Runyambo-Kiswahili-English and English-Runyambo-Kiswahili lexicon

300 Pages·2002·1.457 MB·English

by  Josephat M. Rugemalira

OORRUUNNYYAAMMBBOO

MSAMIATI WA
RUNYAMBO-KISWAHILI-KIINGEREZA
NA
KIINGEREZA-RUNYAMBO-KISWAHILI

[RUNYAMBO-KISWAHILI-ENGLISH
AND
ENGLISH-RUNYAMBO-KISWAHILI LEXICON]

Josephat M. Rugemalira

Languages of Tanzania [LOT] Project
University of Dar es Salaam
2002

LOT Publications: Lexicon Series No. 1
Languages of Tanzania Project
University of Dar es Salaam
P.O.Box 35040
Dar es Salaam.

Cover map: SIL International

© Languages of Tanzania Project 2002

ISBN 9987 691 01 3

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording or any information and retrieval system, without
written permission from the copyright owner.

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UTANGULIZI
1. Madhumuni
Orodha hii ya msamiati wa Runyambo ni ya kwanza yenye ukubwa kiasi hiki kuandaliwa.
Orodha yenyewe imekusudiwa kukidhi mahitaji ya wasomaji wa aina mbili. Kwanza, kama
ilivyokusudiwa katika mpangilio wa Mradi wa Lugha za Tanzania, itakidhi mahitaji ya
watafiti isimu wanapofanya uchunguzi kwa kulinganisha data za lugha mbalimbali. Pili,
katika jitihada za kukuza na kuhifadhi lugha za Tanzania, orodha hii itakidhi mahitaji ya
msomaji wa kawaida, hasa yule ambaye lugha yake ya kwanza in Runyambo. Inatazamiwa
kwamba msamiati huu utaweka msingi wa kutengeneza kamusi ya Runyambo, kuweka
vigezo vya maandishi, na kuweka msukumo wa elimu ya kusoma na kuandika katika jamii ya
Abanyambo.

2. Mpangilio
Msamiati huu una sehemu mbili. Sehemu ya kwanza inaorodhesha maneno ya Runyambo na
maelezo yake katika Kiswahili na Kiingereza. Sehemu ya pili inaorodhesha maneno ya
Kiingereza na maelezo yake katika Kinyambo na Kiswahili.

Viambishiawali katika sehemu zote mbili vimepangwa kabla ya safu ya maneno ya
Runyambo, navyo ni vya aina mbili. Aina ya kwanza ni kiambishiawali cha kitenzi ku/kw.
Aina ya pili ni kisabiki kiambishiawali cha nomino a/e/o, kama vile katika a-máte, e-citi, o-
rúku. Karibu nomino zote zina kiambishi hiki isipokuwa nomino nyingi za ngeli ya ri (kama
vile ikúru, itáma, íju …), majina ya rangi, nomino pekee (k.m Kakúru), na baadhi ya majina ya
wanyama.

Vivumishi na viwakilishi (vionyeshi, vimilikishi, viulizi) (katika Sehemu ya Kwanza)
vimewekewa alama hii(@) katika safu ya viambishi, ikiashiria kuwa vinachukua maumbo ya
upatanisho kutoka kwenye nomino husika. Mbali na maumbo haya, ni maumbo machache
sana yasiyochukua kisabiki kiambishiawali k.m. bâmbe, nkána, íngaaha, ánga.

Nomino zimeorodheshwa kialfabeti kwa kufuata kiambishi cha ngeli katika umoja. Umbo la
wingi wa nomino limeingizwa iwapo
i) ndilo umbo la kawaida lililopo, kama vile a-máte, e-bica, a-magara,
ii) ndilo umbo linalojitokeza mara nyingi zaidi, k.m. iyengo/amayengo
iii) linaleta maana maalumu, k.m. e-bihinzi/e-cihinzi, e-bireju/e-cireju, ikúru/a-makúru.
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Vitenzi vimeorodheshwa kwa mashina yake. Minyambuliko ya kawaida, yaani maumbo
sababishi, husishi, tendewa, tendeka, na tendeana, hayakuorodheshwa isipokuwa pale
yanapokuwa na maana maalum isiyotabirika, kama mifano hii inavyoonyesha:
Ku-téma kata [limeorodheshwa]
Ku-témera katia [umbo husishi; halikuorodheshwa]
Ku-témesa fanya mtu/kitu kikate; saidia kukata [umbo sababishi; halikuorodheswa]
Ku-témerera tengeneza barabara kuzunguka shamba ili kuzuia moto [maana maalum;
limeorodheshwa]
Ku-téera piga, gonga [limeorodheshwa]
Ku-téérera kata/punguza majani ya mgomba [maana maalum; limeorodheshwa]

Irabu ndefu zinaonyeshwa mara mbili (katika mfumo wa irabu tano) isipokuwa pale
zinapotabirika kwa kanuni.
Urefu usiotabirika:
ku-siba funga [fupi] ku-siiba pitisha siku mahali [ndefu]
o-butúzi uyoga [fupi] o-butúuzi ukazi [ndefu]
o-musana jua kali [fupi] o-muzáana mtumishi [ndefu]
Urefu wa kutabirika:
i) irabu inayotangulia mlolongo wa nazali na konsonanti katika matamshi, kwa mfano,
ku-jenda, ku-tunta)
ii) irabu inayofuata mlolongo wa konsonanti na kiyeyusho katika matamshi, kwa mfano, ku-
twâra, ku-twera, ku-tyâza, o-rwôngo, a-kakwânzi. (Katika mifano miwili ya mwisho, kanuni
moja tu ya urefushaji wa irabu inatumika).

Irabuunganifu moja tu [ei] inapatikana, kwa mfano ku-béiha, ku-beija.
Toni ya juu tu imebainishwa; toni isiyobainishwa ni ya chini, kwa mfano o-musúma.

Othografia inaficha mabadiliko kama miungano ya sauti na udondoshajisauti katika
matamshi. Jitihada imefanyika kubainisha toni kama ilivyo wakati wa kutamka neno moja
peke yake lisilo katika kirai.
Matamshi ya kirai Matamshi ya peke
[omwaanagwééŋkóko] -> o-mwâna gwa e-nkóko ‘chick’
[e amayúkusiira] -> e-nyama ya o-kusiira ‘meat for distribution’
[kutúúŋgíβigúúnju] -> ku-tûnga e-bigúnju ‘keep animals’

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Maandishi yametumia alama za konsonanti zifuatazo:
p b t d c j k g
m n ny
f v s z zh
w r y h

Tofauti za lahaja kati ya Karagwe Magharibi (Marungu) na Mashariki (Migongo)
hazikubainishwa waziwazi. Tofauti za maneno na maana kati ya sehemu mbalimbali
zimeingizwa katika orodha hii bila kujaribu kuonyesha zilivyotawanyika. Hivyo kama neno
fulani, kwa mfano, enceréje, linapatikana sehemu moja tu na siyo katika sehemu zingine, hali
hiyo haikuashiriwa katika orodha hii. Lakini tofauti za matamshi zimeshughulikiwa kama
ifuatavyo:
i) Katika tofauti za j/g na c/k kwa sehemu kubwa orodha hii imefuata matamshi ya
magharibi (Marungu):
Marungu Migongo
a-majézi a-magézi
o-muceeka o-mukeeka
ii) Katika tofauti za zh/z/j na sy/c kwa sehemu kubwa matamshi ya mashariki
(Migongo) yamefuatwa.
Marungu Migongo
o-muzigeizo o-mujigeijo
nyensya nyenca
a-mazhuta/a-mazuta a-majuta
e-ntozho/e-ntozo e-ntojo
Mara chache sana maumbo zaidi ya moja yameingizwa. Na tofauti ya s/sh inaonekana kuwa
haitabiriki: kwa baadhi ya watu kutoka sehemu mbalimbali, sauti zote s/sh hujitokeza bila
kanuni maalum. Lakini watu wengi zaidi hutumia s tu. Hivyo orodha hii imetumia s pekee
kila mahali.

Maelezo ya Kiswahili na Kiingereza kwa maneno mengi yahusuyo mimea na wanyama ni ya
jumla mno. Kwa baadhi ya maneno haya istilahi ya kisayansi imetolewa kama ilivyopatikana
katika vyanzo viwili:
i) Kanywa, P.P.I. 1986. Orodha ya Miti na Migomba Mkoani Kagera. Rumuli Press.
Bukoba;
v
ii) Taylor, C. 1959. A Simplified Runyankore-Rukiga – English and English – Runyankore-
Rukiga Dictionary. East African Literature Bureau. Kampala.

Shukrani za dhati ziwaendee watu wote katika sehemu mbalimbali za Karagwe kwa kutoa
msaada wa hali na mali katika uandaaji wa orodha hii. Shukrani za pekee ziwaendee Bw.
Wilfred Kahumuza na Bi. Zeulia Jeremiah kwa mchango wao katika utafiti wa awali mnamo
Agosti/Septemba 2001. Kazi yote kuanzia utafiti hadi uchapishaji wa orodha hii
umefadhiliwa na Mradi wa Lugha za Tanzania kwa msaada kutoka Shirika la Maendeleo ya
Kimataifa la Sweden (SIDA).

[Masahihisho na maoni yapelekwe kwenye anwani iliyoonyeshwa awali au kwa barua pepe
[email protected]]

vi
INTRODUCTION
1.Aims
This is the first word list of considerable size to be compiled for Runyambo. It is aimed at two
types of users. First, as originally conceived within the framework of the Languages of
Tanzania Project, it seeks to serve the needs of research linguists as a reservoir of linguistic
data for cross-language comparison. Second, as a contribution to the promotion of the
languages of Tanzania, it is addressed to the general user, especially one with Runyambo as
mother tongue. In this regard the word list is designed to set standards and conventions in
orthography as well as encourage literacy development among the Abanyambo.

2. Organization
This lexicon consists of two parts. Part One contains the Runyambo-Kiswahili-English list and
Part Two contains the English-Runyambo-Kiswahili list.

The prefixes before the Runyambo entries in both parts are of two types. The first is the verb
prefix ku/kw, and the second is the nominal pre-prefix (also known as the augment) a/e/o,
which depends on the vowel of the class prefix. Most nouns are listed with this pre-prefix. The
few exceptions include nouns in the (r)i- class, colour terms, proper names, and some animal
names.

Adjectives and pronominal forms (demonstratives, possessives, interrogatives) have a
special symbol @ in the prefix column (Part One only) indicating their taking agreement
markers from the nominals they relate to. This leaves only a handful of other items that do not
take the augment (e.g. bâmbe, nkána, ingaaha, ánga).

Nouns are listed by the class prefix, usually the singular form only. The plural form of the
noun is not listed unless it is the usual form (e.g. a-mate, e-bica, a-magara), or is the most
common form (e.g. iyengo/a-mayengo), or has a special sense (e.g. e-bihinzi/e-cihinzi, e-bireju/e-
cireju, ikúru/a-makúru).

Verbs are listed by the stem. The regular verbal derivations are not listed unless a special
sense is involved as exemplified below.
Ku-téma cut [listed]
Ku-témera cut for/at [applicative derivation; not listed]
Ku-témesa cut with, cause to cut [causative derivation; not listed]
Ku-témerera make a clearing to keep fire away from farm [special sense; listed]
Ku-téera strike, knock [listed]
Ku-téérera prune banana plant [special sense; listed]
vii
Long vowels are indicated by a double spell out, based on the five-vowel system, except
where the length is predictable:
Lexical length:
ku-siba lock [short] ku-siiba pass the day at [long]
o-butúzi mushrooms [short] o-butúuzi state of residing [long]
o-musana sunshine [short] o-muzáana servant [long]

Derived length:
i) a vowel before a nasal +consonant cluster e.g. ku-jenda, ku-tunta
ii) a vowel after a consonant + glide cluster in word non-final position, e.g. ku-
twâra, ku-twera, ku-tyâza, o-rwôngo, a-kakwânzi (in these last two items only
one of the lengthening rules will apply).

One diphthong [ei] may be discerned as in ku-béiha, ku-beija.

Only high tone is marked e.g. o-múswa; low tone is the unmarked default. Only long vowels
can carry the falling tone as in ku-twâra.

The orthography suppresses morphophonological effects like vowel coalescence and elision,
and in most cases strives to mark tone as in isolated pronunciation:
Connected speech Isolated pronuncitation
[omwaanagwééŋkóko] -> o-mwâna gwa e-nkóko ‘chick’
[e amayúkusiira] -> e-nyama ya o-kusiira ‘meat for distribution’
[kutúúŋgíβigúúnju] -> ku-tûnga e-bigúnju ‘keep animals’

The consonant symbols used in the spelling are shown below:
p b t d c j k g
m n ny
f v s z zh
w r y h
Dialectal variations between West Karagwe and East Karagwe speakers are not explicitly
indicated. Differences in words and senses are included in the list without attempting to show
the relative distributions. However, with respect to pronunciation, where the difference
consists of the [ /g] and [c/k] alternations the western version has in most cases been followed
viii
(e.g. listing a-majézi rather than a-magézi; o-muceeka rather than o-mukeeka). But the [z/ ] and
[sy/c] alternations generally follow the eastern pronunciation as in o-mujigeijo rather than o-
muzigeizo; nyénca rather than nyénsya. In a few cases, more than one version has been entered.
An occasional variation on the [z/ ] alternation is [ ] as in a-mazhúta, e-ntozho. The [s/ ]
alternation is to a large extent a free variation feature in many idiolects and has been
consistently ignored by suppressing [ ].

The explanations for many plants and animal terms are still too general. In some cases a
scientific name has been provided thanks to two sources, namely,
1. Kanywa, P.P.I. 1986. Orodha ya Miti na Migomba Mkoani Kagera. Rumuli Press. Bukoba;
2. Taylor, C. 1959. A Simplified Runyankore-Rukiga – English and English – Runyankore-
Rukiga Dictionary. East African Literature Bureau. Kampala.

In this vein I would like to pay special tribute to two people, Mr. Wilfred Kahumuza and Ms.
Zeulia Jeremiah, who took part in the data collection and compilation process in Karagwe
district in August/September 2001. Many thanks also to the many people in various parts of
Karagwe, who spent hours teaching me more of this language during August and September
2002. The research work and publication of this word list has been made possible by the
Languages of Tanzania Project through a grant from the Swedish International Development
Agency (SIDA).

***
ix
VIFUPISHO – ABBREVIATIONS
adj adjective
esp. especially
intr. intransitive
k.v. kama vile
lit. literally
n noun
n.k. na kadhalika
pl. plural
sb somebody
sg. singular
sth something
tr. transitive
v verb

[Corrections and comments may be sent to the address shown above or by e-mail:
[email protected]]
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