Page 35 - SoMJ Vol 74 - No 1, 2021

Chichewa words in the Polyglotta Africana 25

Chamelion tọ ̄́n·kue, pl. atọ ̄́n·kūe tonkhwétonkhwe
Lizard (common one) búlōs búluzi
The large red-headed gún·ku móāra (cf. mkonkhomwala or
Lizard chigonkhomwala, a kind
of tree)
Toad – –
Frog kiū̄́lẹ & dsū̄́lẹ, pl. wādṣū̄́lẹ chulé, achulé
Dog gā̄́lu, pl. wagā̄́lu galú, agalú
Great, large dṣa kū̄́la chakula = it has grown
Little, small ka dṣẹ ̄́pa kachepa = it has become
less
White yoẹ ̄́la yóyéra
Black yākū̄́da yákúdá

White Man wóyēla, pl. wanthóyēla wóyeéra, anthu óyéra
Black Man (Negro) nthókūda, pl. anthoā̄́kūda munthu wákúdá, anthu
ákúdá
Good yā̄́ bū̄́éno yábwino
Bad yo ī̄́pa yóípa
Old ya káloāmba yókálamba
New (young) ẹ ̄́ tsapā̄́nu yátsópánó
Sick ádūáro adwala = he is sick
Well ālī̄́mba alimba = he is strong
Hot ku tẹ ̄́ntha kuténtha = to be hot
Cold ku zēzíla (sic) kuzízira = to be cold
Wet ẹ zēzī̄́la yazizira = it is cold
Dry yá ūma yauma = it is dry
Greedy kumā̄́na kumána = to be mean
Stupid ku pū̄́sa kupúsa = to be stupid
Rich wálemẹ ̄́ra walemera = he is rich
Poor ku sā̄́ok kusáuka = to be poor
Straight kú run·gā̄́ma kulúngama = to be straight
Crooked (bent) dṣa kṓta chakhotá = it is crooked
I go ndén·ka ndímká
I come ndé boẹ ̄́ra ndíbwera
I run ńde tamā̄́n·ga ndíthamangá
I stop ndáīma ndaima = I am standing
25
I sit down nda kā̄́la ndakhala = I am sitting
I lie down ndá gōno ndagoná

25 Mateke starts by giving the present tense to translate these verbs, but from ‘I am standing’
generally gives the perfect tense.