Italian. The same root letter is pronounced (as 
 in Italian) as a h before a, o, or u, and as the 
 English ch before e or i. It may very probably 
 be found best to denote both these sounds by c ; 
 but they are represented here by k and c ft in order 
 to avoid mistakes in pronunciation. When n is 
 prefixed to eft they become nj. 
 
 1) as in English. When n is prefixed to I or t, the 
 two letters become nd. Li and di seem to be 
 often treated as identical, ty / ^
 
 2 THE ALPHABET. 
 
 E is pronounced like at in chair. Where in compo- 
 sition a is followed by e or i } the two vowels 
 unite, and are pronounced e. K and g become 
 eh andy when followed by e. 
 
 G is always to be pronounced hard as in gale. The 
 same root letter which is here written g and pro- 
 nounced hard before a, o, and u, is written j, and 
 has the sound of a soft^ before e and i. The rules 
 for c and g being the same as in Italian, it may 
 perhaps ultimately be found best to write them 
 as in that language, inserting an i wherever 
 they ought to have a soft sound before a, o, or 
 v ; and inserting an h where they ought to have 
 a hard sound before e or i. 
 
 11 as an aspirate is not used by the Yaos themselves, 
 and is only employed here in expressing the sound 
 of the English eh. Arabs when they speak the 
 Yao language always insert an h between two 
 consecutive vowels. 
 
 / is pronounced like ee in keep. When in composition 
 i is made to follow a, the two vowels unite, and 
 are pronounced e. I standing alone before a 
 vowel becomes y. K and g become eh and j 
 before i. 
 
 •f as in English, the Italian gi. When n is prefixed 
 to j, the two letters become ny. G becomes j 
 when followed by e or ?'. Ch becomes j when 
 preceded by n. 
 
 K as in English. K becomes ch when followed by e 
 or i. When n is prefixed to /•, the two letters 
 become vg. 
 
 L as in English, or like an untrilled English r. When
 
 THE ALPHABET. ■ ) 
 
 n is prefixed to I, the two letters become nd 3 or 
 else the I is omitted altogether. 
 
 M as in English. M before any consonant except 
 b stands for mu, and has a semivowel sound, as 
 though preceded by a suppressed u. M before b 
 is generally a modified n. Mb may stand for 
 nb, nj>, or nw. Where u has to be prefixed to m, 
 the n is not heard at all. 
 
 N as in English. N is used as a prefix in the for- 
 mation of nouns, and as the sign of the first 
 person in the conjugation of verbs. When so 
 used it affects or is affected by most of the 
 other consonants. 
 
 nb becomes rub. nn becomes u. 
 
 nek „ nj. np )} mb. 
 
 /{/' „ ny. ns „ s. 
 
 nk „ ng. nt „ nd. 
 
 nl „ nd or u. mo ,, u. 
 
 dm, „ m. nw }) mb. 
 
 Thus where we find 
 
 nd it may stand for nd, nl, or nt. 
 ng „ „ ng or nk. 
 
 nj „ „ nj or nek. 
 
 it „ „ n or nl. 
 
 ni, s, and u may have a suppressed n as a prefix. 
 
 There are two compound consonants in which //. 
 occurs : — 
 
 1. JVj/, which is the Spanish ft, the French and 
 Italian gn, and the Portuguese nh. It is a 
 little thicker and more nasal than the ni in 
 Spaniard. 
 
 B l
 
 4 THE ALPHABET. 
 
 2. Kg' pronounced like the English ng's in long- 
 ing", both sounds are heard, but neither are 
 carried on to the following vowel as is done 
 where an n is merely prefixed to a g. 
 
 is pronounced like oa in broad. Where o is in com- 
 position followed by e or i, the' two letters become 
 we. An o sound arises from the coalition of a 
 and u when brought together in composition. 
 
 P as in English. When n is prefixed to p, the two 
 letters become mb. 
 
 Q. The sound of the English Qu is expressed by Kw. 
 B. There is no strong r in Yao. A sound like that 
 
 of the indistinct English ;• may be given to the 
 
 letter I. It is however safer for a foreigner always 
 
 to pronounce it as an I. 
 S as in sun, never as in rise. There is no sound in Yao 
 
 like that of the English z, or the German s. 
 
 Where n has to be prefixed to s, the s remains 
 
 unchanged, and the u is dropped, 
 ^as in English. Where n is prefixed to t, the two 
 
 letters become nd. 
 U is pronounced like oo in stool. Where u is followed 
 
 by e or i, the two letters become wi. Where a is 
 
 prefixed to u, the two letters coalesce into the 
 
 sound of o. Where u has to be prefixed to tt, the u 
 
 disappears. 
 W as in English, it is a consonantal u. Where n is 
 
 prefixed to w, the two letters become mb. We may 
 
 stand for oe or ol j wi may stand for ue or ui. 
 Y as the English consonant, it is a consonantal /. 
 
 Where n is prefixed toy, the two letters become ny.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 Yao nouns have two numbers, singular and plural, 
 which are distinguished by their initial letters. Upon 
 the form of the substantives depend the forms of the 
 adjectives, pronouns, and verbs governed by them. Yao 
 substantives may be conveniently divided into nine 
 classes, according to their initial letters, and the 
 changes which they undergo in forming their plurals. 
 
 I. Words beginning with m, mu, or miv, being the 
 names of living creatures. These become plural by 
 changing m, mu, or mw, into wa, or w : 
 
 Mundujumo, one person; ivandu, wa ivajutji, many 
 people. 
 
 The singular prefix is generally m, with an indis- 
 tinct semivowel sound, before a consonant; and mw 
 before a vowel. The plural prefix is wa before a con- 
 sonant, and w before a vowel. In words beginning 
 with mb, the m is generally a modified n, and the 
 word belongs to the third class. 
 
 II. Words beginning with m, mil, or mw, which are 
 not the names of living creatures. These are made 
 plural by changing m, mu, or mm, into mi : 
 
 Mtela u mo, one tree; mitelaja mijinji, many trees. 
 
 III. Words which do not change to form the 
 plural. They begin with n before a consonant ; or ng 
 
 b 3
 
 6 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 before a vowel. As n becomes m when prefixed to b, 
 p, or w, roots beginning 1 with those letters make 
 nouns of this class beginning* with mb. Again as n 
 disappears before s and u, roots beginning with those 
 letters make nouns of this class without any apparent 
 change : 
 
 Nyumbajimo, one house; nyumba sya nyinji, many 
 
 houses. 
 JIbusijimo, one goat; mbusi syanyinji, many goats. 
 
 IV. Words beginning with ch or chi ; these become 
 plural by changing ch into y, and chi into i. Ch is 
 used before a vowel; chi before a consonant : 
 
 Chimin chimo, one thing; indu ya ijinji, many things. 
 
 V. Words beginning with li ; these become plural 
 by changing li into ma : 
 
 Liwago limo, one axe ; maioago ga maj'mji, many axes. 
 
 When anything is to be spoken of as particularly 
 large, it is brought into this class by substituting li 
 and wa, for its ordinary singular and plural prefixes : 
 
 Chisegwe, a noise ; lisegwe, a great noise. 
 
 VI. Words beginning with In ; these are made 
 plural by changing In into n before a consonant; or 
 ny before a vowel. The letter n changes and is changed 
 as described under that letter in the alphabet : 
 
 Lusaso litmo, one piece of firewood ; saso sya ny'mji, 
 
 much firewood. 
 Lupeta lumo, one sifting basket; mbeta sya nyinji, 
 
 many sifting baskets. 
 
 VII. Words beginning with ha ; these make their
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 7 
 
 plural by changing ha into tu ; the a of the singular 
 prefix disappears before a vowel; and the u of the 
 plural prefix becomes w : 
 
 Kanaclie hamo, one child; twanache twa tujinji, 
 many children. 
 
 Words are made diminutives by being brought into 
 this class : 
 
 Liwago, an axe ; hawago, a very small axe. 
 
 VIII. The one word pandu, place or places : 
 
 Pandu pamo : one place ; pandu pa pajinji, many 
 places. 
 
 [X. The infinitives of verbs used as substantives : 
 they all begin with hi : 
 
 Kuinva, dying; hunenyela, loving; huiwa, stealing. 
 
 The names of persons treated with respect have a 
 prefixed in the singular; and acka in the plural. 
 These prefixes seem to be substituted for m and tea, 
 as the names are treated as of the first class : 
 
 Achimwene, a chief ; achachimwene, chiefs. 
 
 Ac/ia may be used in the singular where very great 
 respect is intended. An important chief named 
 Maiaha is also spoken of as Achamataka. 
 
 There is no distinction between the subjective and 
 objective eases of nouns. 
 
 The possessive case is represented by the use of the 
 variable particle -a, which is placed after the thing 
 possessed, and before the possessor, like the English 
 preposition of, which is represented by it. The initial 
 letter varies according to the class of the thing pos-
 
 5 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 sessed. This form can be used in all cases in which 
 the English preposition of can be used, and not only 
 in the true possessive case. The same particle is used 
 to connect an adjective with its substantive, and the 
 proper forms for each class will be found in the 
 examples at the end of this section : 
 
 Nyumba ya achimwene, the chief's house; liwago 
 lia achimwene, the chief's axe ; nyumba ya 
 maganga, a house of stone. 
 
 Locality is expressed by the use of three prefixes : — 
 1. Mw , denoting within, to or from within. 2. Pa, 
 denoting- at, near, before. 3. Ku, denoting- motion 
 to, or at (of a place far off) . 
 
 Muuyumba, in the house ; panyumha, at the house ; 
 kunyumba, to the house. 
 
 The u of these prefixes becomes w before a vowel ; 
 the I of the singular prefix li is dropped after the 
 locative prefixes : 
 
 Litumbi, a hill; mwitumbi, in the hill; petumbi 
 [pa-ilumbi], at the hill; kwitumbi, to the hill. 
 
 The following examples will show the effect of the 
 class of the noun upon the adjectives^ pronouns, and 
 verbs, as well as upon the variable particle or pre- 
 position -a. It is the sentence, Our beautiful — ■■ — is 
 in sight, we love it. The blank being filled up with 
 the words mwanache, child ; mtela, tree ; nyumba, 
 house; chilambo, land; litumbi, hill; lulenje, an en- 
 closure; kapawala, gazelle ; and pandu, place ; with 
 their respective plurals.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 9 
 
 1. Mwanache juetu jua mkoto akuonekana, tu- 
 
 ku'mnenyela. 
 
 Wanache wetu wa wakoto wakuonekana, tu- 
 kuwanenyela. 
 
 2. Mtela wetu wa ukoto ukuonekana, tukuune- 
 
 nyela. 
 Mitela jetu ja mikoto jikuonekana, tukujine- 
 uyela. 
 
 3. Nyumba jetu ja ngoto jikuonekana, tukuji- 
 
 neuyela. 
 Nyumba syetu sya ngoto sikuonekana, tuku- 
 sinenyela. 
 
 4. Chilambo chetu cha eliikoto cliikuonekana, 
 
 tukuchinenyela. 
 Ilambo yetu ya ikoto ikuonekana, tukuine- 
 nyela. 
 
 5. Litumbi lietu lia likoto likuonekaua, tukuli- 
 
 nenyela. 
 Matumbi getu ga makoto gakuonekana, tuku- 
 ganenyela. 
 
 6. Lutenje luetu lua lukoto lukuonekana, tu- 
 
 kulunenyela. 
 Ndenje sietu sya ngoto sikuonekana, tukusi- 
 nenyela. 
 
 7. Kapawala ketu ka kakoto kakuonekana, tu- 
 
 kukauenyela. 
 Tupawala twetu twa tukoto tukuonekana, tu- 
 kutunenyela. 
 
 8. Pandu petu pa pakoto pakuonekana, tuku- 
 
 panenyela.
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 Accusation, magambo. 
 
 Action, Usengo, pi. masengo. 
 
 Adultery, chikululu. 
 
 Advice, mtemela, pi. mitemela. 
 
 Adze, Ikvago lia kusepela. 
 
 Agreement, malangano ; agree- 
 ing, masiowekano. 
 
 Air, mbepo. 
 
 Aloe, lichongive. 
 
 Ancestors, achambuje. 
 
 Ancle — bone, chisukusuku ; 
 — joint, mbindi. 
 
 Anger, litumbilo. 
 
 Anguru, Wamangulu, the peo- 
 ple living on the borders of 
 the Nj'assa tribe. 
 
 Animal, nyama. 
 
 Anklets, likaya, pi. makaya. 
 
 Answer, masalilo. 
 
 Antelope, mbawala, pi. waba- 
 wala. 
 
 Anthill, lisugulu, pi. masugu- 
 lu ; (white ants), chikula, 
 pi. ikula. 
 
 Ants, black, lipipi, pi. mapipx ' ; 
 brown, salawe ; reddish- 
 yellow, mbamba ; white, 
 ucheche; in the flying stage, 
 mgumbi. 
 
 Anvil, lipulawe, pi. mapula- 
 we. 
 
 Arabic, Chibulusi. 
 
 Arm, mkono, pi. mikono. 
 
 Armpit, ngwapa. 
 
 Arrow, mp>amba,\A. mipamba; 
 
 a kind used in shooting 
 
 birds, mkwala. 
 Ashes, liu. 
 Aunt, Usangasi ; paternal, 
 
 alumba iva atati; maternal, 
 
 anlao wa nandi. 
 Authority, mac/iili. 
 Avarice, kusuka. 
 Axe, liwago, pi. mawago ; 
 
 small, kaioago, pi. tuicago. 
 
 Baby, kanache, pi. ticanaehe ; 
 
 mwanache juate pyuu ; 
 
 kanache kate pyuu. 
 Back, mgongo, pi. migongo. 
 Bag (generally of skins), 
 
 msaku, pi. misaku; kasaku, 
 
 pi. tusaku. 
 Bait, nyambo. 
 Baldness, lupala. 
 Bamboo, mlasi, pi. milasi. 
 Banana, ligombo, \A.magombo; 
 
 fruit stem, mkonga ; male 
 
 flower, litulu. 
 Bank, of a river, mbanda, 
 
 mgulugulu lusulu; the other 
 
 side, list. 
 Baobab, or calabash tree, 
 
 mlonji, pi. milonji; cala- 
 bash, lilonji, pi. malonji. 
 Barber, juakumetelela. 
 Bark, of a tree, likungwa, pi. 
 
 makungwa. 
 Basin, ngalekale. 
 Basket, chikaiala, pi. ikalala;
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 11 
 
 large, lukalala,y>\. ngalala; 
 small open, chiselo, pi. iselo; 
 long-shaped, mtumba, pi. 
 mitumba ; small, c/iindu- 
 ndu, sifting basket, lupeta, 
 pi. mbeta. 
 
 Bat, lichinji, pi. machinji ; 
 liputiputi, pi. maputiputi ; 
 chiputiputi, pi. iputiputi. 
 
 Bead, chuma, pi. yuma ; red, 
 chitalaka, pi. italaka ; 
 white, (?) usimbtva. 
 
 Beans, nguunde, mbanda, 
 sawawa, ngicingioisu, ngu- 
 nguta ; like sweet pea seed, 
 mbeso ; tree, mbelimende. 
 
 Beard, ndeu. 
 
 Beauty, it koto. 
 
 Bed, Ugono,yA. magono; sleep- 
 ing mat, iilili ; strips of 
 matting for making ulili, 
 litete, pi. matete. 
 
 Bedstead, vsangwali. 
 
 Bee, nyuchi ; humble bee, (?) 
 lini/enyen, pi. manyenyeu. 
 
 Beer, ulcana ; not much fer- 
 mented, ntulwct; corn steep- 
 ed for making beer, malt, 
 chilungo, ilungo. 
 
 Beggar, jucwina. 
 
 Begging, or beseeching, as a 
 child of its parents, lidete. 
 
 Beginning, matando. 
 
 Bell, ehaluUmba, pi. yaluli- 
 mba, chihengele. 
 
 Bellows, chipahi ; two bags of 
 skin, which are closed and 
 pressed down, and opened 
 and raised alternately, so 
 as to give a continuous 
 
 draught, misagu ya chipala; 
 the nozzle of the bellows, 
 mbugu wa cliipala. 
 
 Belly, palutumbu ; pa = at ; 
 lutumbu, ndumbu, entrails. 
 
 Belt of cloth, inpango, pi. 
 mipango; of twine, luko- 
 kosi, pi. ngokosi ; lupundo, 
 pi. mbundo. 
 
 Bliang, Indian hemp, c/iamba. 
 
 Bile, nyongo. 
 
 Bill of a bird (at the mouth), 
 pialeamwa ; (lip), Jujemo, 
 pi. njemo. 
 
 Bill, axe, mbopo, pi. mibopo. 
 
 Bird, lijuni, pi. majuni; chi- 
 juni, pi. ijuni ; sorts of 
 birds, Chiwuti, CMkongo, 
 Chikwengice, Chisolokoto, 
 (?) secretary bird or adju- 
 tant, Lititi ; (?) partridge, 
 Ngwale ; Ngululu ; Ngwi- 
 lilt; Mlambu ; has a hang- 
 ing nest, Ngtoesi. 
 
 Birth, nwelese ; a bandage 
 worn by women after a birth, 
 matvcdeko. 
 
 Blacksmith, juakusiana. 
 
 Bladder (? scrotum), lipwala. 
 
 Blade, of a knife, chisiani 
 (iron) ; chenjele. 
 
 Blessing (? luck), upili. 
 
 Blister, lituku, pi. matuhu. 
 
 Blood, mi a si. 
 
 Bloodvessel or nerve, m tasi, pi. 
 mitasi. 
 
 Body, chiilu, pi. iilu. 
 
 Boils, lipute,\>\.mapute; small 
 painful pimples, chizungv- 
 putt.
 
 12 
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 Bone, liupa, pi. maupa. 
 Bottom, pasi. 
 
 Bough, luambi, pi. nyamhi. 
 Boundary, mpika. 
 Bow, uhu/nje, pi. ngunje ; 
 mkunje, pi. mikunje; bow 
 string, lusinga, pi. singa. 
 Box, liweta, pi. maweta; lika- 
 sa, pi. makas a; chiJcasa,^i. 
 ikasa. 
 Boy, micanache, pi. wanache ; 
 3 r outh, msongolo, pi. waso- 
 ngolo. 
 Bracelet, of brass wire, chiku- 
 ngu cha mkono; of elephant's 
 hair, lusinga lua ndembo. 
 Brain, moongo wa 'mtwe. 
 Bran, masapi ; husks of rice, 
 
 masoJcoliJcoJco ga mpunga. 
 Branch, lujambi, pi. nyamhi; 
 pieces cut off a tree, mbanda. 
 Brass, chikungu, pi. ikungu. 
 Breadth, chitipa ; as to its 
 
 breadth, chamchitipa. 
 Breakfast, chaJculia cha ku- 
 
 ndawi. 
 Breasts, liwele, pi. mawcle. 
 Breath, bumusi. 
 Brink, mjengwa. 
 Brook, leasulu, pi. tusulu. 
 Broom, lupiajilo, piajilo. 
 Brother, used of all relatives, 
 mlongo, pi. walongo ; elder, 
 akulu, ]A.acha]culit; young- 
 er, mpicangwa, pi. wapwa- 
 ngwa. 
 Brother, or sister in law, ala- , 
 mu ; their, or his brother, 
 or sister in law, alamhwao. 
 Bruise, pambitevhe. 
 
 Bucket, a vessel to draw water 
 in, njembo. 
 
 Buffalo, njati. 
 
 Bug, ngiinguni. 
 
 Bull, ng'ombe ja ndume ; apt 
 to cover, ng'ombe jua mko- 
 mbalcu. 
 
 Bullet, chipolopolo, pi. ipolopo- 
 lo. 
 
 Bundle, litita, pi. matita. 
 
 Burden, mtambala, pi. mita- 
 mbalu; a bundle of things 
 tied together, mungu, pi. 
 miungu ; a regularly made 
 up package, mtumba, pi. ?«/- 
 tumba ; carried one before 
 and one behind on a pole, 
 ja mlwinga ; tied to a pole 
 between two men (like a 
 corpse), ^'a mitembo. 
 
 Business, masengo. 
 
 Butterfly, lipuloputwa,\>\. ma- 
 puloputwa. 
 
 Calf, mwanachejua ng'ombe. 
 Calm, imialele ; the waters are 
 
 calm, m e si garni alele. 
 Canoe, lilcuungwa,^\. makuu- 
 
 ngwa; ligalaiva,\>\. magala- 
 
 wa. 
 Cap, chisoti, pi. isoti. 
 Carpenter, asokola matiili (he 
 
 hollows out mortars). 
 Cassava, manangvoa ; one root, 
 
 litepo Ha manangwa. 
 Castor oil, mauta ga mbalika. 
 Cattle, n'gombe. 
 Cause, ligongo; what began it? 
 
 chichi nitanditeje?
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 13 
 
 Caterpillar, Uivungu, pi. ma- 
 te ungu. 
 Cave, mbango ; pit, simbo ; 
 
 hole, mbugu. 
 Centipede, lijclenesya, pi. ma- 
 
 jelenesya. 
 Chaff, masapi. 
 Chain, litambichi, pi. mata- 
 
 mbichi ; the links of a chain, 
 
 ndolo sya litambichi. 
 Chair, chitcngo, pi. itengo. 
 Chameleon, naltvii. 
 Character, 1 urn bile; his charac- 
 ter is widely known, lumbili 
 
 hduuma. 
 Charcoal, makala [ga mtela}. 
 Chatterbox, segwe. 
 Cheating, ulamba ; a cheat, 
 
 mundu jua ulamba. 
 Cheek, on the cheek bone, pan- 
 
 dese ; below the cheek bone, 
 
 lijeje. 
 Cheek bone, ndese. 
 Chest, pamtima ; heart, &c, 
 
 mlima. 
 Chief, achimwene, pi. acha- 
 
 chimwene. 
 Child, m ma » arhe,\A.wanacJie ; 
 
 a newly born child, chi/po- 
 
 ngolelo. 
 Chin, or lower jaw, chimbundi. 
 Claw, cliiJcose, pi. iko.se. 
 Cleft, liluga, pi. maluga. 
 Cloth, nguo ; blue, ehinyo- 
 
 ng'onyo ; homemade, lika- 
 
 mambo ; bark cloth, viati- 
 
 wondo. 
 Clouds, liicund<.\A. mainnide: 
 
 clear sky, Hurunde lia pi- 
 
 I 'y tin. 
 
 Coast, people of the coast, wana- 
 sala ; their language, &c, 
 china sal a. 
 
 Cock, tambala ; comb, luese ; 
 wattles, ndeu, likolomiko. 
 
 Cockroach, mbeu. 
 
 Cocoa nut, lingole, pi. mangole. 
 
 Cold, mbepo. 
 
 Comb, lisamolo, pi. masamolo. 
 
 Companion, ajangu, pi. aeha- 
 jangu;ambosanga, pi. acha- 
 mbosanga. 
 
 Company, a, mnuku. 
 
 Concubine, achakongwe wa 
 mwitengo. 
 
 Conversation, makunguluko. 
 
 Cook, mtelcsi, pi. watelesi. 
 
 Copper, chikungit. 
 
 Cord, lugua ; litgoji. pi. ngoji ; 
 mgoji, pi. migoji ; twisted 
 rope, lukonji. 
 
 Corn : Indian corn, chi/manga, 
 pi. i manga; cob of com, 
 limanga, pi. mamanga; core 
 of the cob, chisonda, pi. 
 isonda ; male flower, suaji; 
 leaves, makwati ; stalks. //'- 
 tindi, pi. matindi ; dry. 
 rnbetu ,• husk, magoolelo. 
 Millet, mapemba ; root, //'- 
 si/nde, p\. masinde ; rootlets, 
 m sapu lo, pi. m isap u lo ,• sten i . 
 nvpesi ; leaves on the stem. 
 t//i/ra/i.\)\. makwati; joints 
 in the stein, mbindi; corn in 
 the ear, ihnnbo ya mape- 
 mba; heads of corn, lisacJie, 
 pi. masache; footstalk of the 
 head, liteti ; stems of a kind 
 of millet chewed like sugar
 
 14 
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 cane, msicaga, pi. miswaga; 
 second year's crop, makolo- 
 tcela (ga mapemba). With 
 a small seed like linseed, 
 mswele, msundi, likutwi. 
 With a small round seed and 
 hanging close heads, usanje. 
 See Sice. 
 
 Corner, (?) on the side, ngulu- 
 gulit. 
 
 Corpse, mini, fl.mitui; sewn 
 up in a mat and tied to a 
 pole ready for burial, mte- 
 nibo, pi. mitembo. 
 
 Cotton, litonji. 
 
 Cough, chikosomola. 
 
 Country, chilambo ; the coun- 
 try, mi gun da ; a low wet 
 place fit for rice, lilambo,\A. 
 malambo ; a place near a 
 river fit for millet, matimba. 
 
 Course (of aviver), kui-wanda (?) . 
 
 Cousin, nvwypwa. 
 
 Cover, chioniko, pi. yoniko. 
 
 Cow, ng'ombe j a jikongive, pi. 
 sya ngongwe; having calved, 
 ng'ombe ja mkolo. 
 
 Cowitch, usangu. 
 
 Crack, luga ; cracks made by 
 the sun in dried mud, ufe- 
 leje. 
 
 Craft, malalamuko. 
 
 Credentials, chimanyilo, pi. 
 imanyilo. The chiefs send 
 a slick or a sword as a sign 
 that the message comes from 
 them. One chief has a little 
 axe which lie sends by way 
 of credentials, 
 
 Crest, chinyuzu. 
 
 Crocodile, ngwena, chimala- 
 
 ma si. 
 Crowd, masimano; msuku,\>\. 
 
 misuku. 
 Cry, chisegwe ; screaming, 
 
 chisuu ; shouting, chilulu ; 
 
 cry of birds, tongola. 
 Cubit, mkono (i. e. from the 
 
 point of the elbow to the tip 
 
 of the fingers) ; chilinga 
 
 cha mkono. 
 Cup, ngaligali. 
 Curses, mahceso. 
 Custom (the way people act), 
 
 chilinga cha kutenda wand u. 
 
 Dagger (Arab knife), chipula 
 
 cha Uhisi. 
 Danger, frightening, pakvo- 
 
 goya, mapwelelo. 
 Darkness, chipi. 
 Daughter, mwanache jua 
 
 mkongwe, mwana jua mko- 
 
 ngive. 
 Dawn, kumachelo; before sun- 
 rise, mung'ando wa Una. 
 Day (sun), liua, pi. moa ; all 
 
 day, musi tetetete totolo ; 
 
 morning, kundaivi ; noon. 
 
 musi, liaa pavhanya mtiri ; 
 
 evening, ligulo ; sunset, li- 
 
 gulo 'mnope. 
 Death, Jcuuwa. 
 Debt, m agon go, ma gam bo. 
 Derision, uwilo, chipongwe. 
 
 chanache. 
 Desert (all sand), msangasa- 
 
 nga/pe; dry place, mkitliku- 
 
 lipe. 
 Devil, lisoka, pi. masoka,
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 15 
 
 lisimu (?) ; place for offer- 
 ings, pamzimu. 
 
 Dew, mangame. 
 
 Dinner, chakulia clia musi. 
 
 Dirt : much dirt, litaka, pi. 
 mataka ; dust, husks, &c, 
 chiswani, pi. iswani ; mud, 
 litope, pi. matope ; grime 
 on a pot, licliile ; -what is 
 rubbed from a man's back 
 after bathing, likaku. 
 
 Disease, ilwele. 
 
 Disgrace (shame), mchesela. 
 
 Dish, chiselo. 
 
 Dog, 'mbivct; (little), kaiva, 
 pi. tuwa ; wild dog, likuli, 
 pi. makiili. 
 
 Door, litanga, pi. matanga ; 
 cliitanga, pi. itanga ; little 
 door at the back of the 
 house, chitupa. 
 
 Dove, m/mos / pigeon, ngunda. 
 
 Dream, masagamilo. 
 
 Dregs, luscnga, pi. senga ; 
 ehiJcoho, pi. ikoko. 
 
 Drop, ndondiva ; lindondwa, 
 pi. madondwa. 
 
 Drum, ngoma. Kinds of drums 
 and drumming, likunda, 
 msondo, chinganga ; used 
 for war, lilombe; held in 
 the hand against the breast, 
 michomo; small drums beaten 
 quickly, chimininga. 
 
 Drunkard, akolwa. 
 
 Dry-place, mkvli. 
 
 Dunghill, chitutu. 
 
 Dust, lllHllihl. 
 
 D\v&r£,juamji])i, mundu jita- 
 kuil'da ; shortness, (?) uipi. 
 
 Dwelling, pakutama; a former 
 place of residence, masami ; 
 site of an abandoned house, 
 liundu. 
 
 Ear, lipilikanyilo, pi. ma/pili- 
 kanyilo. 
 
 Earring, ndolo sya mapili- 
 kanyilo ; hole for earring, 
 ndolola, apowele. 
 
 Earth, chilambo, litaka. 
 
 Earthquake, matetemelo ga 
 chilambo. 
 
 Earthen pots : cooking pot, 
 chiteleko, pi. iteleko; large 
 pot for making beer, litele- 
 ko, pi. mateleko ; liwiga, 
 pi. mawiga; chiwiga (cha 
 ku teJechela); small, luu- 
 lugo ; water jar, lulu. 
 
 East, kulikutioka liua. 
 
 Eboii}'-, mpingo. 
 
 Echo, ma/oice. 
 
 Egg, lijele, pi. majele ; liiida- 
 nda ,\>\.ma)idanda ; liwumbi, 
 pi. mawumbi. 
 
 Eggshell, makombwa. 
 
 Elbow (point of the elbow), 
 cliingongoli. 
 
 Elephant, ndembo ; elephant's 
 tusks (in the interior), meno 
 ga ndembo; (on the const) 
 liwengwa, pi. ma/wengwa. 
 
 End, mbesi, pambesi ; (point), 
 lusonga, pi. songa. 
 
 Enemy, jua kukatima ulti- 
 ma. 
 
 Error, makoso. 
 
 Euphorbia, mtntit. pi. mitittit; 
 ngachi, a kind used as a fish 
 
 C 2
 
 10 
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 poison, ngwese ; its milky 
 
 sap, utombo. 
 Evening, 1/gulo. 
 Excrement, manyi. 
 Eye, liso, pi. meso ; eye-brows, 
 
 gwimbi; eye-lids, lukope, 
 
 pi. ngope. 
 
 Face, kumeso. 
 Famine, sala. 
 Fan, kapepclo, pi. twapepelo ; 
 
 ehipepelelo, pi. ipepelelo ; 
 
 lupepelo, pi. mbepelo. 
 Farewells, malangano. 
 Fat, mauta. 
 Father, atati, wese; father, or 
 
 son-in-law, ale we. 
 Fatigue, usahaliu. 
 Faults, maJeoso, maliwalo. 
 Feast : a gathering of people 
 
 to work and feast afterwards, 
 
 cliijao; gathering for dances, 
 
 lihwata, chindimba, mda- 
 
 langa. 
 Feathers, ling'&mba, pi. ma- 
 
 ng'omba; long feathers, 11- 
 
 ndeng'a, pi. mandenga. 
 Feebleness, ulepetala. 
 Fence, lutenje, pi. ndenje. 
 Fever : the body is fevered, 
 
 pachiilu pakundvpuka ; 
 
 pain in the chest, liwndika. 
 Field, mgwnda, pi. migunda. 
 
 See Country. 
 Fight, mamenyano. 
 Figure, mating a. 
 Finger, chain, pi. yala. 
 Fins, mapapilo. 
 Fire, moto, pi. mioto ; fire-flies, 
 
 chinyetanyeta, pi. inyeta- 
 
 nyeta ; tire place, chisisa ; 
 stones on which the pot is 
 placed, maiga, sing, liiga. 
 
 Firewood, thin, lusasu, pi. 
 sasu ; large, htngwi, pi. 
 nr/wi. 
 
 Fist, lisua, pi. masua. 
 
 Fish, somba ; fishes' tail, Zmw- 
 pule. 
 
 Fisherman, mloposya somba ; 
 net fisher, miv/tta somba. 
 
 Fish-trap, dema ; fishing-line, 
 lukonji ; float, lutela. 
 
 Flag, msati. 
 
 Flame, lilamba. 
 
 Flea, lutitili, pi. nditili. 
 
 Flesh, nyama. 
 
 Flour, utandi, (!) idutu. 
 
 Flower, lutua, pi. ndua. 
 
 Fly, membe ; a small trouble- 
 some sort of fly, chisugu- 
 sugu. 
 
 Foam, linlo. 
 
 ¥og,lipi< ndugtilu ,dendambim '. 
 
 Food, chakulia, pi. yakulia ; 
 rations, mjomalilo; food put 
 away after being made ready 
 to cook, mbiko; food put away 
 after being cooked, lipolwe} 
 a ball of food made ready to 
 put in the mouth, kapamtt. 
 
 Foot, likongolo, pi. mako- 
 ngolo; sole of the foot, likao, 
 pi. makao; footprint, lusajo, 
 p"l. sajo. 
 
 Force, maehili, 
 
 Ford, chiko, pachiko. 
 
 Foreigner, mlendo, pi. walcndo; 
 alendo, pi. achalendo. 
 
 Forehead, pa tisyo.
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 17 
 
 Forest, msitu; jungle, likonde^ 
 
 pi. makonde; desert, mseso. 
 Fortune, upili. 
 Foundations, lukolome ; holes 
 
 for hut-poles, lisimbo, pi. 
 
 masimbo. 
 Fountain, spring, pagati- 
 
 mbwiche mesi, pagakuto- 
 
 kota mesi. 
 Fowls, nguku. 
 Fowl-house, chitundu cha 
 
 nguku. 
 Freedom, ulukosyo. 
 Friend, amhosanga, pi. achcx- 
 
 nibosanga. 
 Friendship, uganja. 
 Frog, nasonda ; liula i y>\.mola. 
 Froth, liulo. 
 Fruit, litunda, pi. matunda ; 
 
 a fruit like mangoes, lisuku, 
 
 pi. masuku; a fruit like a 
 
 large damson, luuu, pi. uu; 
 
 (?) ngana. 
 Furniture, ilingo ; sing, cld- 
 
 lingo. 
 
 Gall, nyonga. 
 
 Gazelle, kapawala, pi. tupa- 
 
 wala. 
 General, jua mkulungica jua 
 
 ngondo. 
 Germ, ndwelo, mhegu. 
 Giddiness, chisiwngusiungu. 
 Gift, Jitulu, pi. matulu. 
 Girdle. See Belt. 
 Girl, mwesijana ; atnwali, pi. 
 
 achamwali. 
 Gizzard, ndulumba. 
 Glass, kalilole; kachilole. 
 Glutton, mnyelo. 
 
 Gnat, mosquito, jewjeyn a . 
 
 Goat, inbusi. 
 
 God, Mulungu. 
 
 Gold, n da J a ma sya njejeu. 
 
 Goodness, wambone. 
 
 Gourd : a gourd used as a ladle, 
 liuugu, pi. mongit; tastes 
 like a vegetahle marrow, 
 liiingu mbondo ; large 
 gourd, litagalala, pi. ma- 
 tagalala; a small gourd used 
 to carry oil, kisasi ; water 
 melon, litikiti, pi. matikiti; 
 eaten raw like a cucumher, 
 litangwa pi. matangwa. 
 
 Grain, songolo ; cleaned grain, 
 msokolo. 
 
 Grandchild, msukitlu. 
 
 Grandfather or Grandmother, 
 ambuji. 
 
 Grass, linyasi, pi. manyasi ,• 
 a blade of grass, ukttsipuka. 
 
 Grasshopper, litete, pi. matete; 
 chitete, pi. itete. 
 
 Grave, lilembe, pi. malembt .• 
 a sound heard about graves. 
 (?) liicuta or chiwitta. 
 
 Gravy, msusi. 
 
 Greatness, wkwlungwa. 
 
 Greediness, litama. 
 
 Grief, lukumbuchilo. 
 
 Ground nuts, mtcsa ; a hard 
 sort, njama or sugu. 
 
 Guard, mlindilile, pi. voali- 
 ndilile. 
 
 Guest, mlendo, pi. tcalendo ; 
 alendo, pi. achalendo. 
 
 Guide, jua kulongohla. 
 
 Guinea fowl, chikolola, pi. 
 ikolula. 
 
 3
 
 18 
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 Gun, uti; barrel, mtutit ; ham- 
 mer, ukunje ; screw, (?) fas- 
 tens all toget\\ev,chisou; pan, 
 pa mbeko ; lid of pan, pa 
 cliikombe ; ramrod, /»/.'o- 
 se/o ; muzzle, pakamwa ; 
 stock, lipondo ; trigger, 
 mtambo ; touch-hole, pa 
 uucisya; spring, mikunje; 
 Hint, liganga lia uti. 
 
 Gunpowder, uonga. 
 
 (Jut, litumbo, pi. matumbo ; 
 chitumbo, pi. itumbo. 
 
 Gutter, lukoloma. 
 
 Hail, ulaja maganga. 
 
 Hair, umbo; one hair, luumbo; 
 white hair, uw£«. 
 
 Half: two halves or pieces of 
 cloth, mbande siwili ; two 
 pieces of pumpkin,wood,&c, 
 nyale siwili; to cut in half, 
 kukang'anda chalumope. 
 
 Halting-place : without water, 
 chilandamlima ; without 
 tire, mchisima. 
 
 Hammer, nyundu. 
 
 Hand, mkono, pi. mikono ; 
 palm of hand, ligasa, pi. 
 magasa ; left hand, mkono 
 wa Tcu mchiji ; right hand, 
 mkono wa mlilo, chilume 
 or mdio. 
 
 Handful, in the palm, mwigasa. 
 
 Handle, mpini, pi. niipini; 
 chipini, pi. ipini. 
 
 Hare, (?) rabbit, sungida, chi- 
 S idi gul 'a. 
 
 1 1 arp, chindang'anda. 
 
 Harvest, mauno. 
 
 Hawk, mwewa ; has a red 
 
 throat, cJiiinbanga. 
 Head, 'mtice, pi. mitwe. 
 Health, umi, chiwela. 
 Heap, liunjile, pi. maunjile ; 
 
 lusungu, pi. sungu. 
 Heai - t, mtiuuf. 
 Heat, rao/o, chitiikuta. 
 Heaven, liwunde, kuinane ku 
 
 Mulling n. 
 Hedge, lutenje, pi. ndenj'e. 
 Heel, chindende. 
 Hell, you will go to hell, »w- 
 
 Zowi inoto, (to-morrow fire). 
 Hem, of cloth, lujeje. 
 Hen, nguku, ; \a.y'mg hen, 
 
 mkolo ; little chicks, inku- 
 
 /■« foea tuninide. 
 Herd, likumbu, pi. mukumbu. 
 Herdman, mlisya, jua kusa- 
 
 kula mbusi, Sfe. 
 Hill, litumbi, pi. matumbi ; 
 
 katumbi, pi. tutumbi. 
 Hippopotamus, domondo. 
 Hire, mbote. 
 History, chindawi. 
 Hoe, lijela, pi. majela ; large 
 
 hoes with very long handles, 
 
 ligwangwa, pi. magwangwa. 
 Hole, in wood, mbugu, pi. ffli- 
 
 Swyw; in earth, &c. mwisye; 
 
 a hole bored through some- 
 thing, apoicele. 
 Hollow of a tree, mbugu. 
 Honey, «<?/</. 
 Honeycomb, liscga lia nyu- 
 
 clii ; bee's wax, lipula. 
 Hook, chilopo, pi. >7o/w. 
 Hope, makulupalilo. 
 Horn, of oxen, &c, litvengwa,
 
 T,TST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 19 
 
 pi. mawengwa ; of goats, 
 &c, msengo, pi. misengo. 
 
 Horn or trumpet, lipenga, pi. 
 mapenga. 
 
 Hornet, litendeu,]A. matentleu; 
 a hornet that builds on the 
 walls with clay, nalugumho. 
 
 Horse, mbalasi. 
 
 House, nyurnba ; large, liko- 
 me, pi. makome ; a house 
 where a person has died (the 
 word is used as an oath), 
 liuc/ia; a place where a 
 house formerly stood, liu- 
 ndu ; storehouse for grain, 
 ngokice. 
 
 Hump, nyvmdv.. 
 
 Hunger, sola. 
 
 Hunter, msakula, pi. wasaku- 
 la ; one who uses a gun, 
 mlumba, pi. ivalumba. 
 
 Hurry, msanget. 
 
 Husband or Wife, asono. 
 
 Husk, likoa, pi. makoa. 
 
 Hut, kajumba, pi. tujumba ; 
 hut to scare birds from, chi- 
 lindo, pi. ilindo. 
 
 Hysena, litunu, pi. matunu; 
 litunungu, pi. matunitngu. 
 
 Hypocrite, mnami, pi. wanami. 
 
 Idleness, ulesi, usakaliu ; fee- 
 bleness, ulepetala. 
 
 Indian corn, chimanga. See 
 Com. 
 
 Information, malulo ; what 
 news? nil malulo ? 
 
 Insect : small black insect, 
 comes out in great numbers, 
 
 eats cloth, and every thing, 
 mbamba ; like a grasshopper, 
 but very small, ticks like a 
 clock, chijoso. 
 
 Intelligence, mate, malango. 
 
 Iron, chisiano ; ore, maganga 
 ga ku cliipala ; smelting' 
 furnace, pakujenjela. 
 
 Itch, v/pele. 
 
 Ivory, meno ga ndembo, ma- 
 wengwa. 
 
 Jack fruit, liaja, pi. maja. 
 
 Jar for water, luulo. 
 
 Jaw, chimbundi. 
 
 Jealousy, uwiuu. 
 
 Joint, mbindi, pi. mibindi; 
 
 ehisukusuku, pi. isukusuku. 
 Joke, uioilo ; chanuclie, pi. 
 
 yanaclie. 
 Journe3 r , ulendo. 
 Judgment, mapokolanyo. 
 Justice: goodness, voambone; 
 
 decision, magambo ; he Las 
 
 done equitably, alinganisye. 
 
 Kernel, htsongolo, pi. songolo. 
 
 Key, luugulilo, pi. ugulilo. 
 
 Kick, liehese, pi. maeliese. 
 
 Kidney, htsongolo, pi. songolo 
 (sya nyama). 
 
 Kilwa, Chiwinji. 
 
 Kind is expressed by o///- pre- 
 fixed to the name of the 
 sort, as the l"«o sort, ehiyao; 
 the coast sort, chinasala ; 
 of different kinds, /we /«<y;< 
 )/c( hie iiupc; what sort is 
 it? uli palH 
 
 King, asiene chilambo; aehi-
 
 20 
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 mwene, pi. achacMmwene ; 
 
 juamtenga ; chezumbe (not 
 used in the interior). 
 
 Kingdom, uchimwene. 
 
 Knee, lilungo, pi. malungo. 
 
 Knife, chipula, pi. ipula; a 
 small sort of knife, chimaje; 
 handle, chipini; blade, eld- 
 siano ; slieath, llgonelo. 
 
 Knot, chvwndo, pi. iundo. 
 
 Labour, masengo. 
 
 Ladle (made of a sort of gourd 
 
 which grows with a natural 
 
 handle), mgcco; the part used 
 
 as a handle, lukonga hva 
 
 mgao ; fiat, msomelo, pi. 
 
 misomelo ; c//ikoi,]A. ikoi. 
 Lair (place where a beast has 
 
 lain or rolled), liundo, pi. 
 
 mondo. 
 Lake, litanda, pi. matanda ; 
 
 at the lake, petanda. 
 Lamb, mwanacheja ngondolo. 
 Lamp, lumuli. 
 Land, chilambo. 
 Language, <•///' welecheto, maice- 
 
 lecheto. 
 Laugh, chiseho ; one who 
 
 laughs at every thing, chi- 
 
 gwagwa. 
 Lead, liwelo. 
 
 Leaf, lisamba, pi. masamba. 
 Leak, pamsululv. ; leaking 
 
 place, msulnlu. 
 Lean-to. ///pout, pi. mbenn ; 
 
 lipenu, pi. mapenv,. 
 Leather. See Skin. 
 Leg (from the knee to the toes), 
 
 likongolo, pi. maJcongolo, 
 
 Leisure (privacy), mtemela. 
 
 Length, uleu. 
 
 Leopard, cJiisui. 
 
 Leprosy, mawalanga; a break- 
 ing out into sores, lindaka. 
 
 Liar, mnami, pi. tvanami, 
 akwete unami. 
 
 Lice, rtjipi; small lice in fowls. 
 luulayili, pi. ulayili. 
 
 Lid, chiwoniko, cha ku oni- 
 chila. 
 
 Lie, unami, nami. 
 
 Life, mtundu ( p ). 
 
 Light : light-holes, mbelete. 
 
 Lightning, njasi ; lightning 
 which rends trees, &c, njasi 
 chikwwaluld ; which strikes 
 the ground, njasi past. 
 
 Lime, swakala. 
 
 Limit, mpika, pi. mipika; 
 this man's boundary and 
 mine are the same, i.e. our 
 land adjoins, mpika tea 
 uoawa na wangune chalu- 
 mope. 
 
 Lion, lisimba, pi. masimba; a 
 small round thing taken 
 from a lion and reputed a 
 charm against them, njilisi 
 ya lisimba. 
 
 Lip, lujemo, pi. njemo; upper, 
 lua pa chanya, or lu pena- 
 ni ; lower, lua pasi, or lu 
 past. 
 
 Lip-ring, chingwengwa, c/ti- 
 wesa ; hole for it in the 
 upper lip, lupelele. 
 
 Liver, litoga, pi. ma toga. 
 
 Lizard, chigiclukwandaj large, 
 mbulukwanda , large marsh
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 21 
 
 reptile, sagata ; large land 
 
 reptile, iig'ondwa ; mpopo ; 
 
 ehinyese, pi. inyese. 
 Load, mtambala, pi. mita- 
 
 mbala. 
 Loins, 'mchiuno. 
 Lcoking-glass: small round, 
 
 kalilole. 
 Louse. See Lice. 
 Love, manenyelo. 
 Lumps (as in bad flour), ma- 
 
 pitlua ; the flour has gone 
 
 lumpy, utandi utesile ma- 
 
 pulua. 
 
 Madness, masoJca (devils). 
 
 Maggots, mbi.su. 
 
 Maiden, amwali, ckemwali, 
 
 msijana. See Virgin. 
 Malice, ukomu, icwanga. 
 Man, mundii, pi. wundu ; mu- 
 
 ndu jua mlume, pi. wandu 
 
 tva wain me. 
 Mangoe, bembu ; a similar 
 
 fruit, lisuku, pi. masuhu. 
 Manure, mai. 
 Marriage, kulombela; cry of 
 
 joy at a wedding, Jculu- 
 
 luta. 
 Mark, chimanyilo. 
 Marrow, uongo tea maupa. 
 Master, ambuje. 
 Mat, ill Hi ; straw for mat- 
 making, lifete. 
 Meal, chahulia. 
 Meaning, mwenemu. 
 Measure, chahulinjila. 
 Mediator, ^'wa hi chenjelela. 
 Medicine, mtela, pi. mitela ; 
 
 ckilagu,jA. ilagu; medicine- 
 man, jua mtela. 
 
 Meekness, malenjelo. 
 
 Merchandize, maluchu. 
 
 Merriment, eh iseJco. 
 
 Middle, Icati, kisikati. 
 
 Midnight, pahati chilo. 
 
 Midwife, jua humelel-esya. 
 
 Milk, lihama ; curdled milk, 
 mawele ga majiu. 
 
 Mill: lower stone, liganga Ha 
 kii siajila; upper stone, 
 ngasija ku siajila. 
 
 Millepede, lijongolo, pi. ma- 
 jongolo. 
 
 Millet, mapemba ; one grain, 
 lipemba. 
 
 Mind: heart, mtima '; under- 
 standing, malango. 
 
 Mire, litupe ; much mire, ma- 
 tope. 
 
 Mist, lipundiigulu. 
 
 Mocker, (a man who hears 
 what you say and goes and 
 makes fun of it to others), 
 chigwagwa. 
 
 Mockery, uirilo. 
 
 Modesty, suni. 
 
 Mole (?) uulco. 
 
 Monkey, chitumbili ; ape, li- 
 jani, pi. majaiii, nyani ; 
 tame monkeys (it is said 
 they will run away wild 
 again if they are called 
 nyani), mungo. 
 Month, mwesi, pi. miesi; next 
 month, mwesi utuonecheu ; 
 last month, mwesi wa liso ,- 
 month before last, mwesi wa 
 lijusi.
 
 22 
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 Moon, mtoesi ; full moon, 
 mwesi utesile litinnba; new 
 moon, mwesi uoneche mpela 
 Ivmganje (rind of sugar-cane). 
 
 Moonlight, luwesi ; the moon 
 shines very brightly, luwesi 
 lukulanguka mnope. 
 
 Morning, kundawi. 
 
 Morsel (a little), ehinandipe ; 
 a morsel of food ready to put 
 into the mouth, Icapamu. 
 
 Mortar (for cleaning grain), 
 lituli, pi. matuli. 
 
 Mosquito, jenjem a . 
 
 Moth, chisolokoto (?). 
 
 Mother, of children, amao ; 
 of a grown-up man, kusyeto- 
 kula ; my mother, amao 
 wangu; his mother, achiku- 
 lugwe. 
 
 Motion (play), ng'ando. 
 
 Mouldiness, itkutu. 
 
 Mountain, licJienje, pi. ma- 
 ehenje. 
 
 Mouse, kakoswe. See Sat. 
 
 Mouth, kamica ; pakamwa. 
 
 Mud, matope. 
 
 Murderer, muulaji. 
 
 Musical instruments : horn, 
 lipenga, pi. mapenga ; accor- 
 dion (tongues of iron played 
 by vibration), lulimba; pipe, 
 chimbeta, pi. imbeta. See 
 Drum. 
 
 Nail (of fingers), chikalawesa, 
 pi. ikalawesa; dead part, 
 claw, ngo.se, chikose, pi. 
 ikose ; of iron, mchililo, pi. 
 michililo. 
 
 Name, Una, pi. mena ; tell me 
 your name, mdulile Una 
 lie nu. 
 
 Nation, lukosyo. 
 
 Nature, lupinga, cJiipinga. 
 
 Navel, chisou, pi. isou. 
 
 Neck, lukosi, pi. ngosi. 
 
 Needle, slngano; large, to sew 
 mats with, kasinje ; very 
 small, kasingani, pi. tusi- 
 ngani; needle made of bam- 
 boo, chilowa. pi. ilowa. 
 
 Neighbour, achaajetu ; he 
 lived at our place, atemi 
 mwangwetu; living near us, 
 xduwanclikene. 
 
 Nephew, mwipwa; my nephew, 
 mwipwangu ; his or their 
 nephew, mwipagwao. 
 
 Net, luaou ; to catch gazelles, 
 likoka. 
 
 News : what news ? uli kwe- 
 leko. 
 
 Night, ehilo; nightfall, totolo; 
 midnight, pakati chilo ; all 
 night, yijenjenjengwe. 
 
 Noise, Usegtve, pi. masegwe, 
 chisegwe, pi. isegwe ; loicego, 
 pi. malowego ; what is that 
 noise about? malowego ga 
 chichi galego ? 
 
 Noon, nutusi ; Una pachanya 
 'mtwe. 
 
 Noose, kisiiipulilo; a trap to 
 catch birds with a noose, 
 kit a tea. 
 
 North, mapwene. 
 
 Nose, lupula, pi. mbida. 
 
 Nostril, mbengo mupula, 
 mbiajn iva lupula.
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 23 
 
 Nourishment, yakulia. 
 Nucleus, lisongolo, pi. maso- 
 
 ngolo. 
 Number, mawalango. 
 
 Oath, chilapo, pi. ilapo ; cus- 
 tomary oaths : a strong 
 affirmation, soto liuclia ; 
 at the graves, kumalemhe ; 
 by the death and burial of 
 my father, kuakuwwa age- 
 nda atati akumsito. 
 
 Oil, mauta. 
 
 Ointment, mauta ga mtela. 
 
 Ordeal, ckisangwa ; a stone 
 which is boiled in a pot, 
 innocent people can touch 
 it, a thief is scalded, mtela 
 wa ckisangwa. 
 
 Origin (where it formerly be- 
 gan) mwichatanduicilile ka- 
 tasipc. 
 
 Ornament, ukoto. 
 
 Orphan, juawina, pi. wawina. 
 
 Ox, ng'ombe. 
 
 Owl, liundi, pi. maundi. 
 
 Pain, kupeteka. 
 
 Palm of the hand, ligasa, pi. 
 
 magasa ; chigasa, pi. igasa. 
 Paper, likarata. 
 Pardon, ulechelo. 
 Parent, jua kit welelca. 
 Parrot, ngwalu, ngwesi. 
 Part, lipungu, pi. mapiuujv. 
 Patch, chigamba, pi. igamba. 
 Path, litala ; a newly opened 
 
 path, litala lia liana. 
 
 Pebble, salawi. 
 
 Peel (of fruit,) UTcoa, pi. 
 
 makoa. 
 People, wandu. 
 Pepper (red), sopola. 
 Perspiration, cliitukuta. 
 Pestle, mwisi, pi. miisi. 
 Piece, chiwisya ; a piece of 
 
 wood, kitela ; a splinter or 
 
 a piece taken oft" by an adze, 
 
 ehipalawandu. 
 Pig, ligolule, pi. magolule ; 
 
 likuluwe, pi. makuluwe; 
 
 wild pig (with large tusks), 
 
 mbango ; lives in marshes, 
 
 ngungusi. 
 Pigeon, ngunda. 
 Pillow (generalh' of wood), 
 
 insamilo, pi. misamilo. 
 Pimple, upele, kapele, pi. tu- 
 
 pele ; a sort of small, pain- 
 ful eruption, chisungupete. 
 Pipe, chilongo (c/ia kit utila 
 
 sona) ; flute of reeds, chi- 
 
 mbeta, pi. imbeta. 
 Pit, Jisimbo, pi. masimho ; a 
 
 muddy hollow, litimba. 
 Pith, ututu. 
 Pity, chanasa. 
 Place, paniju. 
 Plant : offshoot, young plant 
 
 v of bananas, makulowelo ; 
 
 young plant of mtama or 
 
 rice, songa. 
 Point, lisonga, pi. masonga. 
 Poison, m wayi ; charm to 
 
 cause death, Iwasi; poison 
 
 upon an arrow, iisungu. 
 Porch, lumsisi, pi. msisi : 
 
 seat outside the house,
 
 24 
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 panganya; under the eaves, 
 which are very long, Jcuwesi. 
 
 Porcupine, ndinu. 
 
 Porridge (of grain), ugali; 
 like arrowroot, made of dried 
 casava root, mtandasya. 
 
 Purler : in a caravan, jua hit- 
 jigala ; one who carries, 
 jua In lalika; one who car- 
 ries for, mj "ige't 'e,\)\.iva/ '/ 'gel 'e . 
 
 Possession, chipanje, pi. vpanje. 
 
 Post (of a house), lusichi, pi. 
 sichi. 
 
 Potsherd, cJrijonjo, pi. ijonjo ; 
 small, chijesya, pi. ijesya. 
 
 Potter, jua hu gumba iwiga, 
 mgumba iwiga. 
 
 Powder, utcmdi ; mere dust, 
 utanditandipe; gunpowder, 
 uonga. 
 
 Powder-horn, liwengwa, pi. 
 mawengwa. 
 
 Power, machili. 
 
 Praise, lumbili. 
 
 Prayer, majugo. 
 
 i 'resent, matulu, mbiho. 
 
 Prison, pandu pa kutau-a : 
 wooden collar, likongwa. 
 
 Privates (?), unyago wa nda- 
 gala (?), unyago wa chi- 
 putit (?). 
 
 Profit, upili. 
 
 Prudence, chilingo, pi. /lingo. 
 
 Pumpkin. See Gourd. 
 
 Quarrel, ngondo. 
 Question, mausyo. 
 Quiver, chikopa, pi, ikopa, 
 ndumba. 
 
 Rag, cliitambula, pi. ilambala, 
 Jcatambala, pi. tutambala ; 
 a worn out little bit of cloth, 
 Tcaguo ha kawisaga. 
 
 Pain, ula ; it sprinkles with 
 rain, ula jikununya ; there 
 is a driving mist, ula jihu- 
 lununyunda. 
 
 Rainbow, uktmjewaMulungu. 
 
 Rat, likoswe, pi. malcoswe ; 
 liindo, pi. maindo ; lipu- 
 kuu,j>\. mapukuu; lipanya, 
 pi. mapanya. 
 
 Rations, ngomaUlo. 
 
 Rattle, lisewe, pi. masewe .- 
 lusanji, pi. sanji, made by 
 putting small stones in a 
 gourd, or dry seeds in a cala- 
 bash. 
 
 Rays (of light), yala. 
 
 Razor, lunula, pi. meta; lv- 
 Jcwangulu, pi. ngwangulu. 
 
 Reason (understanding), ma- 
 Jan go ; cause, ligongo. 
 
 Red pepper, sopola. 
 
 Refuge, /rwi/ huutuchila. 
 
 Remedy, chilabu, pi. ilabu ; 
 mtela, pi. mitela. 
 
 Restlessness, maulukutu. 
 
 Rhinoceros, mbela. 
 
 Rib, lumbalati, pi mix/lad. 
 
 Rice, mpunga ; cleaned, mso- 
 /,n/n; cooked, insclc; rice 
 straw, masuani ga mpunga; 
 rice water, chitiwi cha 
 msokolo. 
 
 Ping, sapuli. 
 
 River, lusulo, sulo ; mlusvlo; 
 pi. milusulo; large, lujenda, 
 jA.jenda.
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 £5 
 
 Road, likondo ; way, path, 
 litala ; on the road, petala; 
 cross-roads, pamalikano. 
 
 Robber, juakusombola. 
 
 Rock, Iwala ; lilwala, pi. ma- 
 hoala. 
 
 Roof, chipagala, pi. ipagala. 
 
 Room, nyumba, kajumba ; 
 space, liuto. 
 
 Root, likolo, pi. makolo ; root- 
 lets, mchiga, pi. michiga. 
 
 Rope, lugoji, pi. ngoji; mgoji, 
 pi. migoji ; lukonji. 
 
 Ruddle, ngama. 
 
 Rumbling sound, masionga. 
 
 Rust, lukutu. 
 
 Sale, masumo, masulimo. 
 
 Salt, w/We. 
 
 Sand, msanga. 
 
 Sandfly, chipukusu, pi. ip«- 
 
 Sap (if milky), utomongo; if 
 watery, mesi. 
 
 Saviour : (deliverer, one who 
 takes away) mtiosya ; (one 
 who makes well), mlamisya. 
 
 Scales scraped off a fish, mapa- 
 lawandu. 
 
 Scar, liwasi, pi. mawasi ; 
 liwanga lia kala. 
 
 Scents, manunjilo ; a wood 
 scraped and used as a scent, 
 mknngusa ; a marsh plant 
 whose stems are worn round 
 tbe neck for their scent, 
 mboka ; a scented root, 
 chilwngu. 
 
 Scorpion, lives in rotten wood. 
 kalise, pi. tulise ; larger, 
 
 and lives in holes in the 
 ground, Ukalambu, pi. ma- 
 kalambu. 
 
 Scraps (left after eating), 
 malepelo. 
 
 Scull, ehikalakasa, pi. ikala- 
 kasa. 
 
 Scum, chiulu, liulu. 
 
 Scurvy ( ? ), mang'ungutu. 
 
 Seam, mtoto ; without seam, 
 ngali mtoto. 
 
 Season: rainy season, chukit ; 
 cool season, masika ; norther- 
 ly winds, chau. A descrip- 
 tion of the year — northerly 
 winds about December, 
 chau; neartherains, pamtu- 
 lo ; beginning of the rains, 
 chuku cha kutanda ; now 
 hoeing, sambano kwpalila ; 
 earing, itumbo ; we have 
 tasted the new corn, tidi~ 
 mbwic/ie ; reaping, kutume- 
 nyene ; putting in the store- 
 house, kututaje mgokwe ; 
 time to eat corn, masika ga 
 kulamapemba; then chau; 
 the year is ended, chaka 
 kimasile. 
 
 Seat, chitengo, pi. itengo ; 
 mtamilo, pi. mitamiJo ; seat 
 outside a house, panganya. 
 
 Secret, mtemela. 
 
 Seed, mbeju ; of water melon, 
 &c, ndtvelo ; of the gourd 
 eaten raw like cucumber, 
 ndanga. 
 
 Semsem, mkwia. 
 
 Separation (? division), maga- 
 wanyo.
 
 26 
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 Servant, juaTcutum ika. 
 
 Shade, mwilili. 
 
 Shadow, chiwilili. 
 
 Shame, modesty, so«?'; disgrace, 
 
 mcJiesela. 
 Share, lipungu, pi. mapungu. 
 Sheath, ligonelo, pi. magonelo. 
 Sheep, ngondolo. 
 Shelf, ligulu, pi. magulu. 
 Shield, chikopa, pi. ihopa ; 
 
 kakopa,-p\. tulcopa; likopa, 
 
 pi. maJcopa. 
 Shirt, mwinyilo, pi. miinyilo. 
 Shoal, mbanga. 
 Shoot, chisiji, pi. isiji; ujiti, 
 
 lutela ; as in the centre of 
 
 a palm or in grass, sulci. 
 Shore, lisi, mivisi, pasi, 
 
 mbwani. 
 Shoulder, lihoyo, pi. makoyo. 
 Shower, ulajikununya. 
 Sickness, ehilwele, pi. ihvele ; 
 
 nausea, mselu. 
 Side, lupande, pi. mhande. 
 Sieve, basket to sift with, lu- 
 
 peta, pi. mbeta. 
 Silence, manyamalo, chetee. 
 Silver, ndalama (sya stvela). 
 Sister, mlumbu,mlongo. 
 Skewer, luani. 
 Skin, llkombwa, pi. mako- 
 
 mbiva ; skin of crocodiles, 
 
 <kc.,liwanguh<,\)\.mawa)igi(- 
 
 lu ; of men, &c, Ukunami ; 
 
 of leopards, &c, lipende ; 
 
 of snakes, lisegalo ; a cast 
 
 snake skin, ligwagulilo. 
 Sky, liunde, maunde ga mapi- 
 
 lyuu. 
 Slave, mkapolo, pi. wakapolo; 
 
 slave stick, likongwe, pi. 
 makongive ; iron which fas- 
 tens it round the neck, mchi- 
 lilo. 
 
 Slavery, ukapolo. 
 
 Sleep, lugono. 
 
 Slipperiness, utelesya, utiatya. 
 
 Small pox, ndui. 
 
 Smell, manungo ; smell of ani- 
 mal decomposition, cliituuti; 
 smell of burning hairs, chi- 
 wawile. 
 
 Smoke, liosi. 
 
 Snail, likonokono, pi. mako- 
 nokono. 
 
 Snake, 11 j oka, pi. majoka ; 
 great snake,lipili,j>l.mapili; 
 python, satu. 
 
 Snare, made with ropes : for 
 buffaloes, litambula ; for 
 birds, lukonji, pi. ngonji. 
 
 Sneezing, onioisyo. 
 
 Snuff, sona ga kunusi; snuff- 
 box, tabachilo. 
 
 Sole of the foot,Z/#ao,pl. makao. 
 
 Son, mwana, mwanache ; my 
 son, mwanangu ; your son, 
 mwanagwenv. ; his son, 
 mwanagwao. 
 
 Song, hiimbo, pi. ?iimbo. 
 
 Soot, makala ga lijosi ; grime 
 (on a pot), mach'de (ga 
 chiwiga). 
 
 Sore, liwanga, pi. mawanga. 
 
 Sort is expressed by chi- pre- 
 fixed to the name of the 
 sort. Nyumba sya clii- 
 n asa la, house of the sort built 
 on the coast. 
 
 Soul (?), mtima, malango.
 
 LIST OP SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 •27 
 
 Sound, lilowe. 
 
 Source, lilambo (/), mkuli(l). 
 
 South, chamchitipa. 
 
 Space: place, pandit; open 
 space of ground, palangwi- 
 ehe; light, clear space, li- 
 langa; space, opportunity, 
 room, liuto. 
 
 Spear, lipanga, pi. mapanga ; 
 shaft, ngongo; small cutting 
 blade, mpalilo, pi. mipalilo. 
 
 Spider, . nyangata ; spider's 
 web, liridandambiili, litonji 
 lia lindaiidambiili; ajump- 
 ing spider which eats white 
 ants, chitopotopo. 
 
 Spittle, mata. 
 
 Spleen, liicandama. 
 
 Spoon, mtiko, pi. mitiJco; large 
 spoon, chikoi, pi. ikoi. 
 
 Stable, Wcolwa (lia ng'ombe). 
 
 Stage, of a journey, malonje- 
 lelo. 
 
 Stains, mawala mawala. 
 
 Stake (sharpened stakes set in 
 traps to kill beasts) , lisonga, 
 pi. masonga. 
 
 Stalk. See Stem. 
 
 Stammering, chimeme. 
 
 Stamping, with the foot, ma- 
 il g any a to. 
 
 Star, ndondwa ; falling star, 
 ndondwa ji jig wile. 
 
 Stem, of millet &c, mpesi, pi. 
 m ipesi. See Com and Stf(( w. 
 
 Steps, maliwato. 
 
 Stick, ngolombe ; a staff, mpu- 
 to ; a switch, kapichi, pi. tu- 
 pichi ; a thin stick, mpicki, 
 pi. mipichi. 
 
 D 
 
 Stockade, luwagala. 
 
 Stomach, lit umbo ; smaller in- 
 testines, tutumbo. 
 
 Stone, liganga, pi. maganga. 
 
 Story, eltindawi, pi. indauoi. 
 
 Stranger, mlendo, pi. walendo. 
 
 Straw, dry, manyassi ga ma- 
 jumu; rice straw, masuani 
 ga mpunga ; one straw, It- 
 suani ; dry stems of millet, 
 maize, etc., mbetu. 
 
 Strap, lukanda, pi. mganda. 
 
 Strength, macliili. 
 
 String, lulionji, lupote; bow 
 string, lusinga, pi. singa. 
 
 Stumps of trees, mirhiga ja 
 mil el a. 
 
 Stuttering, chigugumisi. 
 
 Stye, on the eye, sochela. 
 
 Sugar cane, 'mhingu, pi. mi- 
 lungu; outer skin peeled off 
 before eating, manganji ; 
 one piece, linganji ; what 
 is spit out after chewing 
 (trash), ikambilo (one piece, 
 chikambilo) ya milungn. 
 
 Sun, Una, (pi. moira, da}'s) ; the 
 sun is rising, liua HJcutio- 
 ka ; the sun is setting, liua 
 likuswa. 
 
 Supper, yahuZia ya ligulo. 
 
 Suture, mtoto, pi. mitoto. 
 
 Sweat, ehituluta. 
 
 Sweet potatoes, mbatata ; 
 raised bed for planting sweet 
 potatoes, litutu, pi. matutu. 
 
 Swelling, maimbo; paimbile. 
 
 Sword : straight Arab sword, 
 lupanga, pi. mbanga ; 
 curved Arab sword, mkalo,
 
 28 
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 pi. mikalo; sword like knife, 
 chipula cha lupanga ; han- 
 dle, mpini, pi. mipini ; chi- 
 pini, pi. ipini ; scabbard, li- 
 gonelo, pi. magonelo. 
 
 Tail, mchila, pi. michila ; tail 
 
 of a fish, lusepule Iwa so- 
 
 mba. 
 Tale, chindawi, pi. indawi. 
 Tamarind, ukwesu ; tree, 
 
 mlcwesu, pi. mikwesu. 
 Teacher, mjiganyi. 
 Teaching, majiganyo. 
 Tear (weeping), lisosi, pi. ma- 
 
 sosi. 
 Teeth, lino, pi. meno ; he has 
 
 lost one of his front teeth, 
 
 akwete mbenya. 
 Testicles, liwolodyo. 
 Thatch, masaJcasa (ga nyu- 
 
 mba). 
 Thief, juawii, pi. wawii ; a 
 
 thief who has a medicine to 
 
 prevent people's seeing what 
 
 he is doing, lusemba. 
 Thigh, lichiga,\>\. machiga ; 
 
 chiwalo, pi. iwalo. 
 Thing, chindu, pi. indu. 
 Thirst, njota. 
 Thorn, rtvwiwa, pi. miiira. 
 Thought, mag a nyisyo. 
 Thread, Iv/pota; to sew with. 
 
 hi Icutotela. 
 Throat, likolomiho, pi. maho- 
 
 lomiho ; peholomiho ; wind 
 
 pipe, mtasi wa likolomiho. 
 Throne, chitengo cha aclti- 
 
 >n icene. 
 
 Thumb, or great toe, chala 
 cha chikongo ; chikongo, \A. 
 ikongo. 
 
 Thunder, chihuhwmo, pi. iku- 
 humo. 
 
 Ticks, likupe, pi. makupe; 
 in houses, mbuu ; dog ticks, 
 mbapani. 
 
 Time, makati ; at this time. 
 sai iioi?io. 
 
 Tip, chisonga, pambesi. 
 
 Toad, ligumi, pi. magumi. 
 
 Tobacco, sona. 
 
 To-day, lelo. 
 
 Toe, chala, (cha likongolo),]A. 
 yala. 
 
 To-morrow, malaici ; day after 
 to-morrow, mtondo ; after 
 that, mkucha ; after that. 
 mtondogola ; day still fu- 
 ture, awowo. 
 
 Tongue, lulimi, pi. ndimi; 
 tongues of flame, lilamba. 
 
 Tooth, lino, pi. meno ; 
 grinder, lijengo,\)\. majengo. 
 See Teeth. 
 
 Top, inbesi,linani (?), penani. 
 kuinani. 
 
 Torch, lumuli, pi. mitli. 
 
 Tortoise, ngong'o; water tor- 
 toise, lipxji, pi. mapiiji. 
 
 Town, musi, pi. misi. 
 
 Trade, malonda. 
 
 Tr&der, juakusalila malonda. 
 
 Trap, cliitopole, pi. itopole ; 
 of ropes, lukonji; small 
 made with a calabash, chi- 
 poto ; pitfall, lisimo, pi. 
 inn si did; a large stone which 
 falls, liliwa, pi. maliwa.
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 29 
 
 Travellei", mlendo, pi. lealendo. 
 
 Tribe, lukosyo, pi. ngosyo ; 
 tribal mark, nembo. Tbe 
 Yao mark is two short pa- 
 rallel lines {nembo siwili). 
 
 Troubles, masaicko. 
 
 Trousers, mivenjilo, pi. mie- 
 njilo. 
 
 Trumpet (born), lipenga, pi. 
 mapenga. 
 
 Trunk (of a tree), lisiki, pi. 
 masiki ; fallen, mkungul/t, 
 pi. mikungulu. 
 
 Twig, ndechetu. 
 
 Udder, liwele. 
 
 Uncle, atati wa nandi, lisi- 
 
 ngasi, asiwani. 
 Understanding, malango. 
 Unity, umpepe. 
 Urine, makwesho. 
 Utensil, chilingo, pi. ilingo. 
 
 Vagabond, mtianga ; a run- 
 away, jua kunyenyela. 
 
 Vertebra, chiivisya, pi. iwi- 
 sya ya mgongo. 
 
 Vexation, uchlmwa. 
 
 Virgin, mwali ; juangamicina 
 unyago ; nganaive mukwika 
 mwali hayawo ; icangaina 
 unyago (?). 
 
 Vulture, litumbusi, pi. matu- 
 mbusi. 
 
 Wages, chilongwe, mbote. 
 Waist, chiiviliivili. 
 
 Wall, lipiipa, pi. mapupa. 
 
 Want, masako. 
 
 War, ngondo. 
 
 Warmth, mtukutu, lioto. 
 
 Warrior, chisongolo. 
 
 Wart, stisua. 
 
 Washerman, msaula nguo. 
 
 Water, mesi. 
 
 Water-jar, luulo, pi. nyulo ; 
 large, liulo, pi. maulo. 
 
 Way, litala. 
 
 Wax, lipula. 
 
 Weaver, mgomba likamambo. 
 
 Weeping, chilllo. 
 
 Well, chisima ; stream, lu- 
 sulu. 
 
 West, kulikuswela Una. 
 
 Whetstone, chinolo, pi. inolo; 
 linolelo, pi. manolelo. 
 
 Whirlwind, chlmbunga. 
 
 Whistling, lioisi. 
 
 White ants, ucheche ; luche- 
 clie, pi. njeche ; in the fly- 
 ing stage, mgwimbi. See 
 Anthill. 
 
 Whiteness, uswele. 
 
 Widow, juaivilile. 
 
 Wife, asono. 
 
 Wild overgrown place, mbagu, 
 pi, mibagu. 
 
 Wits, mate. 
 
 Work, masengo. 
 
 Wrinkle, sinia. 
 
 Wrist, kisukusuku (joint). 
 
 Yam, lipeta, pi. mapeta ; liji- 
 
 mbi, pi. majimbi. 
 Yarn, lupota. 
 
 Year, chaka, pi. yaka ; last 
 3
 
 (30 
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 year, chaka chichipitechile; 
 before last, chaka chikala ; 
 ten years ago, chaka. cha- 
 kit mala likumi. 
 Yesterday, liso ; day before, 
 lijusi; day before that, li- 
 jusi a file. 
 
 Youth, msongolo, pi. ivasongo- 
 lo (lad) ; usongolo (age). 
 
 Zanzibar, Mwisi Lunguju. 
 Zebra, mbunda.
 
 ADJECTIVES. 
 
 The general rule in regard to the agreement of Ad- 
 jectives with their Substantives is that they take the 
 same initial syllable, interposing the particle -a with 
 its appropriate initial consonant. Thus -kulungwa, 
 great, becomes — 
 
 I. Mundit jua mkulimgiva, a great man. 
 Wandu wa wakulungwa, great people. 
 
 II. Mfela tva ukulungwa, a great tree. 
 Mitela ja mikulungwa, great trees. 
 
 III. Nyumba ja ngulungwa, a great house. 
 Nyumba sya ngulungwa, great houses. 
 
 IV. Chlndu cha cMkulungwa, a great thing. 
 Inda ya ikidungwa, great things. 
 
 V. Lisimba lia Ukulungwa, a great lion. 
 Masimba ga makulungwa, great lions. 
 
 VI. Lungioi lua lukulungwa, a great piece of tire- 
 wood. 
 Ngici sya ngulungwa, great pieces of fire- 
 wood. 
 
 VII. Kapawala ka kakulungwa, a large gazelle. 
 Tupawala twa lukulungiva, large gazelles. 
 
 VIII. Pandu pa pakulungioa, a great place, or 
 great places.
 
 32 ADJECTIVES. 
 
 The Adjective follows its Substantive : -ose, all, 
 -mpepe, single, and -ue, other, have initial letters 
 varying according" to the rule for Pronouns, and not 
 as Adjectives. 
 
 The regular Adjectives are very few; their places 
 are supplied by the use of Verbs, Substantives, and 
 Adverbs preceded by the particle -a, or by Verbs 
 denoting the possession of such and such qualities.
 
 LIST OF ADJECTIVES. 
 
 Where the Yao word begins with a hyphen the proper initial 
 letters have to be supplied. 
 
 Acute, -a Tcukalamuka. 
 
 Agreeable : to be agreeable, 
 kukotopa ; the house is 
 agi - eeable, nyumba jikuko- 
 topa ; to please, kusalala ; 
 a beautiful house, nyumba 
 ja ngoto. 
 
 Alike, chalume, mating a pe. 
 
 Alive, mjumi, jua chiwela. 
 
 All, -ose ; every one, -ose pe ; 
 wandu wose, mitela jose, 
 indu yose, tupawala twose, 
 masimba gose, ngici syose, 
 nyumba syose, pandu pose. 
 
 Alone, mivakemwake pe, ji- 
 kape. 
 
 Ancient, -a katasipe ; an 
 ancient town, must tea 
 katasipe. 
 
 Bad : (hateful) mchimtca ; 
 not good, juangalumbana ; 
 mundti juavgalumbana ; 
 wandu toangalumbana ; ya- 
 kulia yangalumbana ; ny- 
 umba jangalumbana ; not 
 pleasing, juangasalala ; to 
 be old and worn out, kusa- 
 kala; nyumba jisake/e; 
 
 nyumba sisakele; to go had, 
 kunyakala ; yakulia ya- 
 kunyakala. 
 
 Bare, pe. See Empty, Naked. 
 
 Beautiful, -koto. Mundu jua 
 mkoto ; wandu ica wakoto. 
 Mtela wa ukoto ; mitela ja 
 jikoto. Chindu cha chikoto. 
 Nyumba sya ngoto. Kumoa 
 ku ukoto. To please, kusa- 
 lala ; mundu asalele ; 
 chindu chisalele. 
 
 Black, -pilyuu ; to be black, 
 ku pilila. Mundu jua 
 mpiJyuu, or juakupilila ; 
 wandu wa wapilyuu. 
 Mtela wa mpilyuu ; mi- 
 tela ja mipilyuu. Busi 
 ja mbilyuu ; busi sya mbi- 
 lyuu. Kaanache ka ka- 
 pilyuu ; twanache twa 
 tupilyuu. Lisimba lia 
 lipilyuu ; masimba ga ma- 
 pilyuu. 
 
 Blind: without eyes, jua nga I i 
 mesa; he does not see, jua- 
 ngalola ; his eye is put out, 
 atuswiche. 
 
 Blunt, it does not cut, changa- 
 tema.
 
 ■'A 
 
 LIST OF ADJECTIVES. 
 
 Bold, -a kisongolo, wandw wa 
 kisongolo ; without fear, 
 juangali uoga. 
 
 Born, awelelechwe ; unborn, 
 wangaioelechwa. 
 
 Both, wose wawili, gose ga- 
 wili, Sfc. Sfc 
 
 Broad, cha mchitipa ; how 
 broad is it ? Chitipacho uli 
 chipali ? broad leaves, ma- 
 samba ga makulungioa. 
 
 Cheap : not difficult, changa- 
 nonopa ; if it is cheap we 
 will buy it, if it is dear we 
 will not buy it, ikanonope 
 je kutusume, na inonopaga 
 ngatusuma. 
 
 Clean : white, woswele pe; with- 
 out dirt, wangali iswani; 
 jangali litaka ; to be clean, 
 Icusuejela. 
 
 Clear, to be open, ku uguka ; 
 to be light, kit languJca. 
 
 Clever : he has understanding, 
 jua na malango ; he soon 
 understands, jua ku ma- 
 nyilila ; not to be green, 
 ku kalambuka. 
 
 Cold, mhepo ; it is always cold 
 there in the evening, akoko 
 yose yaha mhepo chilo. 
 
 Considerate// Z'« letijela m tima . 
 
 Content, mt'ima woswele [«'« 
 uswele] ; whatever I have I 
 am content, mungolele mose 
 mt'tma woswele. 
 
 Cowardly, jua uoga. 
 
 Deaf : he hears not, juanga- 
 pilik'ana ; his ears are 
 stopped, gasiwile mapili- 
 Tcany'do. 
 
 Deaf and dumb, wuu. 
 
 Dear, it is hard to get, cha- 
 kunonopa. 
 
 Deceased, ajenda. 
 
 Deep, to go (down) much, ku~ 
 jendesya ; the pit which is 
 dee\),lisi)nbo li liajendesya. 
 
 Deformed, jualemele ; it is 
 not good to laugh at the de- 
 formed, angasalala kuwa- 
 seka walemele ; to be dis- 
 torted, as a limb out of 
 shape, kuindimala ; who 
 has an arm he cannot 
 straighten, juaindimele 
 mkono ; he has no power 
 over his arm, mkono uteme- 
 che. 
 
 Different, jumo jumo ; chimo 
 chimo ; limo limo, Sfc, Sfc. 
 
 Distant, kutaliche, pataliche. 
 Mundujua taliche; nyumba 
 sya taliche. Lisimba lia 
 taliche; masimbaga taliche. 
 
 Double, kuwili; the paper is 
 double, chikalata china 
 kuwili. 
 
 Dry, -jumu ; mtela tea ujumu; 
 chilambo cha chi jumo ; the 
 river has dried and the bed 
 is cracked b} r the sun, lusulo 
 lugasilc; dried meat, nyama 
 ja nyumu ja kicanika na 
 liua. 
 
 Dumb : he speaks not, jua' 
 ngawelecheta ; wuu.
 
 LIST OF ADJECTIVES. 
 
 35 
 
 Each, (one by one), jumo 
 
 jiono, Sfc. 
 Eas}', -a chitema ; work soon 
 
 done, masengo ga chitema ; 
 
 not hard, masengo ganga- 
 
 nonopa. 
 Eloquent, jua kupawelechete- 
 
 sya. 
 Empty (without any thing), 
 
 ngali chindu ; empty water 
 
 jar, luulu luangali chindu; 
 
 empty house, nyumha 
 
 jangali chindu. 
 Equal, chahime, malinga pe; 
 
 to make equal, kutenda 
 
 iyoyo. 
 Every, -ose ; mundu juose ; 
 
 nyumha jose. Whichever it 
 
 shall be: — the man, mundu 
 
 ju tawe juose; the goat, 
 
 mbusi ji tijiive jose ; the 
 
 lion, lisimba li tiliwe Hose. 
 
 Any sort of house, muji- 
 
 tvele nyumha. 
 
 False, falsehood, unami ; 
 false words, mawelecheto 
 ga unami; I will tell no 
 lies (make no falsehood), 
 nga n den de u n a m i. 
 
 Fat, to grow fat (of beasts), 
 kunakana ; (of men) kuji- 
 mhala. 
 
 Female, -kongwc, wandu wa 
 wakongice, mbusi ja jiko- 
 ngwe, or ngongice, mhusi 
 sya ngongice, or sikongwe. 
 A she-hyaena, litunu Ha 
 likongice ; lionesses, masi- 
 mba ga makongive. 
 
 Few, to be few, kunandupa ; 
 the people who followed me 
 were few, wandu wa anga- 
 gwile anandwipe. 
 
 Fierce, fierceness, ukali ; mu- 
 ndu jua ukali; wandu 
 wa ukali; lisimba lia 
 u kali. 
 
 Fine, -koto ; fine houses, nyu- 
 mha sya ngoto. 
 
 Foolish: foolish people, wandu 
 wakulolwela ; to be foolish, 
 kulolwela. 
 
 Free, jua mlukosyo. 
 
 Fresh, -wisi; fresh water, mesi 
 gakusisima ; a new slave, 
 mkapolo jua mivisi ; new 
 rice, mpunga wa uicisi ; a 
 fresh thing, chindu cha chi- 
 wisi; new houses, nyumha 
 sya mbisi ; new millet, 
 mapemha ga maioisi ; raw 
 meat, nyama ja jiwisi, or 
 mbisi, likuta lia liicisi. 
 
 Full: to be full, kugumbala ; 
 the water is up to the top, 
 mesi gagumbele ; it is half- 
 full of water, mesi gali- 
 tika. 
 
 Good, goodness, mbone. Mu- 
 ndu jua mbone; wandu 
 wa mbone. Chindu cha 
 mbone; indu ya mbone. 
 JJpamba tea mbone; ma- 
 ganga ga mbone. Kaana- 
 che ka mbone. To covet 
 is not gcod, kusuka ngati 
 kwambone.
 
 36 
 
 LIST OF ADJECTIVES. 
 
 Gratuitous, (gratis) lulele. In- 
 
 du ya lulele. 
 Great, -kulungwa. See the 
 
 observations prefixed to this 
 
 section. 
 Green, (leaf-colour) upilile wa 
 
 masamba. 
 Grown \va,jua mkulungwa. 
 
 Happy, to be — Ten sachelela, 
 k u litogolela, k u line ny el a . 
 
 Hard, unonono, mtela unono- 
 no, maganga unonono. 
 
 Harmless : who does nothing, 
 juanga\rn\tenda ; which 
 does not hurt, changa\m~\lu- 
 ma. 
 
 Having, -siene, mundu msiene 
 machili ; wandu tvasiene, 
 Sfc. Limsimba lisiene, Sfc. 
 Masimba gasiene, Sfc, Lu- 
 Iconji lusiene, Sfc. 
 
 Healthy, -jnmi ; mundu jua 
 mjumi, mbusi sya nyumi ; 
 to be healthy, kuchangala- 
 mana ; people having good 
 health, wandu wasiene ku- 
 changal aniana. 
 
 Heavy, (weight) us'ito; a heavy 
 burden, mtumhola wa iisito; 
 heavy burdens, mitambola 
 ja usito ; to be heavy, Jcusi- 
 topa. 
 
 High, (up) kuinani; this tree 
 is tall, it will surpass that 
 one, av mtela u tijeslle kui- 
 nani, tuupunde aula. 
 
 Hoarse, lilowe lisoicile ; to 
 become hoarse, kusowa ku 
 xoelecheta. 
 
 Hollow: the tree is hollow, 
 mtela una mbuku; the stone 
 is hollow, U gang a Una mbu- 
 ku; the stone sounds hollow, 
 liganga likugungulila. 
 
 Honest, his heart is straight, 
 he is an honest man, mtima 
 wakwe ugolweehe. 
 
 Hot, (heat) onoto ; hot water, 
 mesi ga moto ; hot iron, ki- 
 siana cha moto ; the body 
 is very warm, pachiilu pa- 
 chiite motomotope. 
 
 Idle, idleness, ulesi; he is 
 idle, ajujuna ulesi. 
 
 Immortal (he does not die), 
 ngauiva. 
 
 Impossible : to be possible, 
 kukomboleka ; this work is 
 impossible, masengo agaga- 
 ngakomboleka. 
 
 Incorporeal, angali chiilu ; he 
 has no body, he is spirit 
 only, juangali chiilu, mti- 
 ma pe usigele. 
 
 Insincere, (his heart is not 
 straight), angagoloka mti- 
 ma. 
 
 Irrational, angali malango ; 
 he has no sense, he is like 
 an ox, juangali malango, 
 ampelaga ng'ombe. 
 
 Jealous, jealousy, wiuu. 
 Just (he errs in nothing), 
 ngapagwa chakulwisye.
 
 LIST OF ADJECTIVES. 
 
 37 
 
 Last, cha mbesi, cha kumali- 
 chisya. 
 
 Lean, to become lean, ku.ga- 
 nda ; a man who is lean, 
 mundu jit agandile. 
 
 Least, chinandipe. 
 
 Less : they are less, isapwile. 
 
 Light (not heavy) : to be light, 
 kujaluka, or kwaluka; a 
 light gun, idija kwaluka ; 
 this burden is light, «h mta- 
 mbola una kwaluka ; (not 
 dark) : to be light, kulangu- 
 ka ; this house is light, nyu- 
 mba jia jikulanguka. 
 
 Like, m-pelaga, malinga. 
 
 Little, -nandi, mundu jua 
 mnandi. Lisimba lia Ivtia- 
 n di ; m a sim ba ga m a nan di. 
 Nyumba jajirtandi; nyu- 
 mba sya sinandi. 
 
 Living, jua mjumi, jua mtu- 
 ■ndu. 
 
 Long, -leu, mundu jua mleu; 
 wandu wa walettr. Lusinga 
 lua luleu; sing a sya ndeu. 
 A long way, litala lia 
 hutalika ; a short way, 
 litala lia liuna. 
 
 Loud : a loud voice. HI owe lia 
 likulungwa. 
 
 Low, pasi; a low place, panda 
 pa pasi. 
 
 Lukewarm, Hoto, mesi gana 
 lioto. 
 
 Mad: he is mad, ana masoka; 
 mad people, achasiene maso- 
 ka. 
 
 Male, -lume, wandu wa wa- 
 lume; mbusi ja jilumc. 
 m bit si- sya ndurne; lisvmba 
 lia I Hume, masimba ga ma- 
 lum e. 
 
 Manifest, mawelecheto gapelc- 
 te. 
 
 Man}-, -jinji. See Substan- 
 tives. To be many, kutupa, 
 or kuehuluka ; there were 
 formerly many people, wa- 
 ndu kcttasipe achulwiche. 
 or atupile. 
 
 Mild, jua kulenjela. 
 
 Moist, mesimesi. 
 
 More : to exceed, kupunda ; 
 it is more, chipundile. 
 
 Naked, matakope (?) ; with 
 nothing in his hands, miko- 
 n ope. 
 
 Narrow, chilenje; very narrow, 
 kalenje; a slim man, mundu 
 jua chilenje; a narrow path, 
 litala lia kalenje. 
 
 Near (not far off), pang 'atali- 
 ka ; he has approached, i.e.. 
 he is near, aju aicandichilc. 
 
 New, -a sambauo. See Fresh. 
 Nyumba ja sambauo, nyit- 
 mba sya samba no. 
 
 Old, -a kalakala, nyumba ja 
 kalakala; nyumba sya ka- 
 lakala ; to become old and 
 worn out, kusakala, or ku- 
 wisala ; aged, -chekulu, 
 mundu jua rhchekulu; wa- 
 ndu wa wachekulu. List-
 
 38 
 
 LIST OF ADJECTIVES. 
 
 mba lia lichehulu ; masi- 
 mba ga machehulu. 
 Other, -ne. Mundujine ; wa- 
 ndu wane. Mtela une ; 
 mitela jine. Chindu chine; 
 Indu inc. Kaanache home; 
 twanache tune. Lisimba 
 line; mashnba gane. Lu- 
 ngwi lune; ngwi sine. Nyu- 
 mba jine; nyumba sine. 
 Pandupdne. Other people's 
 houses, nyumba sya wandu; 
 some one else's house, nyu- 
 mba j a msiene. 
 
 Patient, jua hulenjcla. 
 
 Plain, -a mbelete. 
 
 Poor, ganaJcola chindu; jua- 
 
 ngali chindu. 
 Possible, it is possible, Jciq>a- 
 
 hombola. 
 Pregnant, jua Tcujigala chi- 
 
 ndamba, or ehitumbo. 
 Prudent, msiene ilingo. 
 Pure, without dirt, pangali 
 
 mataJca ; only good, cha- 
 
 mbonepe. 
 
 Quarrelsome,/«« uwanga. 
 Quiet, msiene malcujelo, or 
 hulenjela. 
 
 Ready, chili, chili chili. 
 
 Ped, -chejeu, mundujua mche- 
 jeu ',; wandu tea wachejeu. 
 Chindu, cha chichejeu ; nyu- 
 mba sia njejeu. To become 
 
 red, kuchejela ; they are 
 red, achejele. 
 
 Reeling, lusiungusiungu. 
 
 Remote, kutalika ; it is re- 
 mote, pataliche, panaula 
 (contemptuous). 
 
 Rich, asiene ipanji; he has got 
 goods, ahwete chipanji. 
 
 Right, mwambone. 
 
 Righteous, jua mwambone, 
 jua mJcoto mtima. 
 
 Rotten, -uole; to rot, hu ola ; 
 mitela jijuole ; chindu cha 
 chuole ; indu j a iuole ; nyu- 
 mba si uole ; manyasi ga 
 manole. 
 
 Sad: grave, maganyiganyi ; 
 cross, mehimica ; I pity my- 
 self, ngulitendela chanasi. 
 
 Safe : there is no fear, panga- 
 jogopa ; there is no danger, 
 pangapwelela. 
 
 Secret, ya h'usisa ; these are 
 secret (atfairs), agaga ga 
 leusisa ; private, mtemela ; 
 people have not heard (it), 
 yangapiliJcana wandu. 
 
 Sharp: to cut, Jcutema; a sharp 
 knife, chipula chi ohikute- 
 ma ; a sharp sword, lupa- 
 nga lu lukutema. 
 
 Sbort, -/'ipi. Mundujua mji- 
 pi ; wandu tea toajipi. 
 Mgoji ujipi ; nyumba sya 
 nyvpi. 
 
 Sicli,-lwele. Mundajua mhrr- 
 Ic ; wandu tea walwele. 
 Lisimba lia lilwele; masi-
 
 LIST OF ADJECTIVES. 
 
 39 
 
 mbaga malwele. Mbusi sya 
 
 n dwele. 
 Silent, jua kumialala. 
 Sincere, the heart is straight, 
 
 ultima tigolweche. 
 Single, -mpepe ; mundu ju- 
 
 mpepe; nyumba jimpepe; 
 
 lisimba Umpepe. 
 Small. See Little, -iiandi,du- 
 
 nandipe; mundu jua mna- 
 
 11 di pe. 
 
 Smooth : to be smooth, kule- 
 petala ; nguo ja kulepete- 
 la. Kukoloivana, litvnji 
 liakolowana. 
 
 Soft, kujolowa ; soft mud, ma- 
 tope ga gajohoewe. 
 
 Some, ju mo jumo ; wane wane. 
 
 Sour : to turn sour, kuwipa ; 
 it is sour, chiwipile. 
 
 Speechless, deaf and dumb, 
 wuu; mundu jua liwuu ; 
 twanache twa tuicuu ; nya- 
 ma sya wuu ; which speaks 
 not, changawelecheta. 
 
 Spotted, akwete mawala. 
 
 Stout, -a kukapa; wandii 
 wa kukapa ; ngonji sya ku- 
 kapa. 
 
 Straight : to become straight, 
 kugoloka ; my stick is 
 straight, ngolumbe jangu 
 jigolweche. 
 
 Strange, -lendo. Mundu jua 
 mlendo ; wandu wa voale- 
 iido. Chimin cha chilendo ; 
 'nnlu ya ilendo. 
 Strong, msiene moduli ; -a 
 kali mb a ; a strong man, 
 mundu jua kulimba; strong 
 
 goats, mbusi sya kulimba ; 
 
 a strong rope, lukonji lua 
 
 kulimba. 
 Stupid, -lowelu ; mundu jua 
 
 mlowelu ; twanache twa tu- 
 
 lowelu. 
 Sweet: to be sweet, ku nong'a ; 
 
 chindu diikunong'a ; mesi 
 
 gakunong'a ; udii ukuno- 
 
 ng'a ; mitela jikunong 'a. 
 
 Tall, -leu ; to become tall, kic- 
 
 leupa. 
 Tame, -a kulangioa ; mbusi 
 
 sya kulangwa. 
 Tenacious, indu inyambatena. 
 Thick, kukula ; very thick, 
 
 kukapa ; lukonji lukuku- 
 
 la, or lukukapa. 
 Tight : to be tight, kulimbi- 
 
 lila ; it is tied tight, itawi- 
 
 che yenonono. 
 
 Uneven, yangalingana ; an 
 
 uneven road, litala lile- 
 
 mele. 
 Unhappy, juangali chiseko ; 
 
 juangasangalala. 
 Unintentionally, ganatenda 
 
 inele ; ganagwa wa mele. 
 Unknown, it is unknowable, 
 
 ya nga m a nika n a. 
 Unpunished, nganamsausya. 
 Unripe, jongapya ; magombo 
 
 gangapya. 
 Unsafe, pasi ungulidie. 
 Unwashed, usakira. 
 Upright : to be straightened, 
 
 ku goloka ; to stand up, 
 
 ku ima. 
 
 2
 
 40 
 
 LIST OF ADJECTIVES. 
 
 Usual, of years, -a yaka. 
 
 Valiant, jiMing aXi uoga. 
 Various, ineinepe, yangala- 
 ndana. 
 
 Warm, mesi gana mtukuta ; 
 
 mesi gana lioto. 
 Weak, angali marhili. 
 Wet, mesi mesi ; he is wet, ana 
 
 mesi. 
 White, -swela ; nguojajiswe- 
 
 la, nguo sya swela; mu- 
 
 ndu jua msivela; lisimba 
 
 lia liswela, masamba ga 
 
 maswela ; chindu cha <•///'- 
 swela. 
 
 Whole, -ose,- ose pe ; the whole 
 house, nyumba jose ; the 
 whole day, Uua Hose. 
 
 Wide, chitando. chitipa ; how 
 wide is it? chitipa chi itnca- 
 ti uli? a broad path, Ufa la 
 lia mchitipa; a wide place, 
 piatikukula. 
 
 Young (beardless), -a mcha- 
 nda.
 
 COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES. 
 
 The comparative degree may be expressed by merely 
 coupling the things to be compared by putting 
 na, with, between them : 
 
 Achichi cJdnandipe na chilachila, this is merely 
 little with that, i.e., this is less than that. 
 
 Mundu aju jua mkulungwa na ajulajula, this man 
 is great with that one, i. e., this man is greater 
 than that. 
 
 The verb kupunda, to exceed, may also be used. 
 
 The Superlative is expressed by the use of the 
 adjective in an absolute sense : 
 
 Mundu aju jua mhulungwa, this is the great man, 
 i.e., this is the greatest man. 
 
 If the adjective expresses some positive quality, it 
 may be intensified by adding muno or } muo. If a 
 negative quality, by adding pe or pe : 
 
 Cha chikulungwa 'nmo, very great indeed ; cha chi- 
 nandi pe, very small ; cha cldnandi pe, ex- 
 ceedingly small. 
 
 e 3
 
 THE NUMERALS. 
 
 1, limo. 
 
 2, gawili. 
 
 3, gatatu. 
 
 4, mcheche. 
 
 5, msanu. 
 
 6, msanu kupambula limo. 
 
 7, „ „ „ gawili. 
 
 8, „ „ „ gatatu. 
 
 9, ,, „ „ mcheche. 
 
 10, llkumi. 
 
 11, „ kupambula limo. 
 
 1G, „ kupambula msanu na limo. 
 
 17, „ „ „ na gawili. 
 
 20, makumi gaivili. 
 
 30, makumi gatatu. 
 
 35, makumi gatatu na msanu. 
 
 40, makumi mcheche. 
 
 70, ma/cumi msanu ku pambula gawili. 
 
 78, makumi msanu kupambula gawili na [msanu] 
 
 pambula gatatalu. 
 99, makumi likumi kupungusya limo. 
 100, makumi likumi, or ligana. 
 1000, mag ana likumi. 
 
 When used as adjectives, mcheche, msanu, and liku- 
 mi never vary; the rest vary like regular adjectives.
 
 THE NUMERALS. 43 
 
 For the changes of limo, one, see the classification 
 of Substantives. 
 
 Mpepe, single, is often used instead of one. 
 
 I. Wanclu (two) wawili, (three) watatu, (eight) 
 
 msanu na watatu. 
 II. Mitela (two) jiwili, (three) jitatu, (eight) msanu 
 na j fat 10. 
 
 III. Nj/umba (two) siwili, (three) sitalu, (eight) 
 
 msanu na sltatu. 
 
 IV. Inclu (two) iwili, (three ) itatu, (eight) msanu 
 
 na itatu. 
 V. Mawago (two) gaioili, (three) gatatu, (eight) 
 msanu na gatatu. 
 VI. Mbeta (two) siwili, (three) sitatu, (eight) msanu 
 
 na sitatu. 
 VII. Twanache (two) tuwili, (three) tutatu, (eight) 
 msanu na tutatu. 
 VIII. Pandu (two) pawili, (three) palafu, (eight) msanu 
 na patatu. 
 
 Once, twice, &c, are expressed by prefixing ka : 
 
 Once, kamo, or kampepe. 
 
 Twice, kawili. 
 
 Three times, katatu. 
 
 Four times, kacheche. 
 
 Five times, Icasanu. 
 
 Six times, Icasanu Icupamhula kamo. 
 
 Seven times, „ kupambula kaivili. 
 
 Eight times, „ „ hatatu. 
 
 Nine times, „ „ kacheche. 
 
 Ten times, kakumi.
 
 44 THE NUMERALS. 
 
 First, &c, are denoted by prefixing the particle -a 
 to the form in Jca : 
 
 The second man, mundujua kawili. 
 The third man, „ „ hatatu. 
 The fourth man, „ „ kacheche. 
 S,'c. fyc. 
 
 The first man is expressed by jna kutanda. 
 The last man by jv.a pariyuma } or munyuma.
 
 PRONOUNS. 
 
 PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 
 
 The full forms of the personal pronouns are, 
 
 I, une, ne, or neju. We, vice, or uweju. 
 
 Thou, ugwe } gwe, or gweju. You, iinnre, or mweju. 
 He or she, aju. They, u'ale, or awala. 
 
 It and they, when referring to nouns of other than 
 the first class, are expressed by the demonstrative 
 pronouns. 
 
 The second and third persons plural are always 
 used in addressing- or speaking* of an equal or a 
 superior. The second and third persons singular are 
 only used in speaking of or to inferiors, as to slaves 
 or children. 
 
 The same forms are used for the objective ease — me, 
 thee, him, her, us, them. For the possessive case, the 
 possessive pronouns are employed. 
 
 When united to a verb, the personal pronouns are 
 only employed as distinct words where it is intended 
 to mark them as emphatic. Both the subjective and 
 objective cases are generally denoted only by prefixes. 
 The personal prefixes referring to nouns of the first 
 class are —
 
 46 
 
 PRONOUNS. 
 
 
 Subjective. 
 
 
 Objective. 
 
 I n- or ni- 
 
 Me 
 
 -}!- 
 
 Thou 11- 
 
 Thee 
 
 -kil- 
 
 He or she a- 
 
 Him or 
 
 her -m- or 
 
 We tu- 
 
 Us 
 
 -if«- 
 
 You 'm- or *»?<?■ 
 
 You 
 
 -wa- 
 
 They a 
 
 Them 
 
 -wa- 
 
 For nouns -of the other classes, the objective and 
 subjective prefixes are identical, but vary according' 
 to the class and number : 
 
 Class 
 
 It 
 
 
 
 II. 
 
 u-, 
 
 -u- 
 
 III. 
 
 Ji-> 
 
 j*- 
 
 IV. 
 
 ch i- 
 
 ■, -ehi- 
 
 V. 
 
 ii-, 
 
 -li- 
 
 VI. 
 
 III-, 
 
 -ln- 
 
 VII. 
 
 ka-. 
 
 , -ka- 
 
 inn. 
 
 pa- 
 
 , -pa- 
 
 They or 
 
 them 
 
 J l -> 
 
 -J>- 
 
 ?-. - 
 
 -si- 
 
 ■i- 
 
 ga-, 
 
 -ga- 
 
 si-, 
 
 -si- 
 
 hi-, 
 
 -hi- 
 
 pa-. 
 
 , -pa- 
 
 Ku- is used as a prefix in an indefinite sense, an- 
 swering* to our pronoun there, in such phrases as, there 
 is, or there was. 
 
 The following examples will show how the sub- 
 jective prefixes appropriate to the various classes are 
 employed in connexion with the verb -givile, the past 
 tense of kugwa, to fall down : 
 
 II. Mtela ugwile ; mitela jigwile. 
 
 III. Nyumha jigwile ; nyumba sigwile. 
 
 IV. Chimin chi girt I <• ; iiulu igwile. 
 
 V. Lisimba Ugwile ; masimba gagwile. 
 VI. Lungwi lug wile ; ngivi sigwile. 
 VII. Kanache kagwile ; twanache I ugwile.
 
 PltONOUNS. 47 
 
 VIII. Pandit pagwile. 
 
 IX. Kugwile, there has fallen down. 
 
 The following- examples will show the use of the 
 subjective and objective prefixes, referring- to persons : 
 
 N-a-ku-litlile , I told thee. 
 JF-a-m-lulile, thou toldest him. 
 A-n-dulile, he told me. 
 
 Tw-a-wa-lulile, we told you. 
 Mw-a-wa-lulile, you told them. 
 A-tu-lulile, they told us. 
 
 In the third person singular and plural, where the 
 sign of the tense begins with a, it absorbs the sign 
 of the person, so that in effect one a serves for both. 
 The changes worked by the -u-, which denotes the 
 first person, are often very puzzling, it has in the 
 above instances turned the I of the verb into d. 
 Sometimes it becomes itself m, and then is liable to 
 be confounded with the objective prefix denoting the 
 third person singular ; it is, however, generally dis-' 
 tinguishable by the change it works in the first letter 
 of the verb. Thus, from kitpufa, to beat, amputile is, 
 he beat him, and ambioiile is, he beat me. There is 
 beside the difference that m, when it represents mu, 
 may be treated as a syllable in itself; whereas m, 
 when it represents n, merely modifies the sound of the 
 b which follows it. 
 
 The objective prefixes relating to things must be 
 used whenever the object of the verb is a definite 
 thing, as where Ave in English should express the 
 object by the pronouns it or them ; or should use the 
 definite article with the name of the object :
 
 48 PRONOUNS. 
 
 NgusaJca nyumba, I want a house. 
 Ngujisaka nyumba, I want the house. 
 NgujisaJca nyumba ajl, I want this house. 
 Ngujisaka nyumba ajino, I want this very house. 
 
 The objective prefix must always be placed imme- 
 diately before the verb ; the subjective prefix is 
 generally the first of all; but in some cases the tense 
 prefix precedes it. 
 
 POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS. 
 
 The initial letters of the possessive pronouns vaiy 
 according- to the class of the thing- possessed. The 
 invariable parts are — 
 
 My, -avfja. Our, -etn. 
 
 Thy, -alco. Your, -enu. 
 
 His, her, or its, -aJcwe. Their, -ao. 
 
 The changes of the initial letters of -angu, my, will 
 show the necessary forms throughout, as the initial 
 letters would be the same for any other pronoun : 
 
 I. Mvndu juangu ; wandn wangu. 
 II. Mtela /rung ii ; mi tela jui/gu. 
 
 III. Nyumba jangu; nyumba siangu. 
 
 IV. Chindu changu ; indu, yangu. 
 V. Liwago liangu ; mawago gangu. 
 
 VI. Lungvn huuigu ; ngwi siangu. 
 VII. Kapavalit kaugu ; tupawala twangu. 
 VIII. Pandu jjangu. 
 
 IX. Kuuwa kicangu.
 
 PRONOUNS. 49 
 
 There are shorter forms sometimes used : 
 
 My, -ngu ; mivanangu, my child, for mwana wangu. 
 Thy, -go. 
 
 His, hers, or its, -gwe ; atdti gwe, his father. 
 Their, -gwao ; mwanagwao, their child. 
 
 Alambwao = alamujuao, their brother-in-law. 
 
 My own, his own, &c, are expressed by adding- a 
 syllable taken from the personal or demonstrative 
 pronoun to the regular possessive form : 
 
 My own, wangune. Our own, wetuive. 
 
 Thine own, wakowe. Your own, wenvmwe. 
 
 His, her, or its own, Their own, tvaoule. 
 %oalcweu. 
 
 REFLECTIVE PRONOUNS. 
 
 The Yao verb is made reflective by inserting- the 
 syllable -li- as an objective prefix : 
 
 Ngunenyela, I like. 
 Ngulinenyela, I like myself. 
 
 Self may be expressed by mtima, heart. 
 
 Une mtima wangu, I my own self. 
 Where self is employed chiefly to give emphasis to 
 the personal pronoun it is expressed by adding- -pano : 
 Nepano, I myself. Uivepano, we ourselves. 
 
 Wepano, thou thyself. Mwepano, you yourselves. 
 Apano, he himself, &c. Apano, they themselves. 
 
 DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS. 
 
 There are five demonstrative pronouns formed by 
 joining syllables which vary according- to the class of 
 the noun with syllables which determine the nature 
 of the pronoun : 
 
 v
 
 50 
 
 PRONOUNS. 
 
 1. A-, this, of something* near at hand. 
 
 2. A-la, that, referring' to something- at a distance. 
 
 3. A-no, this one here, a more specific word. 
 
 4. A-o-o, this, or that, before mentioned. 
 
 5. -e -le, referring to what is no longer visible. 
 
 1. 
 
 2. 
 
 3. 
 
 4. 
 
 I. Mundu, 
 
 aju, 
 
 ajula, 
 
 ajino, 
 
 ajojo. 
 
 Wandu, 
 
 awa, 
 
 aioala, 
 
 awauo, 
 
 awowo. 
 
 II. Mtela, 
 
 au , 
 
 aula, 
 
 auno, 
 
 aoo. 
 
 Mitela, 
 
 aj'h 
 
 ajila, 
 
 ajino, 
 
 ajojo. 
 
 III. Ngumba, 
 
 ®jh 
 
 ajila, 
 
 ajino, 
 
 ajojo. 
 
 Nyumba, 
 
 a si, 
 
 aslla, 
 
 asino, 
 
 asyosyn. 
 
 IV. CMndu, 
 
 achl, 
 
 a cli ila, 
 
 achiuo, 
 
 achocho. 
 
 Indu, 
 
 a?, 
 
 aila, 
 
 aino, 
 
 ayoyo. 
 
 V. Liwago, 
 
 alt, 
 
 alila, 
 
 alino, 
 
 alolo. 
 
 Mawago, 
 
 aga, 
 
 a gal a, 
 
 agano, 
 
 agogo. 
 
 VI. Lungwi, 
 
 alu, 
 
 alula, 
 
 alu no, 
 
 alolo. 
 
 Kgwi, 
 
 asl, 
 
 asila, 
 
 asino, 
 
 asyosyo. 
 
 VII. Kapawala, 
 
 aha, 
 
 akala, 
 
 aha no, 
 
 akoko. 
 
 Tupawala, 
 
 atu, 
 
 atula, 
 
 atu no, 
 
 atoto. 
 
 VIII. Pandu, 
 
 apa, 
 
 apa la, 
 
 apano, 
 
 apopo. 
 
 The fifth form 
 
 is made b) r a soi 
 
 t of double demon 
 
 strative before and after 
 
 the noun 
 
 
 
 I. Jue mundu jule ; we wandu wale. 
 
 II. We mtela ule ; je mi tela jile. 
 
 III. Je nyumba jile ; sye myumba site. 
 
 IV. Che chindii chile ; ye indu He. 
 V. Le liwago Ule ; ge maicago gale. 
 
 VI. Lwe lungwi lule ; sye ngivi side. 
 
 VII. Ke kapawala hale ; live tupawala tule. 
 
 VIII. Pe pandu pale. 
 
 \
 
 PKONOUNS. 51 
 
 The demonstrative pronouns are very frequently 
 doubled, as ajulajula, yonder man, awalawala, those 
 people, achichl, this thing-. 
 
 The usual place of a demonstrative is after the 
 noun, as miela an, this tree ; but it may be put before 
 the noun, and then the variable part is repeated 
 after it. 
 
 Aju munduju ; au miela u. 
 AcM chindu c/d. 
 
 The general demonstratives here and there, are 
 apala, here, and alciila, there. 
 
 There is a sort of demonstrative with the meaning, 
 this is the one, it is this, here is the place, &c. Its 
 forms for the several classes are as follows : 
 
 I. Jueleju, welewo. 
 II. Welewo, jelejo. 
 
 III. Jelejo, syelesyo. 
 
 IV. Ckelecho, yeleyo. 
 V. Lielelio, gelego. 
 
 VI. Lwelelo, syelesyo. 
 VII. Kaleko, tweleto. 
 VIII. Pelepo, this is the place. 
 IX. Kweleko, there is the place. 
 
 RELATIVE PRONOUNS. 
 
 The relatives who, whom, and which, are repre- 
 sented by the syllables which occur as the variable 
 parts of the first demonstrative : 
 
 I. ju, wa. IV. c/d, i. VII. ha, in. 
 
 II. u,ji. V. II, ga. VIII. pa. 
 
 III. ; i, si. VI. In., si. 
 
 F %
 
 5:2 pronouns. 
 
 The man who likes thee, mundu ju akukunyenyela. 
 The man who likes him, mundu ju akumnyenyela. 
 The man who wanted it, mundu ju asac/iile cho. 
 The house which fell down, nyumba ji ji gwile. 
 The lion which will come, lisi/nba li tiliiche. 
 The knife which cut him, chipula chamsikite cho. 
 The man whom I love, mundu ju ngumnyenyela. 
 The man whom he loves, mundu ju akumnyenyela. 
 The tree which we saw, mtela u tuwene u. 
 The thing which he wants, chindu chi akusaka cho. 
 
 The relative may be repeated after the verb, and in 
 this case in the fourth class we have cho instead of chi. 
 
 When joined with the verb to be it must be re- 
 membered that there are different forms employed, 
 determining' whether mere existence or the being in 
 a place are denoted, and in regard to place whether 
 it is near, far off, or within any thing. These dis- 
 tinctions are very rarely marked in English. 
 
 Which is (exists) : — 
 
 I. alina, walina. IV. chilina, Ulna. 
 
 II. ulina,jilina. V. lilina,galina. 
 
 III. jilina, silina. VI. lulina, silina. 
 
 VII. kalina, lulina. 
 VIII. pa Una. 
 IX. kulina. 
 
 Which is (inside) : — 
 
 I. amuli, wamu/i. IV. chimuli, imuli. 
 
 II. umuli, jimuli. V. limuli, g amuli. 
 
 III. jimuli, simuli. VI. famuli, simuli. 
 
 VII. hamuli, tumuli. 
 VIII. p amuli. 
 IX. kumuli.
 
 PRONOUNS. 53 
 
 Which is (here) : — 
 
 I. apali, wapali. IV. chipali, ipali. 
 
 II. upali, jipali. V. lipaU, gapali. 
 
 III. jipali, sipali. VI. lupali, sipali, 
 
 VII. kapali, tupali. 
 VIII. papali. 
 IX. kupali. 
 
 "Which is (there) : — 
 
 I. akuli, wakuli. IV. chikuli, ilurfi. 
 
 II. ukuli, jihdi. V. likuli, gakuli. 
 
 HE. jikuli, sikuli. VI. lukuli, sikuli. 
 
 VII. kakuli, t akuli. 
 VIII. j»a£if#. 
 IX. kukuli. 
 
 INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS, ETC. 
 
 Who ? ache.ni ? wani ? 
 
 What? ofciobV 
 
 What is the matter? kuna chichi? 
 
 What thing"? chin (hi chi ? 
 
 What man ? mundu chi ? 
 
 What house ? nyumba chi ? 
 
 When ? chahache ? 
 
 Which ? -pi ? 
 
 Which man? mundu juapi ? Which people? wandu 
 
 wupi ? 
 Which tree? mtcla uapi ? Which trees? mtelajapi/ 
 Which house? nyumba japi ? Which houses ? nyumba 
 
 siapi ? 
 
 f 3
 
 54 PRONOUNS. 
 
 Which thing? chindu chipi ? Which things? indu 
 ipi ? 
 
 Which axe ? llwago liapi ? Which axes ? mawago 
 gapi ? 
 
 Which piece of wood ? lusasu luapi ? Wliich tire- 
 wood ? sasu siapi ? 
 
 Which gazelle ? kapawala Jcapi ? Which gazelles ? 
 tupawala twapi ? 
 
 Which place or places? panda papi ? 
 
 Where ? kwapi ? 
 
 Where is he? juli kwapi? Where are they ? wall 
 faoapi ? 
 
 Where is it? 
 
 II. Uli I kwapi ? V. Lili kwapi? 
 
 III. Jili kwapi ? VI. Lnli kwapi ? 
 
 IV. Chili kwapi ? VII. Kali kwapi ? 
 
 VIII. Pali kwapi ? 
 IX. Kali kwapi ? 
 
 Where are they ? 
 
 II. Jili kwapi ? V. Gali kwapi ? 
 
 III. Sili kwapi ? VI. Sill kwapi ? 
 
 IV. Hi kwapi ? VII. Tuli kwapi? 
 
 Where do you come from ? kwapi mkutioka ? 
 Where do these things come from? ai kwapi itiosile ' 
 
 How ? uli ? 
 
 How do you like it ? mkn [It] wona uli ? 
 How shall I get it? tin[ji]kole uli ? 
 How will you get it? tim\chi\kole uli ?
 
 PRONOUNS. 
 
 How many ? 
 
 I. Walingwa? IV. Ilingwa? 
 
 II. Jilingwa ? V. Galingwa ? 
 
 III. Siling w a ? VI. Siting w a ? 
 
 VII. Tulingwa? 
 
 VIII. Palingwa ? 
 
 How often ? kalingwa ? 
 
 How tall is he? o/w ftfew e/^Y [this man height 
 
 what] . 
 Whoever, ^ juose. 
 Whatever house, vijumha ji jose. 
 Whoever the man shall be, munduju tawejose. 
 Whichever the goat shall be, mbusiji tyiwejose. 
 Whatever they do to him, i tamtende gose. 
 Whenever he sleeps, pakugona pose. 
 
 Such a one, such a thing, such and such people, &c., 
 
 -alakive, with the appropriate prefix. 
 Such a man, j u a la /ace. 
 Such and such houses, syalakwe.
 
 VERBS. 
 
 Yao verbs always end in -a in their simplest form. 
 The simplest form standing- alone is the singular of 
 the imperative, as in English : 
 
 Tencla ! do ! J aula ! go away ! 
 
 Jisa ! come ! 
 
 The person and most of the tenses are denoted by 
 varying prefixes. There is a negative as well as an 
 affirmative conjugation. 
 
 It must be borne in mind, in using or construing 
 Yao verbs, that the plural of the second and third 
 persons is always employed instead of the singular, 
 where no special inferiority in the person addressed 
 or spoken of is meant to be implied. 
 
 In most verbs beginning with a vowel a /- seems 
 to be prefixed or not, without any difference of 
 meaning, as if merely to facilitate the pronunciation. 
 
 THE INFINITIVE. 
 
 The infinitive is made by prefixing leu- to the 
 simplest form of the verb : 
 
 Kutenda, to do. Kuaula or kujaula, to go away. 
 Kuisa or Icujisa, to come.
 
 VERBS. 57 
 
 The infinitive may always be used as a substantive 
 answering- to the English verbal in -ing : 
 
 Kutenda, doing-. Kuaula, going away. 
 Kuisa, coming. Kuuwa, dying. 
 
 The infinitive may be prefixed to other parts of the 
 verb to intensify its meaning : 
 
 Kuogopa nguogopa, fearing I fear, i.e., I fear 
 exceedingly. 
 
 INDICATIVE MOOD. 
 
 Present Tense : 
 
 The present tense is formed by prefixing the sign of 
 the person to the infinitive. The sign of the first 
 person being the letter »-, it changes the initial k- 
 of the infinitive into -g-: 
 
 N-gu-tenda, I do. 
 
 TJ-ku-tenda, thou dost. 
 
 A-ku-tenda, he or she does. 
 
 TJ-ku-tenda, ji-ku-tenda, chi-kn-tenda, li-ku- 
 
 tenda, lu-ku-ienda, ka-ku-tenda, pa-kv- 
 ienda, it does. 
 
 Ta-ku-tenda, we do. 
 
 M-ku-tenda , you do. 
 
 A-ku-ienda, they do. 
 
 Ji-kn-tenda, si-ku-tenda, i-ku-fenda, ga-ku- 
 
 tenda, tu-ku-tenda, they do. 
 
 There is also a tense made by using -pa- instead of 
 -ku-. Its meaning is that it is in the nature of the 
 person or thing to be or to do what the verb denotes.
 
 58 VERBS. 
 
 The n- of the first person makes instead of n-jia-, 
 mba-: 
 
 Ahuguluka (he is actually flying\ he flies. 
 Apaguluka (he is naturally able to fly), he flies. 
 Apakombola (he has natural ability for), he can. 
 AhuTcombola (he is actually able to) he can. 
 
 Present Perfect : 
 
 The present perfect answering 1 to the English tense 
 made with have, is formed by prefixing- the sign of the 
 person to the simplest form of the verb, and modifying- 
 the termination. The n- of the first person changes 
 the initial consonant of a great many verbs, and the 
 changes of termination are so varied and intricate, 
 that it is necessary in the vocabulary to add to every 
 verb the first person singular of the present perfect, 
 by the help of which all the other persons can be 
 formed without difficulty, as in them the consonant 
 of the verb resumes its original form, and the ter- 
 mination is the same as that given for the first 
 person. Thus tenda, do, gives : 
 
 N-desile, I have done. 
 U-fesile, thou hast done. 
 Atesile, he has done. 
 
 U-tesile, jl-tesile, chi-tesUe, li-tesile, lu-(esile 
 ka-tesile, pa-tesile, it has done. 
 
 Tu-lesile, we have done. 
 M-tesile, ye have done. 
 A-tesile, they have done. 
 
 Ji-tesile, sl-lesile, i-tes'de, ga-tesile, tu-tesile, 
 they have done.
 
 VERBS. 
 
 59 
 
 The nature of the change in the termination is 
 exceedingly difficult to describe,, it is much more 
 easily felt than expressed. 
 
 It will be useful to remember that verbs in -amn 
 and -ana make their present perfects in -erne and -enc, 
 and that where the vowels of the last two syllables 
 are -o- and -a-, the present perfect generally makes 
 them -we- and -e, while where the last two vowels 
 are -u and -a, the present perfect makes them -wi- 
 and -<?. The following are a few specimens : 
 
 Kutama, to sit. 
 KajiliJcana, to love one 
 
 another. 
 Kujogopa, to fear. 
 Kujoahda, to split. 
 Kukwela, to climb. 
 Kiilola, to look. 
 Kulcola, to get. 
 Kufaga, to put. 
 Kut ula, to push. 
 K/iika, to arrive. 
 Ku/canisya, to prohibit. 
 Knkusya, to make larger 
 
 Kupalila, to hoe. 
 Kupa, to give to. 
 Kiljimbala, to get fat. 
 hit in e ni) a, to strike. 
 Knjanga, to answer. 
 Kuunganya, to bring to- 
 gether. 
 
 Ateme, he has sat. 
 Ajilikene, they have loved 
 
 one another. 
 Ajogwepe, he has feared. 
 Apalwile, he has split. 
 Ahvesile, he has climbed. 
 Alolite, he has looked. 
 Akwete, he has gotten. 
 Atasile, he has put. 
 Atulile, he has pushed. 
 Aic/ie, he has arrived. 
 Akauisi/e,\\Q has prohibited. 
 Akusisye, he has made 
 
 larger. 
 Aj)ali?e, he has hoed. 
 Ambele, he has given to me. 
 Ajimbele, he is fat. 
 Aiueni/ile, he has struck. 
 Ajaiijile, he has answered. 
 Aungenye, he has brought 
 
 together.
 
 60 VERBS. 
 
 The Past Perfect. 
 
 The past perfect is formed from the present perfect 
 by merely inserting an -a- between the personal prefix 
 and the verb : 
 
 Natesile, I did. 
 If atesile, thou didst. 
 Atesile, he or she did. 
 
 Watesile, jatesile, ch atesile, lutesile, hcatesile, 
 kaiesile, patesile, it did. 
 
 Twatesile, we did. 
 Mioatesile, you did. 
 Atesile, they did. 
 
 Jatesile, sy atesile, y atesile, gatesile, twatesile, 
 they did. 
 
 The Past Imperfect. 
 
 To form a past imperfect the syllable -ga is added 
 to the simplest form of the verb, and the personal 
 sign followed by the vowel -a- is prefixed : 
 
 N-a-tenda-ga, I was doing". 
 W-a-tenda-ga, thou wast doing. 
 A-tenda-ga, he or she was doing. 
 Watendaga, jatendaga, chatendaga, latendaga, 
 
 Iwatendaga, katendaga,joatendaga, it was 
 
 doing. 
 Tw-a-leuda-ga, we were doing. 
 Mw-a-tenda-ga, you were doing. 
 A-tenda-ga, they were doing. 
 Jatendaga, syatendaga, yatendaga, gatendaga, 
 
 iwatendaga, they were doing.
 
 VERBS. Gl 
 
 Future Tenses. 
 
 There are three future tenses. The first changes 
 the final vowel of the simple form of the verb into -e 
 and prefixes ti- followed by the sign of the person : 
 
 Ti-n-dende, I shall do. 
 Ti-u-tende } thou wilt do. 
 T-a-tende, he or she will do. 
 Tiutende, tijitende, tichiiende, tllltende, tilu- 
 tende, tikatcnde, fijxttende, it will do. 
 
 Tu-tu-tende, we shall do. 
 Tl-m-tende, you will do. 
 T-a-tende, they will do. 
 Tijitende, tisitende, tiitende, tigatende, tutii- 
 tende, they will do. 
 
 The second future, which seems to express rather 
 the idea of being about to do something, inserts the 
 syllable -ha- between the personal prefix and the verb, 
 in other respects it follows the form of the first 
 future. 
 
 Ti-n-ga-iende, I am about to do. 
 Ti-u-ku-iende, thou art about to do. 
 T-a-ka-tende, he or she is about to do. 
 Tiuhatende, tijihatende, tickikafende, tilika- 
 
 /aide, tihikatende, tihahatende, tipa- 
 
 Icatende, it is about to do. 
 
 Tu-iu-kii-tende, we are about to do. 
 Ti-m-ba-tende, you are about to do. 
 T-a-ka-tende, they are about to do. 
 Tijik ate tide, tisikatende, tiikatende, tigakatende, 
 tutukatende, they are about to do. 
 
 G
 
 62 VEEBS. 
 
 The third future differs from the others in leaving 
 the final vowel unchanged, it is formed by prefixing 
 the syllable tl-, the sign of the person, and the 
 syllable -eld-. It refers to a distant future, and 
 expresses what will happen then : 
 
 Ti-n-ji-tenda. 
 
 Ti-u-chi-tenda. < 
 
 T-a-chi-tenda. 
 
 Tiuchitenda, tijichitenda, tichlchitenda , tilichi- 
 
 tenda, tiluchitenda, tikachitenda, tipa- 
 
 ch itenda. 
 
 Tu-tu-chi-tenda. 
 Ti-m-chi-tenda. 
 T-a-chi-tenda. 
 
 Tijichitenda, tisichitenda, tiichitenda, tigachi- 
 ienda, tutu chite n da . 
 
 THE IMPEKATIVE. 
 
 The imperative singular is the simplest form of the 
 verb : 
 
 Tenda ! do ! jaula ! go away ! jisa! come ! 
 
 The plural is made by adding -ni to the singular, 
 and is much more commonly employed even in 
 speaking to a single person. 
 
 Tendani ! do ! jaulani ! go away ! jisani! come ! 
 
 THE SUBJUNCTIVE. 
 
 The subjunctive, which is also used as a jussive, is
 
 VERBS. 63 
 
 formed by changing the final vowel into -e, and pre- 
 fixing the signs of the person : 
 
 N-dende, that I may do, or, let me do. 
 
 U-tende, that thou mayest do. 
 A-tende, that he or she may do. 
 Utende,jitende, chitende, litende, lutende, ka- 
 tende,patende, that it may do. 
 
 Tu-tende, that we may do. 
 M-tende, that you may do. 
 A-tende, that they may do. 
 Jitende, sitende, itende, gatende, lutende, that 
 they may do. 
 
 That where it denotes an object or intention, and 
 and where in English it is used to connect an action 
 with some preceding action which leads to it, are 
 expressed by the use of the subjunctive : 
 
 Ajise atarne, let him come and sit down. 
 
 Conditional Tenses. 
 
 There is a tense made by prefixing the sign of the 
 person followed by the syllable -lea-, and at the same 
 time suffixing the syllable -ga, which is used to ex- 
 press a contingency : 
 
 N-ga-tenda-ga, I should do, or, have clone. 
 
 U-ka-tenda-ga. 
 
 A-ha - tenda-ga. 
 
 Ukatendaga, jikatendaga, chikatendaga, llka- 
 
 tendaga, lukatendaga, kakatendaga, 
 
 pakatendaga. 
 g 2
 
 64 VERBS. 
 
 Tu-ka-tenda-ga. 
 M-ka - ten da -ga . 
 A-ka-tenda-ga. 
 
 Jikatendaga, sikatenaaga, ikatendaga, gaka- 
 tendaga, tukatendaga. 
 
 A. similar tense is formed from the present perfect 
 by inserting -ka- between the sign of the person and 
 the verb : 
 
 Ngacliite, I should have thought. 
 Akagulwiche, he would have flown. 
 Ngakasile, I should have fried. 
 
 Another conditional tense is expressed by the use 
 of kuchiia, to wish, as an auxiliary, followed by the 
 common definitive particle je, and by the subjunctive 
 of the principal verb : 
 
 Njiteje ndende, I would have done [wished 
 
 to do] . 
 TJcliiieje utende. 
 Achiteje atende. 
 Uchiteje vlende, jichiteje jit end e, chick iteje 
 
 chiiende, lichiteje Utende, In chiteje lu- 
 
 tenTle, kachiicje katende, pachlteje pa- 
 
 tende. 
 
 Tuchiteje tutende. 
 Mchiteje mtende. 
 Achiteje atende. 
 
 Jichiteje jitende, sichiteje sitende, ichiteje itende, 
 gachiteje gatende, tuchiteje tutende. 
 
 The having been in a state of readiness is expressed
 
 VEEBS. 65 
 
 by prefixing to the above tense, the past tense of the 
 verb to be : 
 
 Naliji njite ndende, I was wishing- to do. 
 Aliji achiteje atende, he was wishing to do. 
 
 The being in a state or in the act of doing any- 
 thing is expressed by the adverb pu or pa placed 
 before the verb, which may be followed by pala or 
 po. Pa is used before the third person when nouns of 
 the first class are referred to and before the second 
 person plural; in all other cases pu is used : 
 
 When it was flying, pu liagulukaga pala. 
 When he was speaking, pa aluiilaga pala. 
 When it shall fly, pu tlliguluche po. 
 When he shall speak, pa talulile po. 
 When he had bitten me, pamasile kunduma. 
 When he was coming back, pa aujaga. 
 If I had stopped I should have forgotten, 
 
 pu ngakaivilile, ngaliwalile. 
 If I should fry, pu ngakasile. 
 
 Negative Tenses. 
 
 The negative of the present and future, or, rather, 
 an indefinite negative, is made by prefixing the syl- 
 lable nga-, followed by the sign of the person : 
 
 Ngandenda, I do not, have not, or will not do. 
 Ngautenda. 
 Ngatenda, 
 
 Ngautenda, ngajUenda, ngacliitenda, ngalitenda, 
 iigalutenda, ngalcatenda, ngapatenda. 
 g 3
 
 66 VERBS. 
 
 Ngatutenda. 
 iVgaintenda. 
 Ngatenda. 
 
 Ngajlienda, ngasitenda, ngaltenda, ngagatenda, 
 ngatutenda. 
 
 When nga- is followed by -pa, it denies generally 
 the possibility of the action or state : 
 
 Ngapakonibola, there is no being" able. 
 Ngapaichila, there is no reaching up to. 
 
 In order to make the sense more definite, the sign 
 of the person may be added before the -pa- : 
 
 Ngampahombola, there is no being able for you. 
 Ngampajomluka, there is no crossing for you. 
 
 If the sign of the person is put before the syllable 
 -nga-, it gives the sense of not yet : 
 
 T/n/gai/ia, we are not yet arrived. 
 
 Jangapia, it is not yet cooked. 
 
 Nguo siangapajwnmla, the cloths are not yet dry. 
 
 Negative Past. 
 
 The negative of the past tense is made by prefixing 
 ngana-, followed by the sign of the person : 
 
 Ngananitrnda, I did not do. 
 
 Nganotcuda. 
 
 Nganatenda. 
 
 Nganofrndii ,nganajit ev d a ,n ga nac/i if end <t , ngana- 
 
 11 tend a, nganalutenda, nganakatenda, 
 
 nganapatenda.
 
 VERBS. 67 
 
 Nganatutenda. 
 
 'Nganamtenda. 
 
 Nganateuda. 
 
 Ngdnajitenda, nganasitenda } nganaitenda } ngana- 
 
 ga tenda, nga natu tenda . 
 
 The negative of the past imperfect is made by 
 adding" -go, to the negative past : 
 
 Nganandendaga, I was not doing. 
 
 Nganotendaga. 
 
 Nganateudaga, fyc. fyc. 
 
 Negative Subjunctive. 
 
 The negative of the subjunctive is made by the 
 use of -kaja, with the personal sigui prefixed, followed 
 by the verb with the personal sign prefixed : 
 
 Ngaja ndenda, that I may not do, or, let/ me 
 
 not do. 
 tfkaja u tend a. 
 
 Aliitja afcnda. 
 
 I kaja u feud a, jikaja jit end a, chitaja eh i tenda, 
 
 litaja llteuda, lutaja lutenda, kataja 
 
 hatenda, pakaja pat end a. 
 
 Tukaja tatenda. 
 MJcaja mtenda. 
 Ahaja atenda. 
 
 Jikaja jitenda, sikaja sitenda, itaja itenda, 
 gataja gafeuda , tefaja tatenda, 
 
 THE PASSIVE VOICE. 
 The passive is formed from the active by inserting
 
 08 VERBS. 
 
 -w- before the final vowel. It is in all other respects 
 the same as the active : 
 
 Kiitenda, to do. Kutendwa, to be done. 
 
 Kukamida, to seize. Kukamulwa, to be seized. 
 
 Akamwlle, he has seized. Ukamwllwe, it has been 
 
 seized. 
 
 The Verb "To be." 
 
 The verb huwa, to be, is, as in most other languages, 
 somewhat irregular. 
 
 In the present tense the personal signs are used 
 alone to represent is or are. Is and are not is ex- 
 pressed by ngatl or ngali. 
 
 The present perfect, expressing have been or am : 
 
 Ndl, I have been. Tull, we have been. 
 
 JJli, thou hast been. Mil, you have been. 
 
 All, he or she has been. All, they have been. 
 
 Ull,jlll, chill, llll, lull, Jill, sill, III, g 'all, t all, they 
 hall, pall, it has been. have been. 
 
 The past perfect, was, or had been, is made by the 
 syllables -alljl- : 
 
 Nalljl. Tivalljl. 
 
 Walljl. Mwaliji. 
 
 Alljl. Alyi. 
 
 // 'n lljl, j alljl, clialljl, lall- Jallji, syalljl, yalljl,galljl, 
 jl, lualljl, kallj), palljl. tivalljl.
 
 VERBS. 69 
 
 The past imperfect, was, or, was being, is found 
 regularly : 
 
 Navaga. Twawaga. 
 
 Waioaga. Mwawaga. 
 
 Aicaga. Awaga. 
 
 Wawaga,jawaga, chawaga, Jaivaga, 8i/mvaga,yaivaga, 
 
 lawaga,luatvaga,Jcawaga, gawaga, twawaga. 
 
 pawaga. 
 
 The future, shall and will be, is : 
 
 Thoe. Tiifuwe. 
 
 Tiuwe. Timwe. 
 
 Tawe, Sfc. Taice, fyc. 
 
 The subjunctive, that — may be, or let — be, is : 
 
 Mbe. Tinoe. 
 
 Uwe. 'Mive. 
 
 Awe, Sfc. Awe, Sfc. 
 
 To be, in the sense of existing is expressed by 
 adding na to the verb Tcuwa. The same form expresses 
 the verb to have. 
 
 To be in a place, whether the place is expressed or 
 not, is denoted by the insertion between the personal 
 sign and the verb of the syllables, -run-, -pa-, or-ht-. 
 JSLv is used to express being within something. Pa is 
 used for being on a definite spot. Ku is used where 
 the place is conceived of more vaguely or as at a 
 distance. 
 
 DERIVED VERBS. 
 
 From any simple verb others may be formed by a 
 change in its termination :
 
 70 VERBS. 
 
 1. By changing the final -a into -ila or -ela the 
 effect is the same as that of adding a preposition in 
 English. In translating this form any appropriate 
 preposition may be used. The termination -ila is 
 used where the vowel of the preceding syllable is -a-, 
 -i~, or -u- j -ela is used after -e-, or -o-. 
 
 To buy, kusuma. To buy for another, kusu- 
 
 mila. 
 
 To carry, kujigala. To carry for, hijigalila. 
 
 To leave alone, kuleka. To forgive to, kidecliela. 
 
 To open one's eyes, kutola To open one's eyes at, 
 
 meso. kutolela meso. 
 
 To sit, kutama. To sit upon, kutamila. 
 
 To go first, kulonga. To go before, kulongolela. 
 
 To be a servant, kutu- To be a servant to, kutu- 
 
 mika. michila. 
 
 To look, kitlola. To look out for, kulolela. 
 
 To steal, kaiwa. To steal from, kuiwila. 
 
 The passive of this form refers to the person, &c, 
 to, for, from, &c, or with which the action is done, 
 and means, to have such a thing done to, for, &c, or 
 with the person, &c. 
 
 2. The verb is made causative by changing -la or 
 -ka into -sya } -ma into -my a, -na into -nya, or, in other 
 terminations, changing the final -a into -exya or -isya, 
 according to the vowel of the preceding syllable, -esj/a 
 after -e- or -o-, and -isya after -a-, -1-, or -u- : 
 
 Kutojima, to start. Kutojimya, to startle. 
 
 Knjonga, to suck. Knjonjesya, to suckle. 
 
 Kiisakala, to spoil (neut.) Kiisakasya, to spoil (act.). 
 
 Kuliuka, to go out. Kutiosya, to put out.
 
 VERBS. 71 
 
 Kuungana, to come to- Kuunganya, to bring to- 
 gether, gether. 
 
 Kiqnnclana, to be folded ■ Kup'mclanya, to fold to- 
 
 togetlier. gether. 
 
 The forms in -sya are used also to intensify the 
 action of the simple verb : 
 
 Ktyogojaa, to fear. Kvjogopesya, to fear ex- 
 
 ceedingly. 
 
 This form is strengthened still further by inserting 
 -chi- or -die- before the syllable -sya. 
 
 3. A neuter or quasi-passive form is made by the 
 use of the termination -ka. The terminations -la 
 and -sya are changed into -lea. In other cases the 
 final -a becomes -eka or -ika, according to the vowel 
 of the preceding syllable : 
 
 Kutulusya, to let down. Kutuluka, to be let down, 
 
 to descend. 
 Kumanya, to know. Kumanyika, to be known. 
 
 Kugolosya, to make straight. Kiigoloka, to be straight. 
 
 4. The verb is made reciprocal by changing the 
 final -a into -ana : 
 
 Kumenya, to strike. Kumenyana, to strike one 
 
 another, to fight. 
 
 Kidanga, to take leave. Kulangana, to take leave 
 
 of one another.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 The first person singular of the present perfect is placed in a 
 parenthesis after the word. In order to form the other per- 
 sons the initial consonant of the verb must he restored to its 
 original form. 
 
 Abhor, angasalala mtima. 
 Abide, tama {ndeme). 
 Able, be, Jcombola (ngo- 
 mbwele). 
 
 Abolish : slavery is abolished 
 in our country, ukapolo 
 umasile kumangwetu. 
 
 Abound, chuluka (njulwicJie); 
 to be many, tupa (ndupilq); 
 to be full of, gumbala 
 (nguiiibeh) : our country 
 abounds in lions, chilambo 
 chetu chigumbele masimba. 
 
 Abuse, by word or deed, 
 tunduka ; he abused mc. 
 andunducliile ; by bad or 
 filthy language, tvJcama 
 (ndukenc). 
 
 Accept, jitichila (nyitichile) ; 
 receive, pechela (mbechele). 
 
 Accompany, longana na (no- 
 ngene); let us go together, 
 tulongane. 
 
 Accomplish, malisya (malisi- 
 sye) ; become accomplished, 
 masila (masile). 
 
 Accuse, say of, s alii a. 
 
 Accustom, siowesya (siowcsi- 
 
 sye); become used to, siowela 
 {sioicele) ; become used to 
 one another, siowckana 
 {sioicekene). 
 
 Ache, peteka (mbeteche); my 
 head is aching, mtwi uku- 
 mbeteka. 
 
 Add, onjesya, onjecliesya; be 
 added to, onjesela. 
 
 Admit, jinjisya (nyinjisye). 
 
 Adorn, lemba {nembile) ; I 
 shall adorn, tvnembe; adorn 
 one's self (dress well), mala 
 it koto. 
 
 Advise, weleketa (mbelcehetc); 
 we advised you privately, 
 tukuwelechete mtemele. 
 
 Adze, songola (songwele). 
 
 Afraid, be,jogopa (nyogwejpe); 
 be very much afraid, jogo- 
 pesya, ogopeehesya ; be in 
 great fear or danger, picelela 
 (mbwelcle). 
 
 Agree, be of one mind, jilana; 
 we agreed, tujilene je ; be 
 accustomed to one another, 
 siowekana (siowekcne), sio- 
 wela na.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 73 
 
 Agreeable, De, kotopa (ngotwe- 
 pe). 
 
 Alienate, become alienated, 
 lekana (ndekene). 
 
 Anger, become angry, tumhala 
 (ndumbile). 
 
 Anoint, rub on, pakala (mba- 
 chele). 
 
 Answer, ja nga ( nya njile) . 
 
 Appear, kopochcla ; appear to, 
 kopochelela. 
 
 Approach, wandika (wandi- 
 che) ; one another, tcandi- 
 kana (mbandikene) ; bring 
 near, icandichila, sejelela ; 
 let him come and sit down, 
 ajize a tame. 
 
 Arrive, ilea (niche). 
 
 Ascend, kwela (ngwesile) ; 
 climb up ! kieela n i m w in a n i ! 
 
 Ashamed.be, ona soni ,kolasoni. 
 
 Ask, tisya (usisi/e) ; ask for, 
 saka (sachile); ask on be- 
 half of, &c.,ttc/iis}/a. 
 
 Aflsemble,(act.) ungawga (tinge- 
 nye). 
 
 Assist, j an gat a (nyangete); 
 I assisted him, nimjangete. 
 
 Attack, sienga. 
 
 Attempt, linga {lunjile). 
 
 A agment, onjejdsya. 
 
 Avoid, leave, leka (ndesile) ; 
 get out of the way of, 
 sepuka (sepwiche); avoid a 
 missile, tiala (ndiasile); ho 
 avoided drinking (he just 
 left the place of beer), ase- 
 pwieheje pauka.no,. 
 
 Awake, he is awake, juaehuela 
 meso pe. 
 
 Aware, become, sisimuka (sisi- 
 mukile). 
 
 Bake, joka (nyocJiile). 
 Banish, icinga {icinjile), 
 
 mi nga (I). 
 Bark, Vila; he barked, alisile. 
 Bask in the sun, otela Una. 
 Bathe, jog a (nyosile). 
 Be, wa. [See p. 68]. 
 Bear, fruit, children, &c, 
 
 weleka (iceleche). icelec/iela ; 
 
 be born, pagwa (mbagicile); 
 
 cany, jigala (nyigelc) . 
 Beat, menya (menyile), kunv- 
 
 la (ngvnwile), puta (mbu- 
 
 tile); beat a drum, gomba 
 
 ngoma (ngombele). 
 Beckon to, wilanga (?). 
 Beg, juga (nyusile); pray, 
 
 lomba (nombile). 
 Begin, tanda (ndandite), tan- 
 
 dula (ndandwile). 
 Behave well, tenda ncheneyie: 
 
 he behaves well, atesile 
 
 uelienenepe. 
 Behead, sichita likosi. 
 Bellow, like a bull, gunguluma; 
 
 he bellowed, agungulwime. 
 Bend, pinda (mbindile). 
 Bend down, (neut.) jinama 
 
 (nyinemc); (act.) jinam isya 
 
 (nyinamisyc) ; bend down 
 
 verymuch,(neut.}//»<Y/«/.s'y<7. 
 Benumb : my fingers are dead 
 
 with cold, yala yangu itvile 
 
 mandindi. 
 Beware, lolechcsya (ndole- 
 
 chesyc).
 
 74 
 
 LfST OF YERBS. 
 
 Bewitch, loga (ndosile) ; he 
 bewitched me, andosile ; he 
 bewitched you, akulosile. 
 
 Bind, tawa (ndawile). 
 
 Bite, luma; it bit me, andu- 
 mile. 
 
 Bitter, be, wawa ; it has got 
 bitter, ckiwawile. 
 
 Blacken, tenda clta chipilyu ; 
 become black, jpilila (mbi- 
 lile). 
 
 Blaze, kolela. 
 
 Bless, jinichila. 
 
 Blind : his eyes are swollen and 
 burst, meso gatuswiche 
 (tusuka) ; his eyes are 
 closed, meso gatotivec/ie 
 {totoJca). 
 
 Blow (like the wind) tutuma; 
 it blows, jitutwime ; blow 
 the fire, wiwila ; with the 
 mouth, kolesya moto na 
 pakamwa ; with bellows, 
 ukutila moto na miwua. 
 
 Boil, tutuma ; the water boils, 
 mesi gatutwime; boil vege- 
 tables, &c, tokosya, telesya; 
 the sweet potatoes are boiled, 
 batata sitokwete (or si/pile). 
 
 Border upon, one boundary, 
 mpika umo ; alongside, ma- 
 il nga pe ; just together, 
 dial umo pe. 
 
 Born, be, pagwa (mbagwile). 
 
 Box the ears, menya ligasa, 
 kunula lipende; he boxed 
 my ears, angunwile lipende. 
 
 Break, temanya (ndemenye), 
 temdngula (ndemangwile), 
 Jcasa (ngasile) ; become 
 
 broken, temeka, kasika ; it 
 broke, itemeche ; the water 
 jar is broken, luulo luka- 
 siche. 
 
 Breathe, pumwula (mbumwi- 
 le); sigh, isya mtima. 
 
 Breed, of animals, pongola 
 (apongivele). 
 
 Bring, carry to, igalila ; come 
 with, isa nayo ; give to, 
 pa. Bring me my knife, 
 hambeni chipula c/iangu ; 
 [take], tola; bring water, 
 Icatoleni mesi; it was 
 brought long ago, chiiehc 
 Icalakala. 
 
 Build (tie, all houses are tied 
 together), tawa ; to set up a 
 stockade, kutawa lusagala. 
 
 Burn : set on fire, oka ; the 
 men burnt the house, irandu 
 ajochile nyumba; be con- 
 sumed, pila; the house was 
 burnt, nyumba jipile moto; 
 \\ght\i]),pamba(i?ibambilc); 
 make up a fire, isila lusasu; 
 in cooking, tinika ; burst 
 into a blaze, temesya moto. 
 
 Bury, asa (nyasile). 
 
 Buy, suma (sumilc); buy for, 
 siimila ; I want you to buy 
 me a slave, ngusaka msti- 
 mile kapolo. 
 
 Cackle, tefela. 
 
 Call, wilanga {wilasile); he is 
 
 calling me, ahumbilanga. 
 Can: be able, kombola; to be 
 
 possible, kupakombola.
 
 LIST OF VEEBS. 
 
 75 
 
 Care, think, ganisya ; look 
 after, lolechesya. 
 
 Carry, jigala; carry for, jiga- 
 lila ; be a porter, lalika. 
 
 Carve, ornament, lemba. 
 
 Catch (a ball), janga (nyanji- 
 le) ; seize, kamula (nga- 
 mwile); catch fish, loposya 
 somha ; he caught, alopwe- 
 sye. 
 
 Cease, leka (ndesile); finish, 
 mala (masile). 
 
 Chase, winga {winjile). 
 
 Cheat, lambusya (nambwisye). 
 
 Chew, tauna (ndawine); chew 
 sugar-cane, &c, kambila, 
 ipa. 
 
 Chirrup, sionya (sionyUe), 
 
 Choose, sdgula (sagwile). 
 
 Circumcise, mwina; go into 
 the woods and stay there, as 
 part of the ceremony of en- 
 tering on manhood, dagala. 
 
 Clap the hands, kwata (ngica- 
 tile). 
 
 Claw, papula (mbapicile). 
 
 Clean (see Wash), become 
 clean, stiejela ; scrape the 
 scales off a fish, pata somba 
 (mbasile) ; gut, tumbula 
 (ndumbwile) ,- clean cotton 
 from the seeds, chela litonji 
 {njesile). 
 
 Clear ground in a forest, sanji- 
 la ; clear the path by laying 
 the grass to a side, wand a 
 {wandile). 
 
 Cleave, split up, palula {mha- 
 Iwile); split a little, pala- 
 watidula (mbalaicaiidicile). 
 
 Climb, kwela (ngwesile). 
 
 Close, the fist, umbata (umbe- 
 te) ; the eyes, hv/pila 
 (ngupile); put to (a door), 
 tisya {usisye) ; fasten (a 
 door), it gal a (i/gele). 
 
 Clothe, tcasya (icasisye) ; put 
 on, uala {uete). 
 
 Cluck, the hen is calling her 
 chicks, nguku Jikwatvila~ 
 njila wanache wake. 
 
 Cold, be, sisima ; feel the 
 cold, ona mbepo. 
 
 Collect, uuganya ; gather into 
 a heap, Icolcola ; we are 
 come together, tuiche pa- 
 mpepe ; they are gathering 
 now, akwika samba no. 
 
 Comb, sa inula (sunuc tie). 
 
 Come, isa (nisile); arrive, ika; 
 come from, tioka (ndiosile); 
 come out of, kopoka (ngo- 
 pweche) ; come near to, 
 voandichila ; come up with, 
 chinga; the goats have all 
 come, mbusi siose siikange- 
 ne (ikangana). 
 
 Comforted, be, lisinjila {ndi- 
 sinjile). 
 
 Command, lula. 
 
 Commence, tanda (ndandile). 
 
 Commiserate, tendela chana- 
 sa ; pity, kumbuchila. 
 
 Complete, malisya, lingana. 
 
 Comprehend, understand, ma- 
 nya (nuznyile) ; it is in- 
 comprehensible, galimanyi- 
 ka. 
 
 Conceal, sisa (sisile). 
 
 Conclude, mala. 
 
 H 2
 
 76 
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 Confound, mix, wangai/y a (wa- 
 
 ngomyise). 
 Consent, kunda (ngundile) ; 
 
 be content, jitichila; I shall 
 
 not consent, ting one. 
 Consider, kumbiichila, ganyi- 
 
 sya. 
 Console, still, tamiJca •■; he con- 
 
 soledhim,a« tamiche mtima; 
 
 he was consoled, mtima umi- 
 
 alele\heuom& still, mialala], 
 
 lull, jjemhesya. 
 Consume, Ha; the house was 
 
 consumed by fire, moto utile 
 
 nyumba. 
 Contract, draw up, matikana; 
 
 make a contract, langana 
 
 (nangene). 
 Converse, kunguluka ; we 
 
 conversed together, twaku- 
 
 ngvlwiche. 
 Convert, galausya (ngalau- 
 
 sisye). 
 Cook, wuga (mbujile) ; boil, 
 
 teleka (ndeleche) ; be cooked 
 
 (done), j>ya ; it is done, 
 
 ipile. 
 Cool, (act.) posya {mhosisye); 
 
 (neut.) pola ; tbe water has 
 
 cooled, mesi gaposile. 
 Cough, kos6mola{ngosomwele); 
 
 hawk up spittle, kolola. 
 Count, walanga {walamile). 
 Cover, oniha ; for a person, 
 
 onichila. 
 Covet, .sulci. 
 
 Crack, taga lug a ; don't crack 
 it, mJcaja mtaga luga; he 
 
 has cracked it, atasile luga; 
 
 it is cracked (it has a crack), 
 
 luna luga; open like clay in 
 the sun, gala (-gasile). 
 
 Crackle, latdsiJca. 
 
 Crawl, kivawa {ngu-awile). 
 
 Creep, tambala (ndambele). 
 
 Cross, a river, jomboTca {nyo~ 
 mbweche); let us go over in 
 a canoe, tujomboche mice 
 lilcungwa ; it cannot be 
 crossed, ngapajomboka ; lie 
 across, jejema ; be cross 
 with, Jcalipila. 
 
 Cry, lila (ndisile) ; cry out, 
 tenda, jisegwe ; go crying 
 to one's father, &c, clioko- 
 leJca . 
 
 Cultivate, lima (ndimile). 
 
 Cure, posya (mbosisye) ; be 
 cured, pola; the wound has 
 healed, liwanga liposile. 
 
 Curse, Iwesa (ndwesile) ; im- 
 precate against, hcesela. 
 
 Cut, si kit a (sikile); across the 
 middle, sikita chisikatipe ; 
 long ways, sikita chamchi- 
 leu ; obliquely, sikita 
 chamchipingula ,■ cut down 
 (fell), kang'anda (»ga- 
 ng'andile) ; with a sword 
 (slash), tema (ndemile) ; as 
 in reaping (mow), kumba; 
 cut open an animal, tumbula 
 (nd&mlwile); cut the throat, 
 singa {sinjile) ; cut the tops 
 off weeds, cut hair,&c. (crop), 
 utula (tit wile) ; cut even, 
 lenga ; cut the teeth to a 
 point, songola mow, panya 
 meno (mbanyile).
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 77 
 
 Dance, ina (mile) ; ng'anda 
 
 (ng'andile). 
 
 Deal, trade, tenda malonda; 
 hawk about, jesya (nyesi- 
 sye). 
 
 Deceive, lambusya (nambu- 
 sisye), lambuchisya. 
 
 Decrease, (act.) pungusya ; 
 (neut.) punguka, pungula ; 
 by taking away, sapula ; be- 
 come ]ittle,Jatoa ; the water 
 is failing, mesi gajawile. 
 
 Deformed, be, lemala; tbe 
 man is deformed, mundit 
 alemele ; tbe tree grows out 
 of shape, or, it has outgrown 
 itself, nttela ukulemala ; 
 the road is rough and broken, 
 litala Ukulemala ; the hill 
 is abrupt and precipitous, li- 
 tu nihil i Ukulemala. 
 
 Deliver, lamila, lamisya. 
 
 Deny, kana {ng anile). 
 
 Deride, sekela ; tenda uicilo ; 
 tenda chipongwe ; tenda 
 (■ha ad die. 
 
 Descend, tiiluka (ndulwiche). 
 
 Deserve : he deserves to be 
 beaten, kungulu akampu- 
 tile [it were best the}" beat 
 him]. 
 
 Desire, saka (sachile). 
 
 Despair : I despair of it, nga 
 ngv.lv/palila (I do not 
 hope). 
 
 Destroy, sakasya (sakesye) ; 
 to be destroyed or spoilt, sa- 
 kala. 
 
 Detain, kawilisya. 
 
 Die, uwa (uwile). 
 
 n 
 
 Difficult, be, kanichisya ; I 
 found a difficulty, ndi pa- 
 kanichisye. 
 
 Dig, ukula (ukwile) ; dig a 
 small bole as with an iron 
 bar, sola (sosile) ; dig boles 
 for tbe posts of a but, aula 
 lisimba. 
 
 Diminish, (act.) pungusya 
 (mbungwisye), (neut.) pu- 
 ngula ; become little, jawa; 
 by taking away, sapula («a- 
 pwile); (neut.) sapuka; the 
 water has been made less, 
 mesi ga sap w ic/t e. 
 
 Dip, chopya (njopile) ; put in, 
 taga ; I have dipped it in 
 water, ndasile pamesi ; dip 
 up, teka (ndechile) ; dip up 
 beer, and give it out for 
 drinking, tekanya ukana 
 {ndekenye). 
 
 Dirt, get d]xty,jinjila likapu. 
 
 Disapprove, kanila ; he dis- 
 likes it, angasaka. 
 
 Dislocate, tia I a in busy a ; be 
 dislocated, tialambuka; it 
 is dislocated, itialambwiche. 
 
 Dissolve, (act.) uyeuyeudusya; 
 (neut.) nyenyenduka ; it is 
 dissolved, inyenyendwiehe. 
 
 Distort, popolul a. 
 
 Dive, t'uvila (ndnoile). 
 
 Divide, gawanya (ngawenye). 
 
 Do, tenda (ndesile) ; panga- 
 nya (mbangenye). 
 
 Doubt, laga (ndasile). 
 
 1 >o/.e, gwesela (ngwesele). 
 
 Drag, vita. 
 
 Draw, ula, (utile); water, te- 
 
 3
 
 78 
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 ka (ndechile) ; draw up to- 
 gether, Jcwima; the meat 
 has shrunk in boiling, nya- 
 majikwimile; draw the fire 
 together, kumbanya moto ; 
 draw back, tukuka, tuku- 
 chila. 
 
 Dream, sagamila (sagamile). 
 
 Dress, uala nguo ; dress hair, 
 t/'ira umbo. 
 
 Drink, ng'wa (ng'wele) ; give 
 to drink, ng'wesya (ng'we- 
 sisye). 
 
 D rive dongo lesya (nongo lesye) . 
 
 Drop, sulula madondwa. 
 
 Dry, (neut.) jumula ; they are 
 not dry, siangajumula ; 
 they are dry, sijnmwile ; 
 (act.) jumulila ; put to dry, 
 janika (nyaniche) ; he is 
 putting his clothes out to 
 diy, akusijanika nguo ; he 
 has bathed, and is drying 
 (wiping) himself, ajosile 
 akulishda mesi. 
 
 Dwell, tama (nc/cme). 
 
 Dye, red, chejesyu; be dyed, 
 chejela. 
 
 Earn : to get hire, kupelwa 
 
 i nn bote. 
 Ease one's self, Tcunya; he is 
 
 gone to ease himself, agile 
 
 kuikonde [gone into the 
 
 hush]. 
 East' (make easy) apuka. 
 Eclipse : the moon is eclipsed, 
 
 mwezi ukamwilwe na 11- 
 
 joka [the moon has been 
 
 seized by a snake]. 
 
 Eat, Ha (ndiie); eat to excess, 
 nyela ; eat up all the food 
 away from the rest, kala- 
 musya ; be overstuffed, lu- 
 lilwa. 
 
 Emerge, juuka (nyuwiche). 
 
 Empty. SeePour. He emptied 
 out all the water, ajitUe 
 gose. 
 
 Encamp, stop on the road, ta~ 
 ma mwitala. 
 
 Encourage, to be encouraged, 
 timalika m/ima. 
 
 End, (neut.) mala ; the food is 
 done, yakulia imasile; my 
 work is done, gamasile ma- 
 sengo gangu. 
 
 Engender, weleka ; cover, ktve- 
 f tin a. 
 
 Enter, jinjila (nyinjile). 
 
 Entreat, juga (nyusile) ; per- 
 suade, chondelela. 
 
 Entrust, wichila (mbichile). 
 
 Equalize : make alike, tendet 
 clialumo ; make fair, tenda 
 iyoyo. 
 
 Erect, ^Vw ika (nyimic/ie). 
 
 Err : miss the way, kosa litala, 
 sachelela. 
 
 Escape, as a spring, jutu- 
 ka. 
 
 Evaporate : the water is dried 
 up, mesi gaamwele. 
 
 Examine, look well at, lole- 
 chesya; seek, sosa. 
 
 Exceed: pass, punda ; he ex- 
 cels him, ampundile. 
 
 Excited, be : he is excited, wyo- 
 ii go jitindcne [his bile is up- 
 set].
 
 LTST OF VERBS. 
 
 79 
 
 Exhort, onesya (mbonesisye) ; 
 
 losya [nosis-ye). 
 Expect : I was expecting it, 
 
 nasisimukaga. 
 Extinguish, simya (simile). 
 Extol, jinichila (nyinichile). 
 
 Fade, dry, jumulci; waste 
 away, ganda. 
 
 Faint away, siliJca {siUchile). 
 
 Fall, ^ww [vgicile) ; fall in, li- 
 huka ■■; it fell in, lilikwieke; 
 fall into a pit, &c. tumMJca 
 (ndumhichile) ; make to fall 
 into, &c. tumbukisya. 
 
 Fan, pepelela. 
 
 Fasten: tie, tcuca ; firmly, ta- 
 toisya; fasten into, ugalila. 
 
 Fatten, (neut.) of beasts, na/ra- 
 na; the goat is fat, mbwsi 
 jinaJcene ; of men, jimbala 
 (nyimbele). 
 
 Favour, jiiiiehilila (nyinicki- 
 lile). " 
 
 Yeiir.jogojia (tujogwepe). 
 
 Feed, lisya (ndisisye); let us 
 go and feed the goats, iwe- 
 nde fatkasilisye mbv.si ; he 
 fed him, ampele chakula 
 [he gave him food]. 
 
 Feel: touch, kwaya [ngwctyili ); 
 stroke, papasya (mbapasi- 
 syc) ; lay on the hand, Lira- 
 yisya . 
 
 Fence : make a fence, tend a 
 lutcnje; with reeds, hweta 
 (ngwetile). 
 
 Ferment, chesvka ; it h.is fer- 
 mented, icheswiche. 
 
 Fever : get a fever, ndipulca 
 (ndipwiehe). 
 
 Fetch. See Bring. 
 
 Few, he, narrdupa ; we are 
 few, tunandwipe. 
 
 Fight,menyana, umana; strive 
 with, tctela. 
 
 Fill, gumbasya (ngumbesye), 
 gumbalichisya ; become full, 
 gumbala ; the jar is full of 
 water, luulo lugumbele me- 
 si ; the jar is half full of 
 water, luulo luhwete litilca 
 mesi ; fill up a small hole in 
 the ground, silila (silile). 
 
 Find : see, wvna ; seek, sosa ; 
 he found me, ambwene. 
 
 Finish, (act.) malisyg.; (neut.) 
 mala ; finish off well, tenda 
 uc/t incite 
 
 Fire a gun, gomba {ngombile) 
 uti ; cock a gun, teg a; miss 
 fire, hana /nolo. 
 
 Fix, kasiana (ngasiene). 
 
 Flash, of lightning, mesya. 
 
 Flee, tila (ndisile); make to 
 flee, tisya [ndisisye). 
 
 Flinch, iiala (ndiasile); flinch 
 from, tiasya (ndiasisye). 
 
 Flog, jiu/a na migqji. 
 
 Flourish, te/ijela. 
 
 Flow, pass, pita ; leak out, 
 sulula ; the water flows in 
 the river, mesi gahwpita 
 mno lusulo; the blood is 
 flowing fast, miasi jikusu- 
 lula mnope. 
 
 Flower, tola ndua. 
 
 Fly, guluka [ngul wiche), a 
 man cannot fly like a bird.
 
 so 
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 mundu angapakombola ku- 
 guluka mti chijuni. 
 
 Fold, pindanya (mbind&nye) 
 ilijila ; it was folded up, 
 chilijililwe. 
 
 Follow, kagula (ngagwile): 
 
 Foolish, be, lowela, (ndowele). 
 
 Forbid, hanya (riganisye). 
 
 Force, tenda machili. 
 
 Forge, do smith's work, siana 
 (si anile). 
 
 Forget, liwalila {ndiwalile), 
 lemiva; he said he should 
 forget, aluwile leuti tali- 
 walile ; if I had stopped I 
 should have forgotten, pu- 
 ngahcuwilile ngaliwalile ; 
 don't forget, mkaja mli- 
 walila. 
 
 Forgive, leka, lechela. 
 
 Free, tenda mlukosyo. 
 
 Fresh, be, not salt, sisima ; 
 the water is'fresh, mesi ga- 
 sisime. 
 
 Frighten, jogosy a (nyogwesye). 
 
 Frown, sinya (sinyile) ; he 
 frowned, atesile sinya. 
 
 Fry, Tcalanga (ngalasile or 
 ngalanjile). 
 
 Gain, kola itpili ; get advan- 
 tage, pin due hila (/). 
 
 Gape, tenda mwayu. 
 
 Gasp for breath, ndipuJca mti- 
 ma ; he gasped for breath, 
 undipw ieh e mti ma. 
 
 Gather : put together, toika 
 pampepe, unganya [unge- 
 nye) ; come together, unga- 
 na ; gather into a heap, ko- 
 
 kola (ngokicele) ; a hen 
 gathering her chickens under 
 her wings, ngttku jiutamile 
 wanache wake; gatherfruit, 
 kawa tyigawile). 
 
 Get, kola (ngwete); get giddy, 
 kola kisiungusiungu ; get 
 up, tioka, ima ; get well, 
 la/na (ndamile),imuka; of 
 a wound, pal a {liposile); 
 get wet, &c. See Wet, &c. 
 
 Give to, pa; he gave me, 
 ambele; (pass.) to receive, 
 pclira; get from one another, 
 pelwana; make presents to, 
 laguchisya; make a gift to 
 a workman, ttpa [upile). 
 
 Give way, a little, wonyela ; 
 and fall in, likuka. 
 
 Glance off, sembenduka ; it 
 glanced off, ehiscmbeadwi- 
 che. 
 
 Glide, slip, telesya, chililika ; 
 water is gliding down, mesi 
 gakuchililika past. 
 
 Glitter, me rim eta ; they glit- 
 tered, simerimetile ; give 
 light fSwejela; the stars shine 
 bright, ndondwa siaswejele; 
 like lightning, mesya. 
 
 Gnash the teeth, hi manga' 
 nya meno (ndumangenye). 
 
 Gnaw, tauna (ndatcine). 
 
 Grin, j a s-e ma (nya seme); thedog 
 opened his lips and fixed his 
 teeth, mbwa ijaseme iluma- 
 nganile meno. 
 
 Go, enda,jenda (nyesile),ja. 
 
 Go away, go olf.janla (nyau- 
 ile) ; I am going away, tide-
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 81 
 
 nda kwaula ; I shall not go 
 
 away, ngaja nyaula. 
 Go away, set out, tioka ; the 
 
 goat is gone away, mbusi 
 jitiosile. 
 Go hack, uja (usile). 
 Go bad, ola ; it has gone had, 
 
 iwosile. 
 Go hefore, longolela (nongo- 
 
 lele). 
 Go deep, hard, fast, &c.,jende- 
 
 sya. 
 Go down, tuluka (ndulwiche). 
 Go far, tallica (ndaliche) ; 
 
 very far, talicJiisya ; don't 
 
 go very far, mJcaja mtali- 
 
 chisya pakwenda. 
 Go fast, chelenga {vjelenjile). 
 Go quickly, hangamala. 
 Go in or into, jinjila {nyi- 
 
 njile). 
 Go out of, kopoka (ngopicc- 
 
 che). 
 Go out, like a lamp, simika. 
 Good, be, lumbana (ndu- 
 
 mhene). 
 Graze, of cattle, enda kuli- 
 
 sya. 
 Graze, rub off the skin, pomo- 
 
 la; it rubbed off my skin, 
 
 imbomirele. 
 Greet, Jim n lea (»yi>iuriche),ji- 
 
 nvwichila ; he saluted me, 
 
 anyimwichile. 
 Grind, siaga (siajile) ; the 
 
 women were grinding, wa- 
 
 kongwe asiajileje. 
 Groan, uvula (wuusile). 
 Grow, of vegetables, mela ; the 
 
 tree has < r rowm mtela ume- 
 
 sile ; of persons, sagamila; 
 
 my child has grown, mwa- 
 
 nangu asagamilile. 
 Grow great, kula (ngusile). 
 Growl, iongula, gunguluma. 
 
 See Hoar. 
 Grumble, songona, songonela. 
 Grunt, titruma, ninya ; the 
 
 pig grunted, likuluive lini- 
 
 nyile. 
 Guard, linda (ndindite) ; 
 
 guard against, &c, lindi- 
 
 lila. 
 Guide, go before, longola, lo- 
 ngolela ; show the way, la- 
 
 njila litala. 
 
 Hail : it hails, jlkunya ula ya 
 
 maganga (or, ya mando- 
 
 ndica). 
 Halt : stop, ima ; go lame, ti- 
 
 ndimajila. 
 Hang : strangle, popoiola ; 
 
 hang Tup,(a.ct.)kwesya {ngwe- 
 
 sisye) ; (neut.) kolcka ; it 
 
 hangs up, chikoleche. 
 Happy, be, HlimaUJa. 
 Harm, p> we ^ a {mbieelele) ; 
 
 it does no harm, ngapakwe- 
 
 lela ; no harm, all right, 
 
 mbesi. 
 Harass, pesya {mbesisye), sa- 
 
 kalisya ; be harassed, pe~ 
 
 la (mbesilt ). 
 Hasten, (act.) kangamasya ; 
 
 make haste, kangamala 
 
 {iigaiigiuiuh). 
 
 Hatch, sosola. 
 
 ■ WaU\ ttiwlila, sausya, kana 
 cha hi tint a.
 
 82 
 
 LIST OF VE11BS. 
 
 Healthy: to be healthy and 
 light hearted, ehangalama- 
 na. 
 
 Hear, pilikana (mbilikene). 
 
 Hearken, pilikanila. 
 
 Help, jangata (nyangatile), 
 ha m usya (nga m wisye) ; I 
 helped him, nimjangatile ; 
 he helped me, anyangatile ; 
 call a man to help him, awi- 
 Jange mundu amkamusye ; 
 I cannot lift it, make some 
 one help me, ngapakombo- 
 lu kunyakula mbe mundu 
 angamusye. 
 
 Hide, sisa (sisile) ; hide one's 
 se\£,juwa (nyuwile). 
 
 Hinder, Jcanya, kaniehisya. 
 
 Hire, pelwa kica mbote. 
 
 Hit : with the fist, puta ; 
 thrust, soma (somite); with 
 a stick, nula, menya. 
 
 Hoarse, be : the voice is dried 
 up, lilowe lijumwile (jumu- 
 la); the voice is lost, lilowe 
 lisowile (soiua). 
 
 Hoe, palila (mbalile). 
 
 Hoist up, twika (ndwichile); 
 via mwinane, utila kwi- 
 nane. 
 
 Hollow: hollow out, sokolela; 
 clean the pith out of a reed, 
 etc., tenda lipesi; sound hol- 
 low, gungulila. 
 
 Hop, gulukaguluka. 
 
 Hope, kumbuchilct, Iv/pa- 
 lila. 
 
 Humble one's self, linonokea 
 (ndinonochele); make one's 
 self a child, litenda mwa- 
 
 nache ; entreat like a child, 
 
 tenda lutete. 
 Hunt, winga {winjile). 
 Hurt: be hurt, ulala (ulcle) ; 
 
 give pain, peteka (mbete- 
 
 che). 
 Husk Indian corn, senda ima- 
 
 nga (sendile). 
 
 Imitate, linga (ninjile), li- 
 
 ngana ; he cannot imitate 
 me, ngampakombola kuli- 
 ngana none [na une]. 
 
 Immerse in water, tumbuki- 
 sya mest. 
 
 Immigrate : ihey have left 
 their land, and come to 
 dwell in our land, asamile 
 chit umbo cliao ajesile ku- 
 tama kuchilambo chetu. 
 
 Impossible, to be : it cannot 
 lie, ngapakombola kuwa. 
 
 Improve, tenda. ukoto. 
 
 Imprison: bind, taica. 
 
 Incline, jinama (nyineme): 
 
 Increase, jonjichesya (nj/onji- 
 chesye) ; become more, pa- 
 mbula; they are more. //"./- 
 rnbwile. 
 
 Inherit: I have got the pro- 
 perty of him who died, vgwe- 
 techipanje chaju a idle Jute. 
 When a man dies his hut is 
 pulled down, his widow takes 
 her pots and vessels, and his 
 brother takes the rest. 
 
 Enquire, sosa ; listen for the 
 truth, lipilikanila nmope. 
 
 Instruct, jiganya (nyigenye).
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 83 
 
 Insult, tukana. 
 
 Intend, saka. 
 
 Introduce, jinjisya. 
 
 Inundate : the river is rising, 
 Insula lukulikuka ; the 
 river is in flood, Insula luli- 
 I'lciche. 
 
 Invent, kola kindu chipia. 
 
 Irritate, tumbalisya (ndumba- 
 lisye); be irritable, tnmha- 
 Ida ; be very irritable, tu- 
 mbalisya. 
 
 Itch: cause to itch, nyanya ; 
 he itched, yamnyanyile. 
 
 Jam, pachikana (?); become 
 
 jammed, pachika ; it is 
 
 jammed, lipach ichc. 
 Jerk, kutula (ngutwile). 
 Joke, seka, tenda uwifo, l-we- 
 
 legula. 
 Judge, pokolanya (inbokole- 
 
 nye). 
 Jump, guluka (ngulwicke). 
 
 Keep : guard, lindila ; put 
 
 away, wika. 
 Kick, puta lichese; he kicked 
 
 me, ambiitile lichese. 
 Kill, ulaga (rnbuleje or nu- 
 
 leye). 
 Kindle, kolesya. 
 Kiss, tnesya. 
 Knead, ponda ; he kneaded 
 
 with his Angers, apondile 
 
 na gala. 
 KnctAjindi/rala (iidindiirele). 
 Knock: heavily, menya; light- 
 
 ly, kumuvda (ngumundile) ; 
 at a door, poposya ; it is 
 usual at a door to clap the 
 hands and cry — icho ! 
 Know, manya (manyile), ma- 
 nyila ; he understands you, 
 akumanyilile ; I do not 
 understand them, ngama- 
 nyilila ; I know something, 
 ngumanya chindu ; I know 
 nothing, ngamanya ; I don't 
 know, Jcwali. 
 
 Labour, tenda ma sen go. 
 
 Lacerate, papula ( mb a p wile). 
 
 Lade out, pakula (mbakwile). 
 
 Lame, be, tundajila. 
 
 Last: be durable, limba ; be 
 hard, nonopa; ebony lasts 
 long (does not end), mpingu 
 wangamala ; stay, kawilila. 
 
 Laugh, seka (sechile). 
 
 Lay. wiJca {mbistle) ; taga 
 (nddsile) ; lay a cloth, &c, 
 tandika (ndandiche) ; laj- 
 eggs,tajila mandanda ; lay 
 across diagonally, pingula- 
 na. 
 
 Lead : go before, longola, lot/go- 
 tela ; show the way. lanjila 
 litala. 
 
 Leak, sulula. 
 
 Lean, he. ganda {ngandih). 
 
 Learn, lijiga nya. 
 
 Leave, leka ; leave remaining, 
 lepela (ndepele) ; leave off, 
 lot oka {ngotweche) ; used of 
 pain or of talking, mialala. 
 
 Lend: let a person have goods
 
 84 
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 or money to trade with, 
 Teongola (ngongwele). 
 
 Lengthen, (act.) leuya (ndewi- 
 ye) ; (neut.) leu/pa ; the hair 
 is long, umbo silewipe. 
 
 Lessen, (act.) ij)isya (nyipini- 
 sye) ; (neut.) ipia [nyipiye). 
 
 Let down, tulusya (udulwi- 
 sye). 
 
 Level, tenda malinga. 
 
 Liberate: from slavery, tenda 
 lukosyo ; from work, &c, 
 welusya (mbelwisye); be at 
 liberty, weluJca (mbeltoiehe). 
 
 Lick, lamha [ndambile) touch 
 with the tongue, la- 
 pita. 
 
 Lie: tell lies, tenda (or wele- 
 cheta) unami ; you are tell- 
 ing lies, mkutenda unami; 
 you are not telling a lie, 
 mkatenda unami; I tell no 
 lies, ngasaka Jcumbusya 
 unami; lie (lay yourself 
 down), ligoneka (niligone- 
 che) ; lijongola; lie, gona 
 goneka ' ; welay on our hacks, 
 tugonele lugali; lie one 
 upon another, sanjikanga- 
 na ; lie in wait, sagamisya 
 (sagamisisye). 
 
 Lift, nyamula (nyamwile) ; 
 nyakula {nyakwile). 
 
 Light : set on fire, kolesya 
 ^{ngolesye, ngolesisye) ; be 
 light (not dark), languha ; be 
 light (not heavy), kiraluka. 
 
 Lighten, flash, mulika. 
 
 Like, nenyela (nenyele); he 
 does not like work, anga 
 
 vgancnyela kupanganya 
 masengo. 
 
 Listen to, pilikanyila. 
 
 Live, dwell, tama ; he is alive. 
 jua mjumi. 
 
 Load: a gun, sopela (sopele) ; 
 a porter, jigasya; put upon. 
 twichila ; add to a person's 
 load, pambila (mbambile). 
 
 Loiter, kawilila. 
 
 Look, tola (ndolite) ; look out 
 for, lolela (ndolelele) ; look 
 with astonishment, tola me- 
 so. 
 
 Loose : let loose, gopola (ngo- 
 pwele); he loose (not tight), 
 I e jet a. 
 
 Loosen, lejesya. 
 
 Lose : be lost, jasiJca, sotva 
 [sowile) ; I have lost my 
 knife, cliipula changu chi- 
 j a si die; wander about home- 
 less, lijasa ; be utterly lost. 
 similila ; lose one's way in 
 the woods, saehelela. 
 
 Love, nenyela ; love one ano- 
 ther, jilikan a ; we loved one 
 another, tujilichene. 
 
 Lower, tulusya (ndulwisye). 
 
 Lull, pembelesya. 
 
 Lust after, pila. 
 
 Magnify, Jcusya (ngusisye) ; 
 grow great, kula (ngusile) ; 
 make great, tenda ukulu- 
 vgira ; he made him great, 
 a m tesile jua m kiit a hi i wa . 
 
 Maintain, igalila ; he gave me 
 rations, ambele ngomalilo.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 85 
 
 Make: cause to be, tenda 
 (ndesile) ; by working, pa- 
 ng any a (mbangenye), pa- 
 nganisya ; for a person, pa- 
 nganichisya ; make pots, 
 gumba iwiga ; make up a 
 fire, isila lusasu. 
 
 Many, be, tupa ; they are 
 man}*, situpile. 
 
 Mark with the tribal mark, 
 lemba nembo (nembile). 
 
 Marry, of the man, lombela 
 (ndombele) ; of the woman, 
 lombelwa (ndombel we) ; ask 
 in marriage, lombesya. 
 
 Measure, linga (ndinjile). 
 
 Meet, chingangana ; see one 
 another, onegana ; come up 
 with, elringana (njingene) ; 
 meet with, simana ; I found 
 him in the house, namsime- 
 ne munyumba. 
 
 Melt (neut.), nyenenyenduha ; 
 (act.) nyenenyendusya. 
 
 Mend, panganichisya ; by 
 binding round, lienga (ndi- 
 enje) . 
 
 Milk, kama. 
 
 Mired, he, tapuka ; the ox 
 has stuck in the mud, ng'o- 
 mbe jitapwiche. 
 
 Miscarry, tungulumula ; she 
 miscarried, atiuigiilumwile. 
 
 Mislead, make to miss the 
 road, kosisya litala ; mis- 
 lead by lies, namanyila. 
 
 Miss, not to hit, kulusya {ngu- 
 Iwisye); I missed the way, 
 ngoaile (kosa) litala. 
 
 Mistake, liivala (ndiwele). 
 
 Mix, icanganya. 
 
 Mock, ng'andila, linga; mock 
 a stutterer, linga jua chi- 
 meme. 
 
 Molest, sakalisya. 
 
 Mould, shape, wandiJcana; go 
 mouldy, mala ukungu ; it 
 is mouldy, chimesile uku- 
 ngu. 
 
 Moulder away, timbuka ; it 
 has mouldered away, jiti- 
 mbwiche. 
 
 Mount, kwela (ngicesile). 
 
 Mourn, tama Xumalilo. It is 
 customary to watch in the 
 house, perhaps six days for a 
 wife, or a month for a hus- 
 band. 
 
 Move (act.), tuhwsya (nduhwi- 
 sye) ; like a snake or live 
 thing, uluTcuta (ulukwite) ; 
 change houses, sama (sa- 
 in He). 
 
 Muddy, become, or filth}-, 
 tapula (ndapwile). 
 
 Murder, ulaga (ulejc). 
 
 Name, tela Una, pa Una ; he 
 
 called me such a name, 
 
 andele Una. 
 Need, saka. 
 Neglect, leka. 
 Nod assent, jitiehila na lu- 
 
 Jcosi. 
 Noise, make a, (of people), 
 
 singanga, singanjika. 
 Notify, niauyisya. 
 Nourish, lisya. 
 Nudge, tuta (ndutile) ; touch
 
 86 
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 to call attention, palasa 
 {mbalese). 
 
 Obj ect, p ing u sy a (mhing wisye) . 
 
 Obscure, tenda chipi. 
 
 Observe, lola. 
 
 Offer, tolela (ndolele) ; offer 
 for sale, salila, kwesya, 
 jesya. 
 
 Old, grow, nyahala. 
 
 Omit, lei' a. 
 
 Open, unfasten, iigida, {ugwi- 
 le) ; uncover, unuJcula 
 (nnuJcwile) ; grow larger, 
 Iculq ; open one's eyes in 
 astonisbment, tola meso. 
 
 Oppress (?), ng'andila. 
 
 Outrun, pundila {mbundile). 
 
 Overcome, pundila (?). 
 
 Oversee, stand by, jimilila. 
 
 Overtake, clilnga (njinjile). 
 
 Overturn, galausya, pitehu- 
 sya. 
 
 Paddle, palasya {mbalesye). 
 
 Pain, peteka. 
 
 Pardon, lechela. 
 
 Parry, jepehula (nyepekivile), 
 chinjila. 
 
 Pass : go by, pitangana (mhi- 
 tangenc) ; pass on, pelenga- 
 na ; go through, peleta 
 (mbelete) ; make to go 
 through, pelesya (mbelesye). 
 
 Pay, lipa (ndipile); pay to, 
 lipila. 
 
 Peace, make, of the parties, 
 chenjela (nye?ijele) ; of the 
 mediator, chenjelesya. 
 
 Peck, sop a (sopile). 
 Peel, sen da (sendile), sepa. 
 Peep, lingulila (ningiilile). 
 Pelt with, somala {somele). 
 Penetrate, go through, peleta ; 
 
 go into, injila. 
 Perspire, tioha clrituJcuta ; 
 
 make to perspire, tenda 
 
 chitukuta. 
 Persuade, chondelela; the evil 
 
 spirits persuaded him, mo- 
 
 soka gamcliondelele. 
 Pick, with a knife, sokola 
 
 {sokwele); pick up, lokota 
 
 (ndokwete); kw/ta (ngwile); 
 
 pick over, sagula {sa- 
 
 gioile). 
 Pierce a hole, paola {mbawele) 
 
 soma. 
 Pinch, tona (ndonile). 
 Pity, kumbuchila ; be pitiless. 
 
 halalisya. 
 Plait, luTca (nduchile) ; suka 
 
 (suchile). 
 Plant, panda {mbandile). 
 Plaster, mata ; finish with a 
 
 smooth coat of clay, lialia- 
 
 jisya. 
 Play, ng'anda; play the fool, 
 
 jijiliJca (ni/i/'/liche). 
 Please, nenyelcsya {nenyele- 
 
 sye); be pleased, jinicJiila ; 
 
 Please ! chonde chonde ! say 
 
 " please," chondela. 
 Pluck, lupula (ngupwile). 
 
 ■nyochola {nyochicele); pluck 
 
 a fowl, mesa (mesile). 
 Plug up, sia-a (xiwile). 
 Plunder, sombola (sombtcele). 
 Poison, pa Iwasi.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 87 
 
 Polish, kuta (ng utile). 
 Possess, wanga (waiijile). 
 Possible, he, komboleka. 
 Pound, ponda (mbondile) ; 
 
 clean corn by pounding, tua 
 
 (ndicele) ; clean corn for, &c, 
 
 twesela (ndwesele). 
 Pour out, ita (nitile), jita 
 
 (nyitile); pour upon, &c, 
 
 jitila. 
 Praise, jinichila. 
 Pray, juga (nyusile), lomba 
 
 (ndombele). 
 Precede, lonjelela (nonjelele). 
 Pregnant, be, jigala ; become 
 
 pregnant, kola chitumbo or 
 
 chindamba. 
 Prepare for, icichila (to i chile). 
 Present to, pa (mbele); make 
 
 a present, laguehisya. 
 Press : hold tightly, tawisya 
 
 (ndawisye); press out, minya 
 
 (minyile); cook out oil, enga, 
 
 jenga (nyenjile). 
 Pretend to be, &c, linganichi- 
 
 sya mpela, Sfc. 
 Prick, soma (so mile). 
 Proceed, sejelela ; proceed 
 
 from, tioka. 
 Procure for (?), sosela (sosele). 
 Prohibit, Tcamsya (nganisye). 
 Pronounce, kalatnuka (nga- 
 
 lamwirhc). 
 Prop up, chingamisya (njinga- 
 
 misye). 
 Prosper, tenjela (iidenjele). 
 Prostrate one's self, inamisya ; 
 
 fall down before a person 
 
 and embrace his knees, 
 
 chondelelox 
 
 Protect, lindilila. 
 
 Pull: id a (utile); pull out (a 
 hair), tupula (ndupwile) ; 
 pull out (take forth), tiosya 
 (ndiosye); pull out (root up), 
 Jcula ; be pulled up, Tculiha; 
 the tooth is pulled out, jino 
 likulic/ie; pull apart, gwa- 
 gula. 
 
 Punish, scntsya (sawisye). 
 
 Pursue, Tcagula (ngagwile), 
 wing a (mbinjile). 
 
 Push : tut a (nd utile) ; push 
 away, tawanya {ndawanye); 
 give a push to, tenganya 
 (nde?ije?iye), tenganisya. 
 
 Put : taga (ndasile) ; wika 
 (mbisile); put away, wika; 
 (divorce) leka (ndesile) ; 
 winga (winjile) ; put on one 
 side, wika pandu pane ; 
 out of the way, wika paki- 
 siepela; put out, tiosya; (a 
 fire), simya (simile); (of a 
 house), koposya (ngopwe- 
 sye) ; put off, lekangasya 
 (ndekangesye); put on, wala 
 (tcisile) (icete) (?). 
 
 Puzzle, simonga (simongile). 
 
 Quarrel, jumana (nyumene). 
 
 Quench, simya. 
 
 Quiet, mialasya (mialesye) ; 
 quiet a child by soothing or 
 rocking, pembesya; become 
 quiet, mi alula (mi aide). 
 
 Rage, tumbala. 
 
 Rain : fall as rain, nya ; it 
 
 i a
 
 88 
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 rained, ula jinyele ; leave 
 
 off raining, cha ; it has left 
 
 off, tda jichele. 
 Raise, nyamula (nyamwile). 
 Ram down, sopela. 
 Reach : arrive at, ilea (niche); 
 
 reach by stretching up, 
 
 nyanyamila; I cannot reach 
 
 it by stretching up, nga- 
 
 pa ich ila kit nya nya m ila. 
 Reap: rice, una (unile); by 
 
 cutting, nenyena (nenyene) ; 
 
 pull off the cobs of Indian 
 
 corn, goioola (ngowele). 
 Rebound, uja. 
 Receive, pechela ; accept, 
 
 kunda. 
 Recollect, kumbuchila (ngu- 
 
 mbuchile). 
 Reconcile, chenjelesya (njenje- 
 
 lesye). 
 Recover, from sickness, lama 
 
 (ndamile). 
 Redden, become red, chejela 
 
 (njejele). 
 Redeem, go mbola (ngomhwele). 
 Reel, tenda lusungulusungu. 
 Refresh, give rest, pumusya 
 
 (nibumwisye). 
 Refuse, kana (iigenc) ; refuse 
 
 with scorn, si I a (sile). 
 Rejoice, sangalala, secheiela. 
 Remain, stay, ta/ma ; be over, 
 
 nigala (sijede) ; be left after 
 
 eating, lepelwa. 
 Remedy, posya (mbosissye). 
 Remind, kutnb/tsya (ngumbtvi- 
 
 sye), kiunbuchisya. 
 Remove, tiosya. 
 Rend, papula (mbapwile). 
 
 Renew, put new, taga cha chi- 
 
 wisi (ndasile). 
 Renounce, kanila (nganile). 
 Repent, lipakana (ndipa- 
 
 kene). 
 Reproach, pakana. 
 Request, saka. 
 Resemble, lingana, landana. 
 Rest, pumwulila, pumula. 
 Restore, uja nacho. 
 Result from, tioka. 
 Retaliate, tenda ehalumo 
 
 pe. 
 Return, uja (usile). 
 Revive, lama (ndamile). 
 Ride, kwela ; I rode a horse, 
 
 ngtvesile mbalasi. 
 Ripen, jiula ; the bananas are 
 
 ripe, magombo gajiutcile. 
 Rise, tioka. 
 Roar, gunguluma ; the lion 
 
 roared, lisimba lingulwime ; 
 
 the lion says, utlrn, num. 
 Roast, jolcu (nyochile). 
 Rob, jiwila (nyiwile) ; take 
 
 by force, sombola (sombirc- 
 
 le) ; snatch away, sumula 
 
 (sumwile). 
 Roll, (ncut.) galambula ; the 
 
 tree rolled, mtela ugain- 
 
 mbwilc; (act.) galambusya 
 
 (ngalambwisyc). 
 Rot, ola; it is rotten, chio- 
 
 sile. 
 Round, be, wilima (-wilime) ; 
 
 spherical, icilimana (ictli- 
 
 menc). 
 Rub, tikita (ndikite); rub on, 
 
 kasya (mbekesye) ; rub off 
 
 the skin, pomola (mbomwe-
 
 LIST OP VERBS. 
 
 89 
 
 le); to have the skin rubbed 
 off, pomoka (mbomweche). 
 
 Rumble: the stomach rumbles, 
 lutumbo lukutenda masti- 
 ng a. 
 
 Ruminate, selula ; the ox 
 ruminated, ng' ombe jiselwi- 
 le. 
 
 Run, enda luwilo pe, utuka 
 (utiriche) ; run away, tila 
 {ndisile); run away from, 
 unduka (undwiche) ; run 
 away from a master, &c, 
 nyenyela. 
 
 Rust, jinjila likutu ; it is 
 rusty, chijinjile likutu. 
 
 Salt, taga njete. 
 
 Salute, komasya (ngomasisye) 
 
 Jcomachisya. 
 Satisfied, be, kundila; to have 
 
 eaten enough, jikuta (nyi- 
 
 kwite) ; to have eaten too 
 
 much, lulilwa (ndulilwe). 
 Save, lamisya (?) pusya (?) ; 
 
 take away, tiosya. 
 Say, lulu (ndulile); talk or 
 
 speak, welec/ieta;not to have 
 
 a word to say, kusowa ku- 
 
 weleketa. 
 Scald or scorch, tinisya (ndi- 
 
 Hisye); be scaldedorscorched, 
 
 tinika (ndiniche), tvnichila 
 
 (ndinichilile). 
 Scare birds from corn, Under 
 
 lijuni, icinga lijuni, lindi- 
 
 lila lijuni. 
 Scatter, jasanga (nyasanjile), 
 
 mi sang a (misanjile) ; be 
 scattered, jasanjika (nya- 
 sanjiche). 
 
 Scold, kalipila (ngulipile), 
 welechetela (mbelechetele). 
 
 Scorch. See Scald. 
 
 Scorn, ng'andila; refusescorn- 
 fully, sila. 
 
 Scrape, pala ; scrape up, kica- 
 ngula. 
 
 Scratch, mwaga (mwasile). 
 
 Scream, luluta ilulu, iguta 
 ikuu. 
 
 Search for, sosa. 
 
 See, icona (mbwene) ; look, lo- 
 la (ndolitc); be within sight 
 of, kopochela. 
 
 Seize, kamula (ngamwile). 
 
 Sell, salila, suma •; trade, te- 
 nda malonda ; give to an- 
 other to sell, \_j~\esya {nye- 
 sisye). 
 
 Send, a person, tuma (ndu/iii- 
 le) ; send away, lekasya 
 (ndechesye). 
 
 Separate, gawanya (ngawe- 
 nye), lekanya ; lay apart, 
 cut up into joints, &c, kasa- 
 nya (ngasanye) ; separate 
 people when fighting, poko- 
 lanya. 
 
 Serve: be a servant, tumika 
 (ndumiche) ; a master, tu~ 
 in ich ila ( inhi m ich He) ; serve 
 up food, pakula (mbakwile). 
 
 Set a trap, tega (ndesile) ; set 
 up, jimika (nyimiche). 
 
 Sew, iota (ndotile). 
 
 Shake, pukunya, sukunya ; 
 he shook his head, apukwi- 
 
 i 3
 
 90 
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 nye mtwi ; tremble, teteme- 
 
 la ; shake about, (neut.) nyi- 
 
 kanyika. 
 Shame, tendela soni ; dis- 
 grace, tendela mchesela. 
 Sharpen : whet, nola (nosile). 
 Shave, moga (mosile) ; shave 
 
 off,kumba {ngitmbile); shave 
 - thehe&d.,metelela (metelele); 
 
 shave round leaving hair on 
 
 the top of the head only, si- 
 
 jilila (sijilile). 
 Shed., pakatika ; the tree has 
 
 shed its leaves, mtela upa- 
 
 Jcatiche masamba. 
 Shell, hea.ns,&o.,palasya(mba- 
 
 lesye). 
 Shine, milemeta. 
 Shiver, tetemela. 
 Shoot : kill with a gun, ulaga 
 
 kiva uti ; pierce with an 
 
 arrow, soma na mpamba ; 
 
 fire a gun, lumba; put forth 
 
 a shoot, sipuka (manyasi 
 
 gasipwiche). 
 Shorten, tenda cha chijypi, ji- 
 
 plsya (nyi]>isye). 
 Shout, lil a (ndisile); shout and 
 
 rejoice, wangala. 
 Show, point out, lanjila (na- 
 
 njile) ; make visible, losya 
 
 (iidosisye). 
 Shrink, nandupa (-nandivi- 
 
 jtc), pungusya, sapulanya. 
 
 Shrivel up, suinyana {•sninye- 
 
 ne). 
 Shrug the shoulders, ng'anda 
 
 makoyo. 
 Shudder, letema. 
 
 Shut, put back, vsya (usisye); 
 tie up, t a wa ; fasten, ugala- 
 sya (zigalesye); be fastened 
 as with a bar, vgala {-uge- 
 le). 
 
 Sick, be , vomit, tapika (nda- 
 piciche); feel nausea, wona 
 mselu ; make to feel sick. 
 tenda mselu ; be ill, hrala 
 {ndwasile) ; to ache in the 
 legs as most men do in the 
 first day's marches, kulwala 
 mkunguln . 
 
 Sift — sifting is done by 
 shaking and tossing in a 
 flat basket ; there are three 
 motions — 1. ku-peta. 2. ku- 
 senyenda. 3. ku-petnbn- 
 la. 
 
 Sigh, isya mtima. 
 
 Silent, be, (not to speak), mia- 
 lala (mialele) ; leave off 
 speaking, m ialasya. 
 
 Smg,jimba (nyinibile) ; begin 
 to sing, somola ; he has 
 begun a song, asomwele 
 Iwimbo. 
 
 Sink (neut.), tiwila (nditvile); 
 (act.) tiwisya (ndiirisye); 
 sink altogether, similila. 
 
 Sip (?), undika {undichile). 
 
 Sit, tama (ndeine) ; sit on 
 one's heels, tama msuuso ; 
 the hen is sitting, nguku 
 jikutamila mandanda. 
 
 Skim, wanda (wandile) ; take 
 up oil or fat by hiving some- 
 thing on it, jengula {nye- 
 ngwllc).
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 91 
 
 Skin, tua (ndulle) ; take off 
 skin, samisya litende ; tear 
 off skin, gwagula. 
 
 Slander, namanila (natnanUe). 
 
 Slap, nula lipenda. 
 
 Slaughter, ulaga. It is the 
 custom to kill by the blow 
 of an axe on the back of the 
 neck. 
 
 Sleep, gona (ngonile) ; doze, 
 gwesela (ngwesele) ; sleep 
 with the eyes open (a fox's 
 sleep), gona usungula. 
 
 Sling, ponya kwa lukonje. 
 
 Slip, tialambuka (ndiala- 
 mbwiche), tiatia (ndiatile); 
 make to slip, telesya ; the 
 mud made him slip, matope 
 gamtelesisye ; become slip- 
 pery, kola utelesya ; the 
 mud is slippery, matope ga- 
 kwete utelesya ; slip out of 
 one's hand, kvlupuka {-Jeo- 
 lupwlche). 
 
 Smear, pakala. 
 
 Smell, (neut.) nunga (-nunji- 
 h) ; make to smell, nusya ; 
 I smell tobacco, ngupilikana 
 ohihwnunjila sona ; his 
 clothes smell of tobacco, 
 nguo sao sikununga sona. 
 
 Smoke, tioka Uosi ; smoke 
 tobacco, uuta sona. 
 
 Smooth, tepetesya (ndepete- 
 sisyc) ; be smooth, tepetala 
 (-tepetele) ; smooth out, 
 tenda mating a. 
 
 Smoulder, s'unilila ; the fire 
 smouldered a long while, 
 moto usimilile pakukawa. 
 
 Snap (like green wood in burn- 
 ingj, waliha. 
 
 Snare, teg a (ndesile). 
 
 Snatch away, somhula (so- 
 mbivele). 
 
 Sneeze, tenda mwisyo. 
 
 Snore, koloma (ngolweme). 
 
 Snort, shwenga (-shicenjile). 
 
 Soak, lotveka (ndoiceehe). 
 
 Sob, or sniff, susulila (susuli- 
 le). 
 
 Soften a skin (by pulling, &c), 
 uuta (uutile) ; become soft, 
 uutika. 
 
 Sorry, be, isya (?) ; be sorry 
 for (pity), nyitichila (nyiti- 
 chile) ; be sorry for (repent 
 of), lipakana. 
 
 Sow seeds, panda (mhandih). 
 
 Speak, icelecheta ; speak clear- 
 ly, icelecheta ichinene. 
 
 Spend, jasa (iiyasile) ; spend 
 quickly, misanga (misanji- 
 le) ; waste, lia ; he lias 
 spent all he had, alile ipanji 
 yao. 
 
 Spit, suna mata (sunile). 
 
 Splash, misila (misile). 
 
 Split, walula (mbaltvile), pa- 
 lawandula; split open like 
 wood in the sun, gala (-ga- 
 sile) ; split open like ripe 
 fruit, waliha (-waliche). 
 
 Spoil (act.), sakasya, onanga; 
 (neut.) sakala (-sakele). 
 
 Sprain, tiasa (/). 
 
 Spread (act.), jenesya (nycne- 
 si/e); (neut.) jenela (-jene- 
 
 Sprinkle, nyunyunyusya.
 
 92 
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 Sprout, Jiula, sipuka (sijnci- 
 che). 
 
 Spy out, lagulila (iidagulile). 
 
 Squeeze, minya (minyile). 
 
 Squint : the eyes go on one 
 side, meso gajesile cha lu- 
 pcm.de. 
 
 Stab, soma (somite). 
 
 Stain, tenia mawala. 
 
 Stammer, he stammers, aktve- 
 te chimema. 
 
 Stand, jima (nyime) ; he 
 stands, ahuoima, or akujima. 
 
 Start, be startled, tojima (ndo- 
 jime). 
 
 Startle, tojimya (ndojimye). 
 
 Starve: die of hunger, vua 
 sal a ; he was starved to 
 death, an wile sal a ; he is 
 starving (hunger has got 
 him), sala jimkwete. 
 
 Stamp, with the foot, kanyata 
 (nganyete). 
 
 Stay, lama (ndeme) ; I shall 
 stay, tindame ; don't stay 
 very long, mkaja rntama 
 mno pe. 
 
 Steal, jiica (nyiwile). 
 
 Step, liwata (ndiwete). 
 
 Stick to, nyambatila (nyamba- 
 tile) ; stick in a hole, &c, 
 pachika (mbachic/ie). 
 
 Still, tamika; become still, 
 mialala. 
 
 Sting, hana (ndumile). 
 
 Stink, nunga iramba. 
 
 Stir, kologa/nya (ngologenyi) ; 
 wuga (mbvjile) ; stir toge- 
 ther, uga (usile) ; stir up, 
 unya (u/iyile). 
 
 Stoop, jiuama. 
 
 Stop : (act.), siwila ; prohibit, 
 
 kanya ; leave off, kotoka ; 
 
 stand still, ima. 
 Straighten,^c>/<«ya;bestraight, 
 
 goloka (-golweche). 
 Strain, a liquid, ng'ung'nnda 
 
 (ng'ung'undile) ; strain the 
 
 grain out of the native beer, 
 
 sungula ukana. 
 Stretch, golosya (ngohcesye) ; 
 
 stretch one's self out, lij»- 
 
 ngola ; stretch out the leg, 
 
 tambalika ; stretch up (to 
 
 reach something), nyanya- 
 
 mila ; stretch over (as skin 
 
 over a drum), uamba [ua- 
 
 m bile). 
 Strew, jasa ; he strewed, 
 
 ajasile. 
 Strike, menya (menyile). 
 String (beads, &c), tunga 
 
 (iidi/njile). 
 Strip off, pulula (mbulwile); 
 
 strip off bark to make rope, 
 
 tua. 
 Stroke, paapasa (mbaapasile). 
 Stumble, kuwala (nguwele). 
 Stunned, be, juangali 
 
 malango (he has no sense). 
 Suck, jo/iga (nyonjile) ; suck 
 
 out, kwemba (ngivembile). 
 Suckle, jonjesya. 
 Suffer, sauka (saiviche). 
 Suffice, jenela (nyenele) . There 
 
 is a past tense meaning, I, 
 
 &c, have done it once for all ; 
 
 tide, ute, ate; title, 'mte, 
 
 ate. 
 Suit, match, lingana.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 93 
 
 Suppose, chita, pel a; I should 
 have thought, ngachite; I 
 thought, napelaga. 
 
 Supplicate chondela ; he be- 
 sought, akamwile maJco- 
 ngolo [he seized (my) legs]. 
 
 Surpass, punda {mbundile). 
 
 Swallow, rnila (misile). 
 
 Sway about like a drunken 
 man, liungaliunga. 
 
 Sweai', lumbila ; swear at, 
 liceselela. 
 
 Sweat, tenda chitukuta. 
 
 Sweep, piagila (inLiajisile). 
 
 Sweet, become, lieliepela. 
 
 Swell, imba (-imbile): swell up, 
 tupa (-titpile). 
 
 Swim, jelejela (nyelejele) ; 
 float, sujilila. 
 
 Swing (neut.), liunga (-liu- 
 njile); swing the arms, uta 
 mkono. 
 
 Take, tola (ndosile) ; seize, 
 kamula ; take down, pa- 
 tula (what wile) ; take off 
 clothes, uula (uusile) ; take 
 off the fire, tegula (nde- 
 gwile); take leave, langa, 
 langana. 
 
 Talk, welecheta ; he went by, 
 talking, pita njiucelcche- 
 t iii/a ; talk over much, 
 hj lechetesya ; talk through 
 the nose, welecheta mbula. 
 
 Tame (keep), langa; become 
 tame, siotvi lela. 
 
 Tangle, kolekanya (ngole- 
 kt n ye). 
 
 Tarry, kawa (ngawile), katoi- 
 lila. 
 
 Taste, pasya (mbasisye) ; taste 
 
 a new crop, &c., limbuka 
 
 {nimbwichc). 
 Teach, jiganya (nyigenye) ; 
 
 jiganisya. 
 Tear (act.), papula (mbapici- 
 
 le), walula; be torn. papuka 
 
 {-papioiche), tusuka {tuswi- 
 
 che). 
 Tease, tanda (ndandite). 
 Tell, Inula (nduicile). 
 Terrify, jogoya (nyogiceye). 
 Thatch, uimba (uimbile). 
 Thin, get, ganda {ngandile). 
 Think: reflect, kumbuchila ; 
 
 consider, ganisya; suppose, 
 
 chit a. 
 Thirst, kolwa na njota; I am 
 
 thirsty, jiin/wete njota 
 
 [thirst has got me]. I am 
 
 getting thirsty, jikungola 
 
 njota [thirst is getting me]. 
 Threaten, a'unjcla (sienjele), 
 
 pakana (mbakene). 
 Thresh, kuita (nguitile). 
 Throw, pony a (inbonyile) ; 
 
 throw away, jasa (nyasile); 
 
 throw out sparks, tatalika. 
 Thunder, nguguluma (-tigugu- 
 
 licimc); it thundered at that 
 
 time, ge mow' agala ganc/u- 
 
 gulumaga njasi. 
 Tickle, iiychni/esya. 
 Tie, tau-a (ndawile). 
 Tighten, limbisya (ndimbisye); 
 
 be tight, liniba (-limbile), 
 
 Hiiibili la. 
 Tinkle, c/iimula (/), we are
 
 94 
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 shaking our rattles, tukuchi- 
 
 inula masewe. 
 Tired, get, pela (mbesile); get 
 
 very tired, totoka {ndotwe- 
 
 clie) ; get utterly beaten, 
 
 menyeka. 
 Touch, kivaya {ngwaye), Jcwa- 
 
 yisya. 
 Trade, tenda malonda. 
 Train up, tela. 
 Travail, petehwa na kuwele- 
 
 Jca. 
 Travel, jenda mulendo. 
 Tread, liwata (ndiwete); tread 
 
 among brushwood, kvjola ; 
 
 tread among dry grass, 
 
 wakanya. 
 Treat, tenda; treat well, tenda 
 
 ukoto, or uchvnene pe ; 
 
 treat ill, tenda mwanga- 
 
 lumbana. 
 Tremble, tetemela. 
 Trumpet, inenya lipenga. 
 Trust in, lupalila. 
 Try, ling a {ninjile), tan da 
 
 (ndandite). 
 Turn over (act.), galambusya; 
 
 (neut.) galambuka ; turn 
 
 round (act.) ,pitikusy a (mbi- 
 
 tifcwisye); (neut.) pitikuka 
 
 {mbitikwiche). 
 Twist, pota (nibutile). 
 
 Uncover, unukula. {iinukwile). 
 
 Understand, many a (manyile), 
 manyila {many Mile) ; to be 
 understood, manika, mani- 
 Icangana ; the language 
 was understood, niagambu 
 
 gamanike ; which were 
 understood, ga gamani- 
 kangene ; which were not 
 understood, ga ngamani- 
 kangana. 
 
 Undress, uula nguo. 
 
 Unfold, sapangula {sapangwi- 
 le). 
 
 Unite, tenda cJiimpe pe, tawa 
 in a undo. 
 
 Unpick, sumula {sumwile). 
 
 Unthatch, uimula manyasi 
 {uimwile). 
 
 Untie, gopola (ngopwele). 
 
 Urge on, amila. 
 
 Urinate, tunda {ndundile), 
 tenda makweso. 
 
 Use up, lia (eat). 
 
 Vanish, sowa{sowile), si 'mil ila. 
 Vanquish, tisya {ndisisye) 
 
 [make to flee]. 
 Vomit, tapika {ndapidie). 
 
 Wait, kaiea; wait a bit, liiida- 
 ni kaje,kalinde ehinandipe; 
 wait for, linda {nindile) ; 
 look for, lolela {ndolcle); I 
 am anxiously waiting for 
 him, kulinda ngumlinda. 
 
 Walk, tianga {inliiiiijih), 
 j'nniijiina {iiyimajiinile). 
 
 Wander, siunguld. 
 
 Want, wish for, saka ; fall 
 short, punguka; be without, 
 pila ; he wants clothing, 
 akupilangno; I had nothing 
 to eat, mbilile je iakulia.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 95 
 
 War, tenda ngondo. 
 
 Warm, to get, kola mtukuta ; 
 the water is warm, mesi ga- 
 kivete mtuJcuta; warm it 
 (let it get warm), gakole 
 mtukuta. 
 
 Warn, onesya. 
 
 Warp, popotoJca (-popotwecJie). 
 
 Wash, suka (sukile) ; wash 
 one's self, nawa ; I have 
 washed my hands, nawile 
 miala ; wash clothes, saula 
 (sawile) ; wash the house 
 walls w T ith red earth, which 
 is used like whitewash, lia- 
 liajisya ; I have redwashed 
 my house, ndialiajisye 
 ny n nib a jangu. 
 
 Waste, (manga (nyonanjile). 
 
 Watch, linda, lindila ; watch 
 for, juicilila ; spy out, la- 
 giilila [nddgulile). 
 
 Water, itila mesi (nyitile), 
 ng'wesya; make water, 
 tunda {ndundile), tenda 
 mahweso. 
 
 Waylay, juwilila ; the lion 
 waylaid him, lisimba limju- 
 n-ililc. 
 
 Weaken, pungusya machiJi, 
 gandisya (-gandisisye) ; he 
 weak, lepetala. 
 
 Wear out (neut.) wisala; it is 
 worn out, iwisile sambano. 
 
 Weave, gomba; he wove cloth, 
 
 agombile likamambo. 
 Weep, Ida. 
 
 Weigh, ling a (ninjile). 
 Well, get, imuka, lama, pola. 
 Wet, nyowesya (nyowesye) ; 
 
 get wet, nyoica (-nyoicile), 
 
 nyowa mesi. 
 Whisper, songonela. 
 Whistle, tenda luwisi. 
 Whiten, whiten one's self, uka 
 
 pacliiilu ; become white, 
 
 suejela (suejele). 
 Will, saka. 
 Wipe, si id a (siulile). 
 Wish, chita (njite je). 
 Wonder, lapa (ndapile) ; be 
 
 puzzled, simonga (simo- 
 
 ■ngile). 
 Work, tenda masango. 
 Worship, jitga, lomba. 
 Wound, tenda liwanga. 
 Wrap up, ilijilila; he wrapped 
 
 it up in a piece of paper, 
 
 auilijilile kica chikalata. 
 Wrench, popotola (mbopotwe- 
 
 le). 
 Wrestle, kamulana ; they 
 
 wrestled, akamulene. 
 Wring the neck of a fowl, 
 
 popotola nguku. 
 
 Yawn, tenda mwaju.
 
 ADVERBS, PREPOSITIONS, CONJUNCTIONS, 
 AND INTERJECTIONS. 
 
 There are five particles which are in constant use in 
 Yao. Three of them are placed before what they 
 qualify, they are — mn, pa, and ku. Two are placed 
 after, and may be regarded as enclitics, they are pe 
 and ye. 
 
 1. Mn expresses wi thinness. When used with a 
 substantive it denotes position within what the sub- 
 stantive denotes, or inclusion in the idea conveyed by 
 it. "When used with a verb it denotes time included 
 in that during which the action or state continued. 
 It may be translated by in, within, into, out of, in 
 the act of, while. 
 
 2. Pa expresses atness. When used with a sub- 
 stantive it denotes position at or near what the sub- 
 stantive denotes. When used with a verb it denotes 
 the time at which an action occurred or a state 
 existed. It may be translated by at, by, near, upon, 
 where something' is or was, the place of, when. 
 
 3. Ku answers generally to the English word to. 
 It expresses motion to a place; it is the sign of the 
 infinitive, as to is in English ; it is also used of a 
 distant or indeterminate place in the sense of at. It 
 may be translated by to, up to, as far as, unto, at, 
 and until.
 
 ADVERBS, PREPOSITIONS, CONJUNCTIONS, ETC. 97 
 
 4. -pe is very commonly added to words to define 
 them more exactly, especially with those that have at 
 all a restrictive meaning. It does not generally 
 require any translation ; but it gives the sense of 
 quite, completely, exactty, merely, or that is all. 
 
 5. -je is very frequently added, to verbs ; it seems 
 to give greater distinctness and immediateness to the 
 idea. It can seldom be translated ; but it gives the 
 sense of just this, just now, indeed, truly, this is what 
 was, or was done, &c. 
 
 A preposition connected with a verb may almost 
 always be expressed by a verb in the derived form in 
 -ila or -ela. 
 
 K
 
 LIST OF THE SMALLER PARTS OF SPEECH. 
 
 Above, inani, clianya, penani, 
 
 pachanya kwinani. 
 Abroad, pasa. 
 According to, malinga na. 
 Across, obliquely, chamchipi- 
 
 ngula ; across the middle, 
 
 chisiJcatipe. 
 After, nyiima, panyuma, Jcu- 
 
 nyuma ; after, wben joined 
 
 witb a verb is expressed by 
 
 puna, followed by a past 
 
 tense. 
 Again, sooni : a second time, 
 
 leawili ; try again, lingani 
 
 sooni. 
 All together, wose pampepe. 
 Alone, jikape, pajilcape. 
 Aloud, liloive Via likulungwa. 
 Also, na, sooni. 
 Although, muno; though he 
 
 was beating me, amhulaga 
 
 muno. 
 Always : all days, mowa gose; 
 
 all years, yaka yose. 
 Among, %> a >' amongst them- 
 selves, walazvala paivale. 
 Anciently, ehikala, Jcatasipe. 
 And, na. 
 Annually, yaka yose, chajca 
 
 muchiJcupitila, [as a year 
 
 passes]. 
 
 Apart, jumo jumo, chimo 
 cJiimo, 8fc, Sfc. 
 
 As : like, mpela, nipelaga, i, 
 iipe, ilaila,paila ; this man 
 does not do as his father did, 
 mundu aju nganalingana 
 yatesile atatigwe ; such as 
 these, ga ii, sya it, Sfc. ; as 
 if, patipo ; as to, nawa; as 
 to a house, nawa nyumba ; 
 as (when, while), mu-, pa-. 
 
 Aside, pachisiepe, pachisiepe- 
 la. 
 
 At, pa-, hu- ; at all, chilepe, 
 muno. 
 
 Away : not there, ngapalipo ; 
 not within, ngamulimo ; I 
 am going away, ndenda 
 Jcwaula. 
 
 Back, Jcunyuma. 
 
 Backwards : to walk back- 
 wards, kwcnda kitukuhdu ; 
 he fell backwards, agirilr 
 lugali. 
 
 Badly, mwangalumbana ; he 
 who acts badly will see 
 trouble hereafter, ju aJcute- 
 nda mivangalumbana tachi- 
 lola kusauka malawi.
 
 LIST OP THE SMALLER PARTS OF SPEECH. 
 
 99 
 
 Before : in front of, paujopo ; 
 
 preceding, m ukulongolela. 
 Behind, nyuma, panyuma, ku- 
 
 nyuma. 
 Beside, mumbalati, mgulugu- 
 
 lu. 
 Better, kungulu ; I had better 
 
 go, ngupila tinyende (or 
 
 vyende). 
 Between, chilikati, chisikati, 
 
 pachilikati, Jcuchililcati ; 
 
 between two people, pachi- 
 
 sikati pa wandu wawili; 
 
 to go between, kwenda ku- 
 
 chisiJcati. 
 But, nambo. 
 By : of an agent, na ; of an 
 
 instrument, kwa; of a place, 
 
 pa. 
 
 Carefully, kukumbuchilaga. 
 Certainly, mwambone. 
 Complete, inuno, mbesi. 
 Consequently, that cause, llgo- 
 
 ngo lilalila ; for why, kwa 
 
 chichi. 
 
 Daily: day by day, liua liua ; 
 as days end, mowa mugaku- 
 malila. 
 
 Directly, sambano pano. 
 
 Down, pasi, kusi ; he has 
 thrown it down, alechele 
 pcisipe ; down in a hole, 
 pasi mmwisia ; down into 
 a hole, kusi mmwisia. 
 
 Downwards, kusi. 
 
 Early in the morning, kunda- 
 icipe, 
 
 Easily, chalumope. 
 
 Either — or — , ama — ama — . 
 
 Entirely, josepe. 
 
 Ere, pu- with a future tense. 
 
 Ere he vfe\\t,patije atioche. 
 Even, na ; he may come even 
 
 to-day, chamuno lelo kupai- 
 
 ka. 
 Every where, posepe, mosepe, 
 
 cheluu {?). 
 Except: except he be there, 
 
 akaweje ; except there be a 
 
 house, jikaiceje nyumba. 
 
 Far, kutalika, kwanaula ; 
 where they are going is far 
 off, kuakwendako kutali- 
 ka; where I went was far 
 off, kunajile kwa kutalika. 
 
 Fast, msanga, luivila, katoto. 
 
 Finally, mbesi, kwa kumala. 
 
 For this reason, ligongo li Ho- 
 Ho. 
 
 Forcibly, kwa machili : I was 
 brought by force, nyisile 
 kwa machili. 
 
 Forwards, paujopo ; he fell 
 forwards, agwile makuku ; 
 to lie on the stomach, kugo- 
 na makuku. 
 
 Frequently, mivamjinji, kata- 
 sipeko. 
 
 From is expressed in the verb, 
 or implied by the general 
 meaning of the sentence. 
 He is alienated from me, 
 alekene na neju. 
 
 Front, in, chambuju. 
 
 Further, mbunde. 
 
 E
 
 100 
 
 LIST OF THE SMALLER PARTS OP SPEECH. 
 
 Gently, mbolembole, kokowa- 
 
 ga. 
 Good bye ! Sigalagani ! 
 Gratis, lulele. 
 
 Hasti ly , k u h voang icii. 
 Heaps, in, lusungulusungu. 
 Here, apala, palapala, apa- 
 
 no, panopano, po. 
 Hereafter, malawi. 
 How ? TJli ? how are you ? 
 
 TJli kuimukaga? TJli mji- 
 
 m wicheje ? 
 
 If, kanga. 
 
 Immediately, sambano porno. 
 
 In, mwe, mu-, mkafi, mkati 
 
 my,-; look in the jar, tola 
 
 muchiwiga. 
 Indeed, truly, mwambone ; 
 
 very, muno, munope ; very 
 
 sweet indeed, kunung'a 
 
 mnope. 
 Indoors, muvyumba. 
 Inside, mkati, mu- ; has it 
 
 any thing inside ? mna clii- 
 
 ndu ? 
 Instead o?,pandu pa. 
 Into, mu-, mkati mu- ; pour 
 
 it into the water jar, mi- 
 
 mimani 'mlulii ; he put it 
 
 in the hag, atasile mumsa- 
 
 lea. 
 Inwardly, huoa mkati miva. 
 I say ! kuli ! 
 
 .Inst, -je, -pr. 
 
 Just this, mumupemu. 
 
 Least, in the least, chilepe. 
 Lengthwise, chamchileu. 
 Likewise, sooni, na. 
 Little, a, chinandipe. 
 Long while, a, pakukawa. 
 
 Merely, pe. 
 
 More, kupunda (exceeding). 
 
 Near, pangulugulu ; to draw 
 near to, kuwandichila. 
 
 Never, gioamba. 
 
 Nevertheless, nambo. 
 
 Not, ngailio, nga; it is not 
 he, ngaliju ; it is not inside, 
 ngamulimo ; not there, ga- 
 napagwa, ganakugwa ; not 
 yet, nganali. See Verbs, 
 negative present, &c. 
 
 Nothing: chindu, with a ne- 
 gative verb : he has nothing, 
 angali chindu ; there is 
 nothing, ganakola, gailio ; 
 there is nothing there, cha- 
 ngapagiffa. 
 
 Now, sambano, lepano ; now 
 then! kuli ! the people of 
 to-day, wasambanoje. 
 
 Obliquely, chamchipinguld. 
 
 Of, -a, with a varying initial 
 
 letter. See Substantives, 
 
 p. 7. 
 Often, kakajinji ; how often ? 
 
 kalingwa ? 
 On, above, pa, parhanya ; on 
 
 purpose, melepe ; on the
 
 LIST OF THE SMALLER PARTS OF SPEECH. 
 
 101 
 
 ba.c\i, lugali; on the stomach, 
 makuku ; on the side, pa- 
 mhalati. 
 
 Once, kampepe, Icamo. 
 
 Only, pe, jikapi ; I only, 
 nenepene. 
 
 Or, ama. 
 
 O ! in a solemn address, mica ; 
 chief! Mw'achimicene! O 
 God ! Mica Mulungu ! 
 
 Over, penani pa, pachanya. 
 
 Outside, sa, pasa, pasapo, 
 kusa, Tcusaho ; I arrived 
 outside the door, naiche 
 kusa Mango, 
 
 Pairs, in (two by two), iwili 
 
 iwlli. 
 Perhaps, mpelaga. 
 Privately, mtemele. 
 
 Quickly, msangamsanga, mto- 
 to. 
 
 Really, micambone. 
 
 Scarcely, with hardness, kir<(- 
 kunonopa ; with sticking 
 and jamming, pakuli pa- 
 Tcanichisya. 
 
 Seldom, ngati kakajinji. 
 
 Side by side, moling a pe ; on 
 the side, pamhaluli ; on one 
 side (one-sidedly), pambali; 
 on this side, kwa lupande 
 lua lulu ; on that side, kwa 
 lupande lua kulakula. 
 
 So, ii, iyoyo, iipei. 
 
 Sometimes, kamokamo. 
 
 Something, eh indu. 
 
 Soon, sambano. 
 
 Such a one, such people, &c. : 
 such a one, alakwe, juala- 
 kwe ; we, such and such 
 people, ticalakice; you, such 
 and such people, micalakwe; 
 such and such people, tcala- 
 k/ce. 
 
 Thank you, nanga. 
 
 Then, nda ; then he said, nda 
 
 alulile. 
 There, akoko, kwekula, papo- 
 
 po, kulakula, ko. 
 Therefore, kwa ligongo alt no. 
 Therein, mica munomuno. 
 Thither, kunokuno. 
 Through : to go through, ku- 
 
 peleta ; sand-flies can get 
 
 through into any thing, ipu- 
 
 kusu ikukombula kupeh ta 
 
 mose. 
 Throughout, ose. 
 Thus, ai. 
 To, ku. 
 To-day, lelo, lepano; this very 
 
 day, lepanoje. 
 Together, pampepe, chalumo. 
 Total, ose. 
 Totally, mbesi. 
 Truly, mwambonc, mnope. 
 
 Unanimously, mtima mnope. 
 Unawares : when I was not 
 
 aware, pungalijc nasisimu- 
 
 kaga. 
 
 K 3
 
 102 LIST OF THE SMALLER PARTS OF SPEECH. 
 
 Under, si, pasi, kusi ; under 
 the tree, kusi mtela; at the 
 bottom of the tree, pagi mte- 
 Zrt.-down in a hole, pasi mm wi- 
 sia; down into a hole, Jcusi 
 mmwisia. 
 
 Upon, penani, kuinani, pa- 
 ck any a. 
 
 Usually , for years, ya yaJca ; 
 it has been a custom from 
 our births to do so, chita- 
 ndwile chi twapagwile ku- 
 tendaga ii. 
 
 Well, urJiinene, mukulumha- 
 na; he behaved well, atesi- 
 le uchinenepe ; very well ! 
 elu ! yoyopei ! 
 
 What? chichi? chi? 
 
 When ? chakache? 
 
 When, po,pa. See While. 
 
 Whence ? kwapi '/ 
 
 Where ? kwapi ? 
 
 Where, palipo, kuliho; where 
 they are going to, kuakwe- 
 ndako ; where I am going 
 to, kungwendako ; I don't 
 know where I am going to, 
 kwali kutinyende ; 1 don't 
 know where he is coming 
 from, kwali kuatioka. 
 
 Whereby? kwa chichi? 
 
 Whereby, kwa ligongo liliolio. 
 
 While, kona, pa, pu ; when 1 
 went, punajesilc ; while I 
 
 was going, punajendaga ; 
 when I shall see him, puti- 
 njimwona ; when he shall 
 see him, patachimwona ; 
 while he was going, paje- 
 ndaga ; when you were go- 
 ing, pamjendaga; when, or 
 while, in the sense of in the 
 act of, is expressed by mu-. 
 
 Why ? hma chichi ? mpelaga 
 ii ? ligongo chi ? 
 
 Willingly, kwa knsaka, kwa 
 mtima ; not by force but 
 willingly,, ngati mwa ma- 
 chili, mwa mtima. 
 
 With, of an instrument, hma ; 
 he beat me with a stick, 
 ambutile kwa lupichi; to- 
 gether with, na, pampepe 
 na. 
 
 With me, none (na une) ; with 
 thee, nogwe (na ugwe); with 
 him or her, naju (na aja) ; 
 with us, noire (na nice) ; 
 with you, nomwe (na uinwc); 
 with them, nawa {na awct). 
 
 Within, mkati, mu. 
 
 Within there, mulamula. 
 
 Without: outside, pasaj there 
 not being, pangali ; there 
 is not, pangajiaira. 
 
 Yes! Elo! 
 Yonder, kulakula.
 
 YAO ENIGMAS. 
 
 1. Ndawile nyumba jangu jangali mlango. 
 I have built my house, it has no door. 
 
 Ans. Lindanda, an egg. 
 
 2. Lilhva Via ambuje liakuyutuka Tcatoto. 
 My meter's trap falls quickly. 
 
 Ans. Mgwimbi, the eyelid. 
 
 3. Najile huambusanga animuchile kuitalape. 
 
 I went to my friend, he saluted me while on the 
 way. 
 
 Ans. Mbwa, a dog-, because he barks as 
 soon as he hears a footstep. 
 
 4. Najile huambusanga akungomasya kuitalape. 
 
 I went to my friends, they saluted me on the 
 road. 
 
 Ans. Ny iiclti, bees. 
 
 5. Mgunda wa ambuje tupandile sugupe. 
 
 In the master's field we have planted only ground 
 
 nuts. 
 
 Ans. Nil on < I in i, stars. 
 
 6. Liwanga I'm ambuje li ngatula membe. 
 
 The master's sore which flies do not rest upon. 
 
 Ans. Motb, fire, because a hot ember is 
 the same colour as a sore place.
 
 104 YAO ENIGMAS. 
 
 7. Ndawile nyumbaja ngulmigwa wanache watatupe. 
 I have built a great house with only three children. 
 Ans. Mayiga, the three stones on which 
 a pot is set over the fire. 
 
 S. Nijiuleje nyama yaugamanyika mlnoo. 
 
 I have killed the game, and there is nothing- 
 meaty as yet to be seen. 
 
 Ans. Lipuji, a tortoise. 
 
 9. Najile kuambusanga amhujile ngali mboga janget- 
 tumbula. 
 I went to my friend and he cooked me what had 
 not been cut open. 
 
 Ans. Mgnmbi, white ants in the flying 
 stage. 
 
 10. Chiajigele ambuje tiilie. 
 
 Let us eat what grandfather has carried. 
 
 Ans. Uuli, grey hair, because it looks 
 like flour. 
 
 11. Najile Jcuambusanga nasuuene ateme maitengo. 
 
 I went to my friends and 1 found them sitting on 
 stools. 
 
 Ans. Makwenda, mushrooms, on their 
 
 stalks. 
 
 12. Najile jcuambusanga pundiche kwasimana osepe, 
 
 waliji atwichile iselo, na chalume wanache 
 wose iselope. 
 I went to my friends, when I arrived they were 
 all met, and were carrying flat baskets, and 
 the children had every one a basket. 
 Ans. Makwenda, mushrooms.
 
 YAO ENIGMAS. 105 
 
 13. Najile kuambusanga, Icwasimana wose ndeupe na 
 
 achakongzve awesile ncleu, ndi nausile petala 
 najogopaga pakumela ndeu wosepe. 
 I went to my friends, they were met, all of them 
 bearded, even the women had grown beards, 
 I went back on the road and was afraid at 
 their all growing beards. 
 
 Ans. Imanga, Indian corn, referring to 
 the tuft of filaments at the end of 
 the cob. 
 
 14. Mchilawa ngwene ngauhombola hutauna. 
 The crocodile's tail, it cannot be gnawed. 
 
 Ans. Litala, a road. 
 
 15. Apitako tusivianalco. 
 
 Where they pass, where we meet. 
 Ans. Lupondo, a g'irdle. 
 
 A YAO GRACE. 
 
 CJionde ckonde nyihute na malawi. 
 
 May it please that I have enough to-morrow also. 
 
 GIIBEUT AND EIVINGTON, POINTERS, ST. JOHN'S SQFABE, LCNDON.
 
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