Mind the nasals “M” and “N”
Note: by omitting or ignoring “M” or/and “N” you will be corrupting: nouns, adjectives, verbs etc… (In this way you may “redefine” Kikongo language its). Will you please make an effort to preserve kikongo grammar as it was originally setup by the honorable Mr. João NLEMVO in 1855? The list below is by no mean exhaustive. There is hundreds of words in Kikongo language to which a small change in writing (misspelling) will definitely change and corrupt the original meaning of the word. Good pronunciation is critical in Kikongo language for the sake of the original meaning of the word (etymology), as it is in Shakespeare’s language. MUNA NDINGA KONGO DIA NTONTELA Baka = 1. to obtain; 2. explanation, sense, preface(to a book) Mbaka = short(height) man/woman Buka = come in a great crowd Mbuka = bedstead Bungu = reason(motive) Mbungu = ants’ bread Dinga(dinga-dinga) = larynx Ndinga = voice Fula = to blow, forge Mfula = n., the powder (cam-wood powder, pepper, crushed ironstone, ochre, &c.) in a bundle of fetish(ebunda) Funa = leavened (Funisa, v.t., to leaven) Nfuna = starving Fuka = to cover Mfuka = debt Fwidi = bereavement Mfwidi = n., one who has been bereaved Kanda = clan (dynasty?...) Nkanda = v., to present with one’s freedom Kanga = to tie Nkanga = bunch(banana bunch) Kaka = alone Nkaka = grandparent Kenda = go (should go) Nkenda = sad(sadness) Kongo = west Africa ancient kingdom Nkongo = good hunter (sniper) Koko = arm Nkoko = river (small river) Kuba = v.t., to contribute, give a contribution Nkuba = n., a grass tick. Kuna = to Nkuna = 1. plant(planted); 2.kind Kumbu = fame Nkumbu = a noun Kunga = v.t.,to gather together Nkunga = song Kulu = foot Nkulu = a patriarch Kusu = to rub on or smear Nkusu, (- mingyende) = adv., day by day Longo = marriage Nlongo = 1. holy; 2. only; 3. medecine Lula = pathway, Nlula = n., anger, rage, bitterness. O nlula, adv., in an angry mood; wele o nlula, he went away in an angry mood. Ludi = truth Nludi = ceiling Sambu = 1. Psalm; 2. Prayer meeting; 3. Sunday church service Nsambu = grace, favour Sanga = the adverbial particles, also require the Prefix in k. NSanga = 1. necklace: 2, n.,a brother or sister of the opposite sex only, i.e. a brother uses it of a sister & vice-versa Simba = 1. to hold; 2. to keep Nsimba = older brother/sister twin(the one that was delivered first during birth) Sita = barren Nsita = anger Suka(suka-suka) = 1. Cramp and stiffness after sitting a long while; 2. stab, v., Nsuka(oku nsuka ntu) = 1. finally; 2. at least; 3. in the end Sunda = v.t. + to overreach, get an advantage over. Nsunda = n., the excelling Suku = chamber Nsuku = stocks, fetters. Têka: v.i. to shine, come out as sunshine after dullness, shine forth Nteka = a man’s name, implying that now that he is born the family which had become diminished will soon increase. Tona(tonena) = recognize Ntona = 1. genius; 2. instinct Tunga = to build Ntunga = jigger(jigger flea) Vunda = v., to halt for rest Mvunda = Debauch, evil effects of, n.,; Drunkenness, the after-effects of, n., Vula: 1. disperse of crowds, clouds; 2. be enlarged; 3. nation Mvûla: selfishness Zadi(zadi-zadi) = quickness Nzadi = river (big river) Zala = v.i. +to rise (of the tide) Nzala = hunger Zengo = n., a woman who has ceased bearing or who has never borne a child, although long married; used also of a man or animal in like condition, a castrated animal, a eunuch. Nzengo = n., a sentence, judgment, decision in a law court or in one’s own mind, opinion, a price agreed upon, contract price. Zinga = to live or remain alive Nzinga = an angle, corner Zola = love Nzola = desire Zombo: (one of species)Kola nut, a genus of about 125 species of trees Nzombo: a siluroid(mud fish?), cat-fish Zumba = adultery Nzumba = a woman’s name KIKONGO GRAMMAR - BITE SIZE Mu = singular Ba = plural e.g: MU-KONGO (Mukongo) BA-KONGO (Bakongo) NOTE: THERE IS NO “s” MU-NTU (Muntu) BA-NTU (Bantu) Mukongo: of Kongo Kingdom Muntu: human being. NTOTELA =Dynastic name(majesty) Kikongo language, as any other language deserves a “linguist respect”. Hole is not the same word as Whole; Night is not Knight. The list of words sounding alike, is very long in English language.
William Holman BENTLEY wrote on his preface to the “Appendix to the Dictionary and Grammar of Kongo Language”: On page xi. Of the preface of the work of 1887, reference is made to an old translation of a Portuguese treatise on Christian Doctrine, published in Lisbon in 1624. Fr. Bernardo Maria de Cannecattim, author of the Bunda Grammar(1804), says that the above was “the first work printed in Kongo language”, and we may be most probably correct in saying that it was the first work printed in any of the Bantu languages. The Rev. G. R. Macphail, who was minister of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland in Lisbon, very kindly arranged to have the work copied for me by hand. It is a Catechism in Portuguese and Kongo interlinear. Two copies are in the National Library at Lisbon, and one in the Library of the Propaganda in Rome. The Portuguese from which the translation was made “by the order of Matteus Cardoso,” is still in use in the schools in Madeira, as a standard Catechism; it was written by Marcos Jorge, S.J. Kikongo language top linguist was the honourable Mr(nkaka) João Nlemvo.
Shakespeare (Brits); pour les Bakongo Mr. Nlembo c’est l’equivalent de Mr. Jean-Baptiste Poquelin[Molière] (les Gaulois); para nós Bakongo o Senhor Nlemvo é o nosso Luís Vaz de Camões(Os Lusos)). Talking about Kikongo dictionary translation work, in the “Appendix to the Dictionary and Grammar of Kongo Language”, William H. Bently in 1895 said: “In this translation and linguistic work, Nlemvo, who rendered such valuable assistance in the preparation of what was published in 1887, has still continued his aid, rendered all the more efficient by these fourteen years of work, which have trained and developed his great natural aptitude. This gives the uniformity which is to such great importance”. Tutondele wawu vo e nding’eto kayi vila ko. E vo ngeye u mwana Kongo día Ntontele, tuku dodokele mpasi vo watoma kebanga e nding’eto. Tanina yo, ye toma tumba bena be (zolanga) fwasanga yevo sobanga e nding’eto, sunguna nkutu e nkumbu zeto za mbote za tuvana mase ye zingudi zeto.
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Although they share the same pronunciation, each word has different meaning.
(To Bakongo people Mr. Nlemvo is their William
Mfoko,