KAFFIE LANGUAGE. 
239 
definite rules can be given for the formation of 
these substituted words, nor is it possible to 
form a dictionary of them, their number being 
so great, and by reason of there being many 
women even in the same tribe, who would be 
no more at liberty to use the substitutes em- 
ployed by some others conversing with them, 
than they are to use the original and forbidden 
words themselves. 
The use of metaphor and allegory is very 
extensive, whilst the richness and expressive 
significance of the types and figures which they 
employ are striking. For instance, "to smell 
out," in Kaffir phraseology, means "to dis- 
cover," "to eat up;" is "to kill." "Dhlelana" 
to eat together, is used invariably to denote 
" being on terms of intercourse." A few others 
we may subjoin : — 
Kaffir Word. 
Literal Meaning. 
Used For. 
Ihlati 
a bush 
a refugee 
Ingcala 
flying out 
uncommon dex- 
terity. 
Umkonto 
an assegai 
anything valuable 
Inja 
a dog 
a dependent 
Jeka 
to take 
to marry 
Hlala 
to sit 
to dwell, or con- 
tinue 
So "to sit still," is a Kaffir metaphor for being 
at peace. "To be your dog," denotes " I am 
ready to follow you, or obey you." 
