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Lesson 3Historical spelling

Noun Class III

SUBSTANTIVO CL. III

Rule §7

Class III comprises all nouns whose singular takes the prefix ki–, forming the plural by changing ki– to i– (e.g. kima → ima); it also covers all augmentatives (formed as described at §17 for diminutives), and while it once denoted only inanimate objects, it now also includes people and animals.

Chatelain’s original wording (1889)

A' cl. III pertencem todos os nomes que no sing. têem o pref. ki–. Forma o seu pl. mudando o pref. sing ki– em i–. Ex.: kima pl. ima. Abrange todos os augmentativos. Ex.: kihatu = mulherona (de muhatu, mulher). Para a formação do pl. d'estes veja-se no N° 17 a formação analoga do pl. dos diminutivos, cujas regras são tambem applicaveis aos augmentativos. Antigamente era a cl. dos objectos inanimados; hoje inclue tambem pessoas e animaes.

The pattern

Class III nouns: singular (pref. ki–) / plural (pref. i–) pairs

SingularPlural
kinamaleginamalegs
kimathingimathings
kibaskinibaskins
kimbunguwolfimbunguwolves
kindabasketindabaskets
kialanailialanails
kimbambaloadimbambaloads
kialuchairialuchairs

angaou, or

Words for this lesson

  • zangulalift up
  • ambatacarry
  • sumbabuy
  • texithrow away
  • sumbisasell
  • bakakeep
  • jibakill
  • kutatie

Exercises

Translate each sentence, using the pattern and the words above.

  1. 1Zangula o inama.
  2. 2Ambatenu o imbamba.
  3. 3Jibenu o kimbungu.
  4. 4Texi o iala.
  5. 5Bakenu o inda.
  6. 6Kutenu o imbamba ni mikolo.
  7. 7Sumba iba anga ialu.
  8. 8Ambatenu o ima.
  9. 9Kutenu o imbungu.
  10. 10Katula o kinama.
  11. 11Sumbisenu anga texienu o ima.
  12. 12Sukula o mutue anga o milembu anga o inama.
  13. 13Batulenu o iala ni milembu.
  14. 14Bana o iba anga o ialu.

Now meet the words

Browse every dictionary entry in the class this lesson explains.

Héli Chatelain, Grammatica Elementar do Kimbundu ou Lingua de Angola (1888-1889), printed page 3. 4 transcription notes.