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ngarĩ. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
ngarĩ, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
ngarĩ in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
ngarĩ you have here. The definition of the word
ngarĩ will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
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Kikuyu
Etymology
Hinde (1904) records ngare as an equivalent of English leopard in “Jogowini dialect” of Kikuyu, listing also “Ulu dialect” (spoken then from Machakos to coastal area) of Kamba ngoo and “Nganyawa dialect” (spoken then in Kitui District) of Kamba engo as its equivalents.[1]
Pronunciation
- As for Tonal Class, Armstrong (1940) classifies this term into mbori class which includes mbũri, ikinya (pl. makinya), itimũ, kĩhaato, maguta, mbembe, mũgeka, mũrata, nyaga, ũhoro, riitho, riũa, rũrĩmĩ, Kamau (“man's name”), etc.[2] Benson (1964) classifies this term into Class 3 with a disyllabic stem, together with kĩhaato, mbembe, kiugo, and so on.
- (Limuru) As for Tonal Class, Yukawa (1981) classifies this term into a group including bũrũri (pl. mabũrũri), ikara, ikinya, itimũ, kanitha (pl. makanitha), kiugo, kĩhaato, maguta, mũgeka, mũkonyo, mũrata, mwana, mbembe, mbũri, nyaga, riitho, riũa, rũrĩmĩ (pl. nĩmĩ), ũhoro (pl. mohoro), and so on.[3]
Noun
ngarĩ class 9/10 (plural ngarĩ)
- leopard
Derived terms
(Proverbs)
References
- “ngarĩ” in Benson, T.G. (1964). Kikuyu-English dictionary. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
- Muiru, David N. (2007). Wĩrute Gĩgĩkũyũ: Marĩtwa Ma Gĩgĩkũyũ Mataũrĩtwo Na Gĩthũngũ, p. 10, 33.