NOUNS IN SHINGAZIDJA

SINGULAR AND PLURAL

The following are some example of  singular and plural.  We have classified them according to how they change when expressed in plural form.  Grammatical details about Noun classes in Shingazidja is not included here.

Noun Formation

Relationship of nouns to other word classes:

Swahili nouns are of several categories if we consider them in relation to other word classes in the vocabulary.

Class prefix + noun stem:

Some nouns have no demonstrable relationship to any other word class. They consist of:

 Class prefix + noun stem: m-dru (a person )

The same stem may be found with several different class prefixes, e.g.: mdru/wandru (person/persons), hindru/zindru (thing/thing), djindru/madjindru (savage/savages), and undru (humanity, humanism).

Class prefix +Adjectives/adverbs stems

     Some nouns are formed from adjectives or adverbs, and consist of class prefix + adjective/adverb stem

The close relationship between noun and adjective in Bantu languages is illustrated by the way in which an adjective can stand alone functioning like a noun in a sentence, e.g.:

mwade, which implies mdru mwade, a sick person

Ntiti, which implies mbapvi ntiti, a small amount

Mcanfu which implies mdru mcanfu a dirty person

Nouns formed from verbs

Some nouns are related to verbs and are commonly called deverbatives, implying that the verb existed first and the noun was formed from it. Whether or not this is a true picture of its history, it is a fact that these nouns have in their stems some of the same derivational suffixes found in verb stems.

There are several different types of deverbative nouns:

v     Those which replace the final -a of the verb stem with one of several nominal suffixes. These nominal suffixes convey a specific meaning. These consist of :

Class prefix + verb stem + nominal suffix ending

v     Those which retain the final -a of the verb stem. They consist simply of:

Class prefix + verb stem with its -a ending

v  Those formed by composition. This type of noun includes both deverbatives and composites which do not include a deverbative

v     Nouns formed by reduplication

 examples of each of these types.

Nouns in which a nominal suffix replaces -a of the verb stem are in four groups, each of the four suffixes conveying its own specific meaning. The same verb stem can appear in nouns with different suffixes, giving an entirely different meaning. Note these examples:

The related verbs are kushinda, to overcome, or to win. The various endings with the meanings they convey are as follows:

Class prefix + verb stem + ending (i)

It indicates an agent: the person or thing performing the action.

mlezi tutor, malezi upbringing (hulela to bring up)

Mongozi leader, uongozi leadership (huongoza to lead/to show)

Mwendedji  a walker,  wendedji   walking (huenda to walk )

Mmezi  a begger, umezi begging , (humea to beg )

ushindzi victory (hushinda to win)

Class prefix + verb stem + ending (adji)

It indicates an habitual agent.

mtsungaji herder or swimmer (hutsunga to bred animals or to swim)

msomadji a regular reader (husoma to read)

mwimbadji a singer (huimba to sing)

Sometimes phonetic changes affect the final consonant of the stem:

Malazi / malalo  sleeping arrangements (hulala to lie down)

mwidzi thief (huiba to steal)

mpisi cook (hupika to cook)

Mshindani one who usually quarrels (Hushindana to contradict)

mlizi one who cries a lot (hulila to crie)

Indication of a state  variation

Class prefix + verb stem + ending (u/vu/fu)

uangamifu damnation, mwangamifu damned person (kuangamia to parish, to be damned )

utrulivu quietness, mtrulivu  quiet person, (hutrulia to quiet down)

wokofu salvation (huokoa to rescue)

mwongofu salvation (kuongoha to et salvation)

utsovu loss, mtsovu looser (hutsoa to loose)

uhuu greatness, mhuu great person (huhua to grow up)

Indicates: 1) an implement which performs an action, or 2) the ultimate result of the action.

Class prefix + verb stem + ending (o)

izimbo swelling (kuzimba to swell up )

ifiniho lid (hufiniha to cover)

ifungo button/fastener (hufunga to close, fasten)

mfunguo key (hufungua to open, unfasten)

nyendo hammer (kuunda to construct)

shishio ear (kuishia to hear)

maliso pasture (hulisa to feed (cattle))

mwongozo a manual, guide (kuongoza to lead/ to guide/ to give explanation )

mwendo journey, way of going (hwenda to go)

mcezo game, (huceza to play)

mkutrano agreement/meeting (hukutrana to agree/ to meet )

Indicates passivity

Class prefix + verb stem + ending (e)

mkate loaf of bread (kukata to cut)

ndrume messenger, apostle (kuruma to send)

shiumbe created being (huumba to create)

Nouns which retain the final -a of the verb stem:

Class prefix + verb stem + ending (a)

mshinda one who conquers (hushinda to overcome)

ndola marriage (hulola to marry)

ndzia path, way (hudja (hundjia) to come (to enter ))

mazoea familiarity, habit (huzoea to get used to)

makosa errors (hukosa to err)

Nouns formed by composition are made in several ways:

By a deverbative plus another noun

A deverbative formed by a noun class prefix plus a verb stem is followed by another noun.  Normally these compositions should be written as two words, but shingazidja speakers are used to use them in a way that they seem to be just one word.  Then do no doubt see them as written as two at times.

mhuzanfi fish seller

mhuzashahula grocer

mfanyahazi worker

mnaipezamarumbo last-born child

mfungatrumbo first-born child

mfuazuma blacksmith

ifungabei deposit to make agreed price binding

mwandzazio one who enjoys eating

mrengamapica photographer

By composition with mwana or its shorten version (mna)

Mwanamwari a virgin girl

Mwanazidakani  A young woman hidden in the house to be married

by a "noun in apposition" -- a second noun modifying the first

Mwandzishi wa wilaya district secretary

Mwandzishi wa bavu regional secretary

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