Page 32 - SoMJ Vol 74 - No 1, 2021

22 The Society of Malaŵi Journal

Mat mphā̄́sa, pl. tsemphā̄́sa mphasá, mphasá
Knife mpẹ ̄́ne, pl. mipẹ ̄́ne mpeni, mipeni
Spoon dṣipā̄́nde, pl. tsepā̄́nde chipandé, zipandé
Earring dṣín·gundṣīre, pl. chigwinjirí = bracelet
tsan·gundṣī̄́re
Armlet or Bracelet ntsā̄́mbo, pl. tsentsā̄́mbo nsámbo (= brass wire
armlet)
Pot mpī̄́ka, pl. mepī̄́ka mphika, miphika
Calabash kī̄́ko, pl. tsḗko chikho, zikho
Gun pfū̄́ti, pl. tsempfū̄́ti mfuti, mfuti
Powder wọ ̄́n·ga onga
Sword mpọ ̄́po, pl. tsempọ ̄́po mphopo = curved knife,
chopper
Spear ńdhū̄́n·gọ, pl. tsendhū̄́n·gọ nthúngo
Bow wū̄́ta, pl. máūta utá, mautá
Arrow ḿpfe, pl. mḗpfe muví, miví
Quiver tū̄́mba, pl. mátūmba thumba, matumba
War khọ ̄́ndo nkhóndo
God mpā̄́mbe Mphambé
Devil tsọ ̄́ka tsoka = misfortune
Idol tsṓka tsoka = misfortune
24
Greegree mpfī̄́ti mfíti = witch
Sacrifice ntsẹ ̄́mbe, pl. tsintsẹ ̄́mbe ntsémbe
Heaven (sky) kṓa-mpā̄́mbe kwá Mphámbé
Hell kṓa-tsṓka (kwá tsoka)
Fire mọ ̄́to, pl. míọ to móto (no plural)
Water mā̄́·tse madzí
Soup ndī̄́wo, pl. tsendī̄́wo ndíwo (already plural)
Meat (often Animal) nyā̄́ma nyama
Salt n·kḗre mchére
Gold ndálāma ndaláma (= money)
Iron kitsū̄́lo chitsúlo
Stone móā·ra, pl. mí·āra mwalá, miyalá
Hoe kā̄́su, pl. makā̄́su khásu, makásu
Axe koā̄́n·gōa, pl. nkhwángwa, pl.
tsun·koā̄́n·gūa nkhwángwa

or in the sleeping-room of a native hut… it also means heaps of sand, sandbanks, ribs of
sand, dry heaps of sand left when the river falls.’ In Rebmann, the word occurs as ‘Gúa…
(pl. magúa), a heap (of sand, stones, trees, but not of grain).’
24 A gris-gris is a magic amulet. However, in Chichewa mfíti means a practitioner of magic,
a witch.