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ON THE NATURE

OF THE

KAFIR LANGUAGE.

24. From the very commencement of Missionary operations amongst the Kafir tribes, it was observed that their language possessed some great peculiarity in the mode of its etymological structure. For a long time, this peculiarity, though a subject of anxious inquiry and careful study, continued enveloped in mystery. By degrees, however, some clue was obtained, which led at length to the discovery of the principle that caused it. This principle was appropriately termed by its discoverer, the Rev. W. B. Boyce, the Euphonic concord, and constitutes, as before observed, the peculiar characteristic of the whole class to which the Kafir language belongs. The way being thus prepared, the first Kafir grammar, which formed, at the same time, a key to all the other dialects of the Alliteral class, was immediately issued from the press. As is clearly shown in that work, the whole of the grammatical construction of the language is influenced by, and dependent upon, the Euphonic concord. The various changes of which Kafir words are susceptible, according to their relative position with others in the same proposition, are usually accomplished by means of prefixes, all of which have a correspondency of form and use. The euphony which is promoted in the speaking of the language by this method of government, was

what determined the designation of the principle by which it is regulated. This euphony is consequent upon the repetition of the same letter or letters, in the beginning of two or more words in the same sentence. A particular set of letters, which are termed, for the sake of distinction, Euphonic letters, are thus employed; the same letter or letters belonging to the same set of corresponding prefixes, and in fact running through them. By this means, a uniform system of alliteration is sustained throughout the grammatical formations of the language, rendering it one of the most curious and ingenious ever known.49 An example or two will serve to illustrate these remarks:

Isono sam sikulu side singabi nakuxolelwa:

My sin is greater than that it may be forgiven.
Zonke izinto ezilungileyo zivela ku-Tixo :

All good things proceed from God.

Baza bapendula bonke abantu, bati:
Then answered all the people, and said.

Ndinge-ndimi ndedwa: And not I only.

The alliteration, however, is not always so obvious to the eye, as it is in the above examples, in consequence of the mutation of vowels, and the contraction to which some of the prefixes of nouns and other words are subject. This will be sufficiently evident from a comparison of the following examples, each of which is written in two ways; first, according to the usual method, and secondly, as it would be written were no change or abbreviation to take place:

Waza wapendula no-Yudasi :
Uaza uapendula nau-Yudasi :

Yati inkosi yake enkulu;

}

Then answered Judas also.

Iati inkosi iake einkulu:} His great chief said.

Izwi lika-Tixo lilungile :

Ilizwi lika-Tixo lilungile:} The word of God is right.

Inkomo 'mbini zake:

Izinkomo ezimbini zake

49 The reader will find more on this subject in the third part of the

:}

His two cattle.

66 Grammar," under the head of "Ge-
neral principles of construction."

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25. In the orthographical construction of Kafir words, formation is a distinguishing feature. They generally consist of a root, which contains the leading or fundamental idea, and a prefix, usually indicative of specific relationship to the general principle of Euphonic concord, and in most cases including some accessory idea, more or less distinct, which modifies the radical one according to the full and perfect idea intended to be represented. Some of the prefixes, again, especially the nominal ones, may be further modified by others, when the principle of formation advances to that of composition, as is plainly indicated by the coalition and omission of sounds which take place under those circumstances.50 Hence ideas, considerably modified and extended, are expressed in the united and compact form of a single word. The Kafir language, accordingly, is essentially a polysyllabic one, the occurrence of monosyllables, either as words or roots, being comparatively rare.

26. In all grammatical variations of form, the Kafir lan guage is eminently distinguished by system and regularity. The noun is the living element of the proposition. On the form of its prefix, depends that of most of the subordinate parts of the subject, as also that of the verb of the predicate, according to rules arising out of the principle of Euphonic concord. The several usages of this language, accordingly, are nearly altogether free from those arbitrary

50 The principle of formation does not appear to be sufficiently acknowledged, in the present system of the Sechuana orthography. Take, for instance, the prefixes of verbs. These are all written separately from the root, as though they constituted independent pronouns; yet they are never used as such, any more than are the corresponding person-endings in the case of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew verbs. To write, ki rata, u rata, o rata, &c., is just as objectionable, as it would be to write, ame m, ames, ame t, &c., or, lamad ti, lamad ta, &c. Such a splitting up of words as is here implied, seems to contravene all just notions of the province of orthography. As usually considered,

the true orthography of a language depends upon the proper recognition of words, as they exist in their formed or complete state, and not simply upon the knowledge of their separate and constituent parts. However useful and necessary this latter may be, in teaching the origin and derivation of words, its exhibition belongs not to orthography, but to the dictionary and grammar.

With regard to the principle of composition, it may be observed, that it does not necessarily possess so extensive an influence in the Sechuana dialects, as it does in those of the Kafir family. One reason is, that the prefixes of their nouns begin with consonants instead of vowels.

variations, usually termed exceptions, which are met with in many others. It is worthy of remark, also, that it is correctly spoken by all classes of the community, which is not the case, perhaps, with any of our European tongues. As a very general, if not invariable, rule, a Kafir will never be heard using an ungrammatical expression, but he will always connect his words together, so as to preserve the proper system of alliteration throughout the same proposition. Thus, on the one hand, he would never say, abantu uyeza, the people is coming; nor, on the other, would he use abantu ziyeza, to express, "the people are coming," but abantu bayeza: for though ziyeza means they are coming," yet the form of the prefix (≈i) shows that abantu cannot be the subject referred to by the verb.

66

27. The Kafir language is also distinguished by a remar kable precision of expression. The minuteness with which the idea is often expanded and developed in the external form, is almost extreme. The verb is peculiarly rich in this respect. The power which it possesses of modifying and ramifying the radical idea, by means of its various tenses, and forms of tenses, all of which are used negatively as well as affirmatively, is nearly unlimited. Yet this very minuteness of expression by the outward form, is attended in some degree with disadvantage. In our own and similar languages, the flow of thought is never interrupted, but both ideas and words glide on smoothly and harmoniously together. The Kafir language, however, does not possess this degree of perfection. The easy and rapid flow of thought, is evidently sacrificed for the sake of external connexion. Hence the form, whilst it contributes to the precision of the language, at the same time refuses, as it were, to follow the idea; and the flow of thought, accordingly, receives a temporary interruption. Thus, one cannot say in Kafir, "A good man loves God:" that is, he cannot express such a proposition, as to its outward form, in an exactly corresponding manner: but the language employed, isUmntu olungileyo uyamtanda u-Tixo:

A-man who-is-good he-him-loves God.

28. The Kafir copia verborum is greater than one would expect to find in the language of an uncivilized people. It is capable, moreover, of considerable extension from its own resources; and consequently, the introduction of foreign words is seldom needed.

1. Concrete nouns are very numerous, especially those which are usually denominated appellatives. Many words are individuated in this language, to a much greater extent than they are in some others. Thus, it has a word for day in its ordinary acceptation (umhla); another for day as distinguished from night (immini); as well as one which includes the space of twenty-four hours (usuku). It possesses likewise a word for man in his generic character, (umntu, homo,); and another for man viewed in relation to sex, (indoda, vir,); as well as words for expressing, a lame man (isiqwala), a deaf man (isitulu), a blind man (imfama), and old man (ixego), &c. The same kind of individuality is observable in the names of animals, and also in those of inanimate objects.

2. Abstract nouns, also, are sufficiently abundant, if we include those which may be derived from verbs. In this way many nouns can be formed, which, though never heard before, would be immediately understood by any one acquainted with the primitive.

3. Verbs and pronouns are tolerably numerous, but adjectives and particles, etymologically considered, at least, are comparatively few. Their place is liberally supplied, however, by the syntactical usages of the other parts of speech.

In some classes of words there is of course a deficiency, owing to the very circumstances of the people. Such words, for instance, as serve to define the higher susceptibilities and emotions of the mind, together with the technical terms of science, philosophy, and theology, are not to be found. The nice and metaphysical distinctions which are involved in the use of such terms, could hardly indeed be expected to exist amongst an illiterate race.

4. There is a difference observable amongst some of the

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