Thanks to everyone who participated in the Blog Reader Challenge and a special thanks to those who dared share their answers. Congratulations to thduggie for getting all the answers right on level 1 and to Janet for getting full score for level 2! Special mention for creativity goes to mimilibrarian.
Here are the answers:
Level 1
Disemba - December
sukari - sugar
kompyuta - computer
milionea - millionaire
oksijeni - oxygen
operesheni - operation
stempu - stamp (also stampu)
shule - school (also skuli from English)
plasta - plaster/band-aid
buluu - blue
gazeti - newspaper
Level 2 – public transport and vehicles
baiskeli - bicycle
stesheni - station
gari - car
motokaa - car (again)
boti - boat
dereva - driver
gereji - garage
mota - motor
petroli - petrol or gas (also gesi)
teksi - taxi
tiketi - ticket
Okay, here's the next challenge, level 3 and 4. I am having a hard time deciding which ones to give you - I have found so many more! So here goes level 5 as well - be creative!
Level 3 – countries
Marekani
Ufaransa
Uingereza
Uswisi
Ubelgiji
Ugiriki
Ujerumani
Urusi
Misri (for those who know Hebrew)
Level 4 – Sports
feni
timu
soka
ripota
kemra
picha
mechi
Level 5 – getting harder and more random
bia
gilasi (you can put your bia in there)
kahawa
chai (that's too easy for level 5)
stoo
swichi
sweta
shati or tishati
daktari
musuli (hint: men have more of it/them)
slaisi
gesti (meaning the place where they stay)
Showing posts with label Swahili/English. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Swahili/English. Show all posts
Monday, May 19, 2008
Monday, May 5, 2008
A Note on The Blog Reader Challenge
Since I cannot hide the comments without making it impossible to post a comment, I am giving you a chance to cheat - but of course you will not make use of it! Decides on your answers before you click on the comments, and then after writing your answers you can cross check with what others have written. Anyway, it's all just about having some fun with words and language!
Two clues: Most of the words come from the English language, and most of them are nouns.
Look out for the next Swahinglish blog entry! I'll give you a week for this one. Jienjoy! (Enjoy yourself!)
Two clues: Most of the words come from the English language, and most of them are nouns.
Look out for the next Swahinglish blog entry! I'll give you a week for this one. Jienjoy! (Enjoy yourself!)
Swahinglish (II) - Blog Reader Challenge!
Yesterday I felt good about my Swahili. First of all, I was able to carry a simple conversation with the house-help for a few minutes, even though it was challenging for me to understand her. It still takes me some ten seconds to register and understand what someone has said, and most people here have never learned a foreign language and do not know what it means to speak slowly to a foreigner. Even when I ask them to speak “pole pole”, they just keep going at the same pace!
Secondly, Rinna (the elder daughter) said something yesterday which made me laugh. Because the language at home is English, she does not speak Swahili very well, which is why the parents want the house-help to speak Swahili to the kids. When she doesn’t know a word in Swahili, she will resort to Swahinglish. Here’s what she said yesterday: “Wapi headi ya fishi?” (Where is the head of the fish – in proper Swahili: Kichwa ya samaki wapi?)
I cannot speak better Swahili than she does, but I can also speak Swahinglish (which is what many young people her do – e.g. nimekumiss – I have missed you).
Speaking of Swahinglish: Proper Swahili has many words that have come from other languages, Arabic, Portuguese, German and recently of course from English. Some of them may not look recognisable at first glance, but you may be able to figure them out. Many of them will add an “i” at the end (sheet turns into shiti, blanket into blanketi) or they take the way the words sounds in British-Kenyan pronunciation and transcribe it into Swahili (Swahili uses the same vowel sounds as German, so shiti is pronounced shee-tee).
Here’s the challenge: I have selected some words of foreign origin for you to figure out. If you think you know the English or German equivalent, post your answers as a comment. I will let you know who has gotten the most correct answers.
Level 1
Disemba
sukari
kompyuta
milionea
oksijeni (I love this one!)
operesheni
stempu
shule (especially for you German-speakers!)
plasta
buluu
gazeti
Level 2 – public transport and vehicles
baiskeli
stesheni
gari
motokaa
boti
dereva
gereji
mota
petroli
teksi
tiketi
Levels 3 and 4 to follow! Have fun!
P.S. Copyright by Cornelia; however, idea was taken from a certain travelling and blog-writing brother (though at that time there were no blogs, the quiz came in one of the very lengthy newsletters).
P.P.S. Sarah Nimo – don’t even try, you are excluded from this contest!!! Hope you had a good flight, though!
Secondly, Rinna (the elder daughter) said something yesterday which made me laugh. Because the language at home is English, she does not speak Swahili very well, which is why the parents want the house-help to speak Swahili to the kids. When she doesn’t know a word in Swahili, she will resort to Swahinglish. Here’s what she said yesterday: “Wapi headi ya fishi?” (Where is the head of the fish – in proper Swahili: Kichwa ya samaki wapi?)
I cannot speak better Swahili than she does, but I can also speak Swahinglish (which is what many young people her do – e.g. nimekumiss – I have missed you).
Speaking of Swahinglish: Proper Swahili has many words that have come from other languages, Arabic, Portuguese, German and recently of course from English. Some of them may not look recognisable at first glance, but you may be able to figure them out. Many of them will add an “i” at the end (sheet turns into shiti, blanket into blanketi) or they take the way the words sounds in British-Kenyan pronunciation and transcribe it into Swahili (Swahili uses the same vowel sounds as German, so shiti is pronounced shee-tee).
Here’s the challenge: I have selected some words of foreign origin for you to figure out. If you think you know the English or German equivalent, post your answers as a comment. I will let you know who has gotten the most correct answers.
Level 1
Disemba
sukari
kompyuta
milionea
oksijeni (I love this one!)
operesheni
stempu
shule (especially for you German-speakers!)
plasta
buluu
gazeti
Level 2 – public transport and vehicles
baiskeli
stesheni
gari
motokaa
boti
dereva
gereji
mota
petroli
teksi
tiketi
Levels 3 and 4 to follow! Have fun!
P.S. Copyright by Cornelia; however, idea was taken from a certain travelling and blog-writing brother (though at that time there were no blogs, the quiz came in one of the very lengthy newsletters).
P.P.S. Sarah Nimo – don’t even try, you are excluded from this contest!!! Hope you had a good flight, though!
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Swahinglish (I)
As some of you may know, I am fascinated by language and the diversity of how language is used. It is especially interesting to see how the same language can be used so differently! Since coming here, I have been listening to people speak English and have sometimes been puzzled, surprised or amused by what people will say here – because their English has been influenced by Swahili or their mother tongue. To demonstrate this, I will tell you a story using as many “Swahinglish” phrases as possible.
Last week but one, one of the chicks from Msafara invited some of the interns to her house for a bash. I met Njeri and Gedion at the bus stage to catch a citi hoppa to Karen. As we entered the bus, we happened to find another intern there who had come straight from town. Gedion, always eager to get the best option, had worked out a way to save money: take the bus to the first junction after the Karen round-about and then catch a mat, but his plans were crossed by the fact that the bus conductor came to complain after passing the round-about that we had not paid enough since we were supposed to get off there. Gedion started causing and actually succeeded in not having us pay more.
Last week but one – two weeks ago
chick – girl, gal
bash – party, get-together
stage – station
citi hoppa – a local bus company
to enter the bus – to get on the bus
town – downtown
mat – matatu, a Nissan minivan for public transport
to cause – to cause trouble, to give someone trouble, to complain or rant
When we reached, we alighted from the bus and looked for a mat. The matatu tout finally agreed to take us to where we were going for ten shillings, so we entered the mat and were soon on our way. The matatu was full when we left, but on the way, we kept stopping to add more people. When we stopped for the third time, Gedion started protesting, as he was to make room for an old mama. They made room in the first row and we continued with the tout and the mama hanging out the side of the open van. When we stopped again, Gedion really started causing, threatening come out of the mat and walk – which the four of us actually did, leaving just enough seats for the extra people. We hadn't paid yet, so we actually saved money, but then again, what service can you expect if you are only willing to pay ten shillings?!
to reach – meaning: to reach a certain point or destination (verbs here are often used without objects)
to alight – to get off a bus (sounds to me like getting out of a carriage like in Jane Austen’s day!)
a matatu tout – the guy who “advertises” for the matatu at the stations, shouting out the destination, enticing people to get on (rather than go to the competition), and who acts as a conductor
to add more people – to let more people on
mama – pronounce mamá: an older lady
to come out of a bus or mat – alight, get off
Gedion supposedly knew where to go and told us that it was the next road, but when we got there, the road was Kufuga Road instead of Kuwinda Road. Strangely enough, the person we asked confirmed that this was Kuwinda Road, despite the sign that clearly said otherwise. We started walking down the road, but then decided to call Sarah (our host) to check. I would like to say that she did not pick her phone (just to use that phrase), but she actually did and explained to us that we would have to go farther down the main road to where her dad was waiting to pick us. We finally reached there after half an hour of walking and found Sarah’s dad patiently waiting. By that time we were quite annoyed with Gedion and his making us shuka way too early, but at the same time we had a story to tell and someone to blame for being late!
to pick your phone – to answer your phone
to pick someone – to pick someone up
shuka (Swahili) – to alight, get off
Last week but one, one of the chicks from Msafara invited some of the interns to her house for a bash. I met Njeri and Gedion at the bus stage to catch a citi hoppa to Karen. As we entered the bus, we happened to find another intern there who had come straight from town. Gedion, always eager to get the best option, had worked out a way to save money: take the bus to the first junction after the Karen round-about and then catch a mat, but his plans were crossed by the fact that the bus conductor came to complain after passing the round-about that we had not paid enough since we were supposed to get off there. Gedion started causing and actually succeeded in not having us pay more.
Last week but one – two weeks ago
chick – girl, gal
bash – party, get-together
stage – station
citi hoppa – a local bus company
to enter the bus – to get on the bus
town – downtown
mat – matatu, a Nissan minivan for public transport
to cause – to cause trouble, to give someone trouble, to complain or rant
When we reached, we alighted from the bus and looked for a mat. The matatu tout finally agreed to take us to where we were going for ten shillings, so we entered the mat and were soon on our way. The matatu was full when we left, but on the way, we kept stopping to add more people. When we stopped for the third time, Gedion started protesting, as he was to make room for an old mama. They made room in the first row and we continued with the tout and the mama hanging out the side of the open van. When we stopped again, Gedion really started causing, threatening come out of the mat and walk – which the four of us actually did, leaving just enough seats for the extra people. We hadn't paid yet, so we actually saved money, but then again, what service can you expect if you are only willing to pay ten shillings?!
to reach – meaning: to reach a certain point or destination (verbs here are often used without objects)
to alight – to get off a bus (sounds to me like getting out of a carriage like in Jane Austen’s day!)
a matatu tout – the guy who “advertises” for the matatu at the stations, shouting out the destination, enticing people to get on (rather than go to the competition), and who acts as a conductor
to add more people – to let more people on
mama – pronounce mamá: an older lady
to come out of a bus or mat – alight, get off
Gedion supposedly knew where to go and told us that it was the next road, but when we got there, the road was Kufuga Road instead of Kuwinda Road. Strangely enough, the person we asked confirmed that this was Kuwinda Road, despite the sign that clearly said otherwise. We started walking down the road, but then decided to call Sarah (our host) to check. I would like to say that she did not pick her phone (just to use that phrase), but she actually did and explained to us that we would have to go farther down the main road to where her dad was waiting to pick us. We finally reached there after half an hour of walking and found Sarah’s dad patiently waiting. By that time we were quite annoyed with Gedion and his making us shuka way too early, but at the same time we had a story to tell and someone to blame for being late!
to pick your phone – to answer your phone
to pick someone – to pick someone up
shuka (Swahili) – to alight, get off
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