Svngoku/luvila-kikongo-grammar · Datasets at Hugging Face

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The Prefixes ki- and u- used in the construction of this form, are sometimes necessarily applied to a Compound Noun, or to a Noun qualified by some word or clause ; in such case the Prefix is not applied to the qualifying word or clause. Thus, from mbuta a makesa, captain of soldiers, comes kimbuta a makesa, a captaincy of soldiers, not kimbuta kia makesa, which would mean the captaincy of soldiers in another sense, namely, the superiority of soldiers over ordinary civilians ; so that in this instance, mbuta a makesa is the idea to which the kiis to be applied, so mbuta-a-makesa is treated as a Compound Noun, and receives its Prefix accordingly. Any further qualifying word receives the Prefix also.
My captaincy has been taken away.
7
His Sonship with God.
This construction is further referred to in this Appendix, in the Syntax, under
"
The Subject, Compound Nouns."
The Prefix fi- is applied to any Prefix of the Noun to which it is applied.
Filukaya : a tiny leaf.
Fikinkutu : a tiny coat.
Fikinkutu : a tiny coat.
Fidinkondo : a tiny plantain.
This Derivative, which follows properly on the Seventh, is formed by adding ilu, elo, inu, or eno to the Verb Stem, according to its Conjugation. It expresses,not the thing which was the instrument of the performance of the action, as the Seventh does, but the means, opportunity, circumstances, excuse,reason, manner, and method. This Derivative is a sixth class Noun.
Baka, to catch ; bakilu, an opportunity or excuse for catching.
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Kwenda, to go ; yendelo, a reason for going.
Vova, to say ; vovelo, a chance or reason for saying.
Nouns bearing the Prefix ne-, retain either their original class, or become first class Nouns ; thus, from nunu (cl. 4), an old man, comes, nenunu (cl. I and 4), a very old man, or as a first class Noun making its plural in anenunu,or akinenunu.
Nouns in mu-, which make the Plural in miu-, are accented on the u of the mu-, because the u is radical, hence also its persistence in the Plural.
The rule therefore stands thus : All Nouns in mu-, which take the accent on the mu-, form the Plural in miu-. The instances quoted on page 546 will serve to illustrate this. Mungùla, warmth, might be expected to take its accent on the second syllable as though nmngùla, but as the accent is on the first syllable, it is clear that the u is radical, and that the word is a contraction of mu + ùngula, and its Plural is therefore mi + ùngula=miùngula.
The Reduplication of Nouns in the formation of the Diminutive forms, the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Derivatives, is explained on pages 535-537. Nouns are also reduplicated to give a partitive idea ; thus, mbele, a knife; mbele-mbele,a knife each.
9
They received each of them a piece of cloth.
Ubavana mbele-mbele ye mpu-mpu : Give them each a knife and a hat.
page 563, under the word -nkwa, possessing, having, some sentences are given illustrating the usage and concord of the word ; while they are useful for that purpose, they are inappropriate, for -nkwa is only used where the possession is an acquirement, or a changed condition, and not an original or normal condition or possession. So that it is correct to speak of those whose hair has become grey as akwa mvu, for their hair was once of another colour ; but it is not correct to speak of black people as akwa ndombe, for that is their normal colour, and as there is no change in that respect, nkwa or akwa cannot be used.
So, too, the sentences as to black-haired goats, and whiteflowering trees are inappropriate for the same reason, such being their natural condition ; akwa nzala is a correct expression, for that should scarcely be a permanent or normal condition.
QUANTITATIVE ADJECTIVES.
When -ngi and ayingi are used intensively or emphatically without the Nouns they qualify, they take the Prefix proper to
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the Noun with which they agree and prefaced to that, the Article, in all but the first class.
Sing., 2 = Eyingi Eyayingi. Sing., 3&4 = owingi Owayingi. Sing., 5&6 = Ekingi Ekiayingi. Sing., 7&8 = Edingi Ediayingi. Sing., 9 = okwingi okwayingi. Plur., 2 = Ezingi. Plur., 3&4 = Emingi. Plur., 5&6 = Eyingi. Plur., 7&8 = Omengi. Plur., 9 = omengi. , 2 = Ezayingi. , 3&4 = Emiayingi. , 5&6 = Eyayingi. , 7&8 = Omayingi. , 9 = omayingi. Class:-, 2 = 10&11. Class:-, 3&4 = 12. Class:-, 5&6 = 13'. Class:-, 7&8 = 14. Class:-, 9 = 15. Sing., 2 = Oluingi. Sing., 3&4 = Owingi. Sing., 5&6 = Owingi. Sing., 7&8 = Ovingi. Sing., 9 = efingi. , 2 = Oluayingi. , 3&4 = Owayingi. , 5&6 = Owaingi. , 7&8 = Ovayingi. , 9 = efiayingi. Plur., 2 = Otwingi. Plur., 3&4 = Owingi. Plur., 5&6 = Omengi. Plur., 7&8 = omwingi. Plur., 9 = . , 2 = Otwayingi. , 3&4 = Owayingi. , 5&6 = Omayingi. , 7&8 = omwayingi. , 9 =
Konso ona obakidi eyingi:
Any one who has obtained many.
Awana belongwa omayingi(or omengi):
Those who were taught many things.
Ovo bawidi edingi:
If they heard much.
-awonso, -awonso -awonsono, -awonsono.
all, every, every one, each, each one, the whole of them, all of them, the lot, the whole.
These Adjectives are derived from the root onso, and might perhaps be more properly written -au onso, as in the case of the other word for all, -au ekulu.
11
All the things : lekwa yau ekulu, or lekwa yau onso. The form awonso has, however, been preferred.
This derivation accounts for an apparent irregularity in these Adjectives from onso ; for when used in the singular, as an equivalent of the whole, only the Secondary Form is used.
The whole house was nothing but driver ants (full of them).
nti wawonso uwumini:
The whole tree is dry.
The plural of the Secondary Form being identical with the plural of the Primary Form, this distinction in the plural is not noticeable ; it is only apparent in the singular, and even then only in Classes j, 2, 3, and 4.
In the Secondary Form of the plural of the first class there are two forms,awonso, or yawonso; the y is not characteristic of the plural of the first class,but it is clearly yau onso, and goes to further establish the above conclusion as to the derivation of -awonso.
All the people want to go.
Yawonso akwa masumu :
All are guilty.
Konso, any, each, is most probably derived from the same root, onso ; being a contraction of ku-onso.
Kibeni must be classed as an Indeclinable Adjective ; its prime sense is,usual, ordinary, customary, in general use, regular, normal.
The ordinary clothing.
Nwiza muna lumbu kibeni kia nlongo:
12
Come on the regular day for medicine.
I etona kibeni dia wivwa wau:
This is the normal colour of these mushrooms.
When used with the Personal Pronouns, it is expressed in English by the Suffix -self, or with the Possessive Pronouns by own.
Kwiza kekwiza yandi kibeni :
He himself is coming.
Yeno kibeni nuvovele wo:
You, your own selves said so.
E nzo andi kibeni mpe ividi : His own house too is burnt.
Bakutumwini o nlele ame kibeni :
They took away my own cloth.
There is a Demonstrative Form of the Secondary Numerals from 1-9, which is made by prefixing the Article (proper to its class) to the Secondary Form; the sense thus imparted is that of the emphasized Definite Article before a Numeral, in English ; thus :-
Primary. Nzo zole zambote : Two good houses.
Primary. Nzo zole zambote : Two good houses.
Secondary. Zizole zambote : Two are good ; or, two good ones.
Demostrative.
Secondary.
The two are good;
or, two good ones.
Ezizole zambote:
13
When the Article is applied to Prefixes having a vowel initial, the Semi vowels, w or y, intervene between the Article and the Prefix ; w before u, and y before i.
, 1 = e + imosi. , 2 = becomes eyimosi. , 3 = one of them, the one.. E + itatu, 1 = becomes. E + itatu, 2 = eyitatu, three of them, the three. E + itatu, 3 = . O + utanu, 1 = becomes. O + utanu, 2 = owutanu, five of them, the five. O + utanu, 3 =
From among my goats, take two ; the two without horns, not those.
Ke tusolwele e lekwa yaku yawonso ko, kansi eyitanu oyikidi, i yau yiyi : We have not found all your things, but here are the five you mentioned.
The sense of a certain (one, two, &c.) in particular, is also implied by this form.
Twele ye mfumu eyimosi, Kumpaya :
We went with a certain chief (named) Kumpaya.
Muna evata edimosi mubwidi e diambu dia kutulùkisa:
Something happened in a certain town to warn us.
E dinkondo edimosi:
A certain plantain.
A certain man.
In the case of the Numerals from 10 upwards, the Numerals mentioned become Nouns, and precede.
14
The 20 men.
mazunda mole ye nkama tatu za ngombe kafutiswa : The 2,300 cattle which he had to pay.
O nzole.
There is another secondary form of the Numeral two, in the ist class, o nzole, a couple, two; it is a noun of the 4th class. It is also used of living creatures.
O nzole wina muna nzo wau:
Two are in the house now.
Ye and yo in joining Numerals.
The Conjunctions used in joining tens, hundreds, and thousands, are ye and yo, according to the class of the Numeral following. The ye before the Numerals bearing the Prefixes ma- and lu-, on pp. 572 and 573, are errata.
Matadi nkama yo makumatanu yo mematatu: 153 stones.

The Prefixes ki- and u- used in the construction of this form, are sometimes necessarily applied to a Compound Noun, or to a Noun qualified by some word or clause ; in such case the Prefix is not applied to the qualifying word or clause. Thus, from mbuta a makesa, captain of soldiers, comes kimbuta a makesa, a captaincy of soldiers, not kimbuta kia makesa, which would mean the captaincy of soldiers in another sense, namely, the superiority of soldiers over ordinary civilians ; so that in this instance, mbuta a makesa is the idea to which the kiis to be applied, so mbuta-a-makesa is treated as a Compound Noun, and receives its Prefix accordingly. Any further qualifying word receives the Prefix also.

My captaincy has been taken away.

7

His Sonship with God.

This construction is further referred to in this Appendix, in the Syntax, under

"

The Subject, Compound Nouns."

The Prefix fi- is applied to any Prefix of the Noun to which it is applied.

Filukaya : a tiny leaf.

Fikinkutu : a tiny coat.

Fidinkondo : a tiny plantain.

This Derivative, which follows properly on the Seventh, is formed by adding ilu, elo, inu, or eno to the Verb Stem, according to its Conjugation. It expresses,not the thing which was the instrument of the performance of the action, as the Seventh does, but the means, opportunity, circumstances, excuse,reason, manner, and method. This Derivative is a sixth class Noun.

Baka, to catch ; bakilu, an opportunity or excuse for catching.

8

Kwenda, to go ; yendelo, a reason for going.

Vova, to say ; vovelo, a chance or reason for saying.

Nouns bearing the Prefix ne-, retain either their original class, or become first class Nouns ; thus, from nunu (cl. 4), an old man, comes, nenunu (cl. I and 4), a very old man, or as a first class Noun making its plural in anenunu,or akinenunu.

Nouns in mu-, which make the Plural in miu-, are accented on the u of the mu-, because the u is radical, hence also its persistence in the Plural.

The rule therefore stands thus : All Nouns in mu-, which take the accent on the mu-, form the Plural in miu-. The instances quoted on page 546 will serve to illustrate this. Mungùla, warmth, might be expected to take its accent on the second syllable as though nmngùla, but as the accent is on the first syllable, it is clear that the u is radical, and that the word is a contraction of mu + ùngula, and its Plural is therefore mi + ùngula=miùngula.

The Reduplication of Nouns in the formation of the Diminutive forms, the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Derivatives, is explained on pages 535-537. Nouns are also reduplicated to give a partitive idea ; thus, mbele, a knife; mbele-mbele,a knife each.

9

They received each of them a piece of cloth.

Ubavana mbele-mbele ye mpu-mpu : Give them each a knife and a hat.

page 563, under the word -nkwa, possessing, having, some sentences are given illustrating the usage and concord of the word ; while they are useful for that purpose, they are inappropriate, for -nkwa is only used where the possession is an acquirement, or a changed condition, and not an original or normal condition or possession. So that it is correct to speak of those whose hair has become grey as akwa mvu, for their hair was once of another colour ; but it is not correct to speak of black people as akwa ndombe, for that is their normal colour, and as there is no change in that respect, nkwa or akwa cannot be used.

So, too, the sentences as to black-haired goats, and whiteflowering trees are inappropriate for the same reason, such being their natural condition ; akwa nzala is a correct expression, for that should scarcely be a permanent or normal condition.

QUANTITATIVE ADJECTIVES.

When -ngi and ayingi are used intensively or emphatically without the Nouns they qualify, they take the Prefix proper to

10

the Noun with which they agree and prefaced to that, the Article, in all but the first class.

Sing., 2 = Eyingi Eyayingi. Sing., 3&4 = owingi Owayingi. Sing., 5&6 = Ekingi Ekiayingi. Sing., 7&8 = Edingi Ediayingi. Sing., 9 = okwingi okwayingi. Plur., 2 = Ezingi. Plur., 3&4 = Emingi. Plur., 5&6 = Eyingi. Plur., 7&8 = Omengi. Plur., 9 = omengi. , 2 = Ezayingi. , 3&4 = Emiayingi. , 5&6 = Eyayingi. , 7&8 = Omayingi. , 9 = omayingi. Class:-, 2 = 10&11. Class:-, 3&4 = 12. Class:-, 5&6 = 13'. Class:-, 7&8 = 14. Class:-, 9 = 15. Sing., 2 = Oluingi. Sing., 3&4 = Owingi. Sing., 5&6 = Owingi. Sing., 7&8 = Ovingi. Sing., 9 = efingi. , 2 = Oluayingi. , 3&4 = Owayingi. , 5&6 = Owaingi. , 7&8 = Ovayingi. , 9 = efiayingi. Plur., 2 = Otwingi. Plur., 3&4 = Owingi. Plur., 5&6 = Omengi. Plur., 7&8 = omwingi. Plur., 9 = . , 2 = Otwayingi. , 3&4 = Owayingi. , 5&6 = Omayingi. , 7&8 = omwayingi. , 9 =

Konso ona obakidi eyingi:

Any one who has obtained many.

Awana belongwa omayingi(or omengi):

Those who were taught many things.

Ovo bawidi edingi:

If they heard much.

-awonso, -awonso -awonsono, -awonsono.

all, every, every one, each, each one, the whole of them, all of them, the lot, the whole.

These Adjectives are derived from the root onso, and might perhaps be more properly written -au onso, as in the case of the other word for all, -au ekulu.

11

All the things : lekwa yau ekulu, or lekwa yau onso. The form awonso has, however, been preferred.

This derivation accounts for an apparent irregularity in these Adjectives from onso ; for when used in the singular, as an equivalent of the whole, only the Secondary Form is used.

The whole house was nothing but driver ants (full of them).

nti wawonso uwumini:

The whole tree is dry.

The plural of the Secondary Form being identical with the plural of the Primary Form, this distinction in the plural is not noticeable ; it is only apparent in the singular, and even then only in Classes j, 2, 3, and 4.

In the Secondary Form of the plural of the first class there are two forms,awonso, or yawonso; the y is not characteristic of the plural of the first class,but it is clearly yau onso, and goes to further establish the above conclusion as to the derivation of -awonso.

All the people want to go.

Yawonso akwa masumu :

All are guilty.

Konso, any, each, is most probably derived from the same root, onso ; being a contraction of ku-onso.

Kibeni must be classed as an Indeclinable Adjective ; its prime sense is,usual, ordinary, customary, in general use, regular, normal.

The ordinary clothing.

Nwiza muna lumbu kibeni kia nlongo:

12

Come on the regular day for medicine.

I etona kibeni dia wivwa wau:

This is the normal colour of these mushrooms.

When used with the Personal Pronouns, it is expressed in English by the Suffix -self, or with the Possessive Pronouns by own.

Kwiza kekwiza yandi kibeni :

He himself is coming.

Yeno kibeni nuvovele wo:

You, your own selves said so.

E nzo andi kibeni mpe ividi : His own house too is burnt.

Bakutumwini o nlele ame kibeni :

They took away my own cloth.

There is a Demonstrative Form of the Secondary Numerals from 1-9, which is made by prefixing the Article (proper to its class) to the Secondary Form; the sense thus imparted is that of the emphasized Definite Article before a Numeral, in English ; thus :-

Primary. Nzo zole zambote : Two good houses.

Secondary. Zizole zambote : Two are good ; or, two good ones.

Demostrative.

Secondary.

The two are good;

or, two good ones.

Ezizole zambote:

13

When the Article is applied to Prefixes having a vowel initial, the Semi vowels, w or y, intervene between the Article and the Prefix ; w before u, and y before i.

, 1 = e + imosi. , 2 = becomes eyimosi. , 3 = one of them, the one.. E + itatu, 1 = becomes. E + itatu, 2 = eyitatu, three of them, the three. E + itatu, 3 = . O + utanu, 1 = becomes. O + utanu, 2 = owutanu, five of them, the five. O + utanu, 3 =

From among my goats, take two ; the two without horns, not those.

Ke tusolwele e lekwa yaku yawonso ko, kansi eyitanu oyikidi, i yau yiyi : We have not found all your things, but here are the five you mentioned.

The sense of a certain (one, two, &c.) in particular, is also implied by this form.

Twele ye mfumu eyimosi, Kumpaya :

We went with a certain chief (named) Kumpaya.

Muna evata edimosi mubwidi e diambu dia kutulùkisa:

Something happened in a certain town to warn us.

E dinkondo edimosi:

A certain plantain.

A certain man.

In the case of the Numerals from 10 upwards, the Numerals mentioned become Nouns, and precede.

14

The 20 men.

mazunda mole ye nkama tatu za ngombe kafutiswa : The 2,300 cattle which he had to pay.

O nzole.

There is another secondary form of the Numeral two, in the ist class, o nzole, a couple, two; it is a noun of the 4th class. It is also used of living creatures.

O nzole wina muna nzo wau:

Two are in the house now.

Ye and yo in joining Numerals.

The Conjunctions used in joining tens, hundreds, and thousands, are ye and yo, according to the class of the Numeral following. The ye before the Numerals bearing the Prefixes ma- and lu-, on pp. 572 and 573, are errata.

Matadi nkama yo makumatanu yo mematatu: 153 stones.