THE KI-SWAHILI LANGUAGE 



it will be though, presently! Or if you ask: Have you finished 

 your work? Umekwisha kazi wako? and he answers: Baado! 

 it means that it is not yet finished, but that he is going to finish 

 it some time. Baado corresponds in this respect to the Spanish 

 " la manjana," or to the Russian " ce chass," freely translated, 

 " some time in the future." 



5. The word bass, or bassi^ enough, is used also for " stop 

 that! " If, for instance, two men are fighting, a " bassi" from 

 the Bwana will put an instant stop to it. If the boy is pouring 

 in tea or water for you, and you do not want any more, bass is 

 the word to use to imply that you have had enough. 



6. To signify something in the distance, the Swahili uses the 

 word kule, which literally means there. If the object is about 

 one hundred yards off or a little more, he says, " ktde!" (with 

 the accent sharply on the " e ") but pronounced in an ordinary 

 pitch of voice. If the object referred to is half a mile away, he 

 says again " kide! " but in a much higher pitch of voice, and 

 dwelling much longer on the e. Should the animal or whatever 

 the man is pointing out, be very far away, like distant hills, 

 the Swahili will again use his " kiile! " but with the voice at the 

 very highest pitch, and at the same time dwell so long on the "e," 

 that it sounds as if he had at least ten " e's " in his " ku- 

 leeeeeeeeee " to pronounce. It is, therefore, really necessary to 

 note in what pitch the word is pronounced, so as to be able to 

 " judge the distance." 



7. The exclamation Hodi! (possibly translated hello! and 

 pronounced with great stress on the " o "), must always be used 

 before any tent or house, not one's own, is entered. It is very 

 improper, and betrays in the eyes of the Swahili the greatest 

 ignorance and bad breeding to enter without first calling, 

 "Hodi!" The answer is generally simply, " Karibu!" Come 

 near, come in! Then the stranger says, "Salaam! " Hail, or 

 peace, if the occupant is Indian or Arab, or even an " educated " 

 Swahili, otherwise he uses the regular greeting with Hujambo! 

 etc. 



8. When an honored guest comes in, all the people in the 



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