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Lesson 9Historical spelling

Noun Class X

SUBSTANTIVO CL. X

Rule §18

Class X also includes many agent nouns formed by prefixing ka— to a verb root (e.g. kabila 'herdsman' from -bila 'to herd cattle'); this formation is common in the interior (sertão) but very rare in Loanda.

Chatelain’s original wording (1889)

Pertencem tambem a esta cl. muitos nomes derivados do radical do verbo, antepondo-lhe ka— e que significam o agente do que o verbo exprime. Ex.: kabila = pastor de gado, de-bila = pastar gado. Esta forma, commum no sertão, é rarissima em Loanda.

The pattern

Class X diminutive nouns: singular (Pref. ka—) and plural (Pref. tu—) forms, grouped by the original class of the noun being diminutivized

SingularPlural
kamuxishrub'series' field repurposed for number, see uncertaintiestumixismall trees
kamulunduhilltumilunduhills
karitarismall stonetumatarismall stones
karibengusmall rattumabengusmall rats
kaulungusmall canoetumaulungusmall canoes
kautasmall guntumautasmall guns
kalukuakusmall handtumakusmall hands
katubiasmall firetumatubiasmall fires
kakuriaa little foodtumakuriasmall portions of food

Words for this lesson

  • tumbukajump
  • ambulalet go (alone)
  • tumakaobey
  • bangamake, do
  • lengaflee, run
  • xilarespect

Exercises

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

  1. 1Bana o karibengu kakuria.
  2. 2Tumbukenu o tumilundu.
  3. 3Bangenu tumatubia ni tumixi.
  4. 4Jibenu o tuhoji ni tumauta.
  5. 5Tumabengu, lengenu o kimbungu.
  6. 6Ambula o tusanji.
  7. 7Xilenu o jikuku ni tumakenu o jimama.
  8. 8Enu nuala ni tumaku.
  9. 9Mama, tala o ka'nzo ni tumaulungu.
  10. 10Ka'mbua, lenga ni eme.
  11. 11Tuhatu, takulenu tumatari ni etu.
  12. 12Tanga kamukanda pala o kuku.

Héli Chatelain, Grammatica Elementar do Kimbundu ou Lingua de Angola (1888-1889), printed page 9. 3 transcription notes.