Makonde language
| Makonde | |
|---|---|
| Chi(ni)makonde | |
| Native to | Tanzania, Malawi |
| Ethnicity | Makonde |
| Native speakers | 1.4 million (2006)[1] |
| Language family |
Niger–Congo
|
| Dialects |
Matembwe–Machinga
Mabiha
|
| Writing system | Latin |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Either: kde – Makonde, Mabiha mvw – Machinga |
| Guthrie code | P.23,25[2] |
Makonde is the language spoken by the Makonde, an ethnic group in southeast Tanzania and northern Mozambique. Makonde is a central Bantu language closely related to Yao and Mwera. In common with Yao and Mwera, prepositions take the form of prefixed class-markers which then give a locative noun: "the-in-the-market", etc.
The people are designated by where they live, which gives the impression of a group rather than a unified language. For instance:
- The Vadonde live in Kundonde and the mountain region to the south of the plateau (Rovuma valley, Palma, Nangade, Mueda districts, and the local speech, which does not reportedly vary greatly from the general language, is termed ShiNonde;
- Likewise, the VaMwaalu by the Messalo river speak ShiMwaalu;
- In the region of Iyanga (Mocimboa da Praia), the VaiYanga speak ShiYanga;
- In Macomia and Meluco district ShuMwambe is spoken, unsurprisingly, by the VaMwambe people;
- Those who live on the plateau are termed VaMakonde and hence their language is termed ShiMakonde or simply Makonde.
The Makonde-speakers of Tanzania are left out of this list.[3] The written language originates in the speech of the area around the Catholic mission set up in Nang'ololo in 1920.
Contents |
Some Vocabulary [edit]
- lipaapa, lupaapa - wing, handle
- madoodo - legs, feet
- jujumuunu - hand
- kwanza - to begin
- shinu - thing: compare Swahili "kitu"
- uhuuwi! - (expressive of a strong emotion)
- wangu - my
- kusheeeya - to sell
- kubwaada - to boil
- mbwaabwa - new, immature
- kubyaaha - to kill
- kulitangoodya - to cause (oneself) to speak; Portuguese "fazer-se falar"
- nandwaadwa - dry region
- ndyooko - child
- kwigwiliila - to listen, hear
- nkongwe - woman
- kweeka - to laugh: compare Zulu "hleka"
- lweeko - laughter
- mwing'ande - inside-the-house (locative noun)
- nywi - very, much
- kutwaala - lift, take
- lijembe - mattock
- m'paaka - border, frontier (m'- is a syllable on its own)
- lukuuni - firewood
- kaala - formerly
- muuti - head
- igooli - bed
- vaanu - people [4]
The language is tonal, having high and low tones - the latter occasional. For instance:
- maàka (low tone on aa) means "seasoning, flavour":
- maakà (Low tone on final a) means "cat";
- muúwa (high tone on uu) means "sugarcane":
- muùwa (low tone on uu) means "on, over".[5]
The Matembwe and Mabiha (Maviha) dialects are divergent, and may not be Makonde (Nurse 2003).
The language Maakwe or CiMaakwe spoken at Palma, Moçambique, can reportedly be understood by Makonde speakers, although strongly influenced by KiSwahili. The population is in any case bilingual with KiSwahili.[6]
Chikungunya, the name of a mosquito-borne viral fever, is derived from the Makonde word meaning "that which bends up," after the disease was first identified on the Makonde plateau. The derivation of the term is generally falsely attributed to Swahili.[citation needed]
Sources quoted [edit]
- Velho Testamento (Old Testament) - no name of translator or date. Unpublished.
- Estevão Jaime Mpaulme & M.A.Mandumbwe, Nashilangola wa Shitangodi sha ShiMakonde (Manual of the Makonde Language). Unpublished.[7]
References [edit]
- ^ Makonde, Mabiha at Ethnologue (16th ed., 2009)
Machinga at Ethnologue (16th ed., 2009) - ^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
- ^ Relatório do I Seminário sobre a Padronização da Ortografia de Línguas Moçambicanas, NELIMO, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane. 1989.
- ^ Relatório di I Seminário sobre a Padronização da Ortografia de Línguas Moçambicanas, NELIMO, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, 1989.
- ^ Relatório do I Seminário sobre a Padronização da Ortografia de Línguas Moçambicanas, NELIMO, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, 1989.
- ^ Relatório do I Seminário sobre a Padronização da Ortografia de Línguas Moçambicanas, NELIMO, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, 1989.
- ^ Relatório do I Seminário sobre a Padronização da Ortografia de Línguas Moçambicanas, NELIMO, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, 1989.
External links [edit]
- Makonde language at Ethnologue (16th ed., 2009)
|
||||||||
| This Bantu language-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
