Unit 8-a Breakfast In Hotel Dining Room Flashcards
Notes
A. ‘Je’ at the beginning of a yes-no question. The word ‘je’ is used at the beginning of a question to focus the hearer’s attention. In this way it is somewhat comparable to English ‘Say!’ ‘je’ is not necessary in yes-no questions, but would not be likely to be used by an ‘inferior’ to a ‘superior’ as in the dialog for this unit.
B. The subject prefix slot: ‘ni’ (1 sg.) vs. ‘u’ (2 sg).
Compare the forms:
unataka ‘you want’
ninataka ‘I want’
The syllables ‘u-‘ and ‘ni-‘ are ‘subject prefixes’ partly corresponding to the English subject pronouns you (sg.) and I.
C. Tafadhali.
Though we have given ‘please’ as a rough English equivalent of tafadhali, the latter is used in Swahili less often than ‘please’ is used in English.
D. ‘Ni’ as subject or object prefix.
Compare the forms:
ninataka ‘I want’
niletee ‘bring me’
In both forms, the syllable ‘ni-‘ is a first person singular prefix standing for ‘I’ or ‘me.’ In the form which ends with ‘-e’ it stands for the object (me).
E. The forms ‘kipo’ or ‘kiko’ are used in some parts of East Africa where in this dialogue we have used ‘kuna.’
je
well! / tell me!
used here to introduce the yes/no question
-taka
to want
unataka
you want
chakula (VI)
food
(Je,) unataka chakula.
Would you like [some] food?
ndiyo
that is it
Ndiyo, bwana.
Yes, please.
kuna
there is
gani?
what kind?
Kuna chakula gani?
What kind of food is there?
tunda (MA)
a piece of fruit
matunda
fruit
na
and
uji (U)
thin porridge/gruel
