Diachronicseman-csandtheconcept‘poverty’inEasternUganda
RhiannonStephensDepartmentofHistoryColumbiaUniversity
• NorthNyanza– Ganda– SouthKyoga• Soga• EastKyoga– Gwere,Shana
• GreaterLuhyia– Nyole– NorthLuhyia• Masaaba,Dadiri,Bukusu
– Gwe-Saamia• Gwe,Saamia
– Luyia• Kisa-Wanga-Tsotso• Idakho-Logooli-Tirichi
Root:*-(w)avuProtoWestNyanza(Schoenbrun1997)*-yábu‘povertybymisfortune’Sogaobwâvún.1.poverty,neediness,beingwithout food/money,des[tu[on,indigence,pauperism;2. indisciplineofmanners,conductomwâvún.pauper,des[tute,indigent,needy,undisciplined
ordeficientpersonGandaòbwavùn.poverty,des[tu[onkwàvùwalav.i.becomepoorkwavùwazav.tr.makepoor,impoverish-avùadj.poor,des[tuteòmwávùn.poorperson
Root:*-nakuGwereókunakúwáláv.feelsadólunákun.dayénáku,nnakun.daysSogaobúnakún.neediness,afflic[on,anguish,des[tu[on,
misery,misfortune,depression,grief,sorrow,sufferingénaku,énnakún.adversity,anguish,depression,misery,
grief,hardship,hapless,distress,daysolúnakún.dayGanda-nakùadj.troubled,distressed,poorènnakùn.trouble,sorrow,daysòlùnakùn.day
Nyankoreobunákun..me,season,trouble
Root*-tak-(1of2)• PB(BLR3):*-càk-v.desire,wish,searchfor;variant:*-tàk-v.
desire,lack;GreatLakes:*-sàkav.findfood,tradeorworkforfood
• Nyole:obutahin.bereavement• Masaaba:-takhaadj.avaricious,selfish;butakhan.avarice,
selfishness,meanness;umutakhan.selfishp.;khutakhakhumanyav.beignorant;khutakhulav.scratch(e.g.insoilasfowl),flickaway(e.g.insect,dismiss,‘sack’)
• Bukusu:-taxaadj.avaricious,selfish;-takhaniadj.few,scarce;buutakhan.avarice,selfishness,meanness,lack,poverty,want;omutakhan.selfishp.,poorp.;khuutakhav.tr.bewithout,nothave,lack;xuutaxav.menstruate,startmenstrua[on(euphemism);khúútakhakhúkhwiiyikinav.beunreliable;khúútakhakhuumanyav.beignorant;khuutakhulav.scratch(e.g.insoil,asfowl),flickaway(e.g.insect),dismiss
Root*-tak-(2of2)• Gwe:ohudahav.want,need;n.needing,wan[ng• Saamia:obudahanon.des[tu[on,need;omudahanin.needy
person;ohudahav.need,like,want• Wanga:obutakhan.poverty,lack,want;-takhav.bewithout,
lack• Logooli:-dakaadj.poor,des[tute,needy;omudakan.poor
person,onewhohasnopossessionsnorhome,beggar,onewholacks;uvudakan.poverty; kudakav.bepoor,bewithout,lack
-lyasi
• Bukusu&Masaaba:buulyaasi/bulyasin.selfishness,meanness;omulyasin.selfishp.
• compoundroot:-lya“eat”+-si“en[rely,all”– (Siertsema1981)
Root*-tamb-(1of4)• PB(BLR3):*-támb-v.spread(asvine);call;take,receive;
walk;play,dance,jump• GreatLakesBantu:*-támb-walk,travel;offer,sacrificeto
healthesick• Nyole:obudambin.des[tu[on,pauperism;omudambin.
bereavedperson,orphan,helplessperson;ohudambav.bepoor,havenothing,beberepofthings,bebereaved,suffer;ohudambadambav.getintotroubleandroamaroundinapoorstate;ohudambisaniav.toil,workhardsoastogetridofpoverty;ohudambyav.causemiserythatmakessomebodysuffer
Root*-tamb-(2of4)• Masaaba:buthambi,budambi,bútàmbìn.poverty;khútàmbàn.
lack;khutamben.thebeingpoor;khitambison.punishment,torture;khumutambon.grief;kumutambon.grief,sorry,bereavement,pity;umutambi,umudambin.des[tutep.,helplessp.,bereavedp.;lack,deficient,few;poorp.;poorman;umutambisan.p.whodisturbsothers;syitambison.punishment;khutàmbàv.bepoor,des[tute,behelpless,bebereaved,lack;n.lack,deficiency;khútàmbàv.t.lack;khutàmbísàv.disturb,interrupt,troubleap.,maketrouble,torture,interruptap.inhiswork,punish;mutamboexpressionofcondolenceonbereavement;umudambirogree[nggiventobereavedp.;onebereaved
• Dadiri:-tambiadj.poor,des[tute,helpless,few;butámbín.smallness;nakhatambi!never!notatall!;kumutambon.sorry
Root*-tamb-(3of4)• Bukusu:-tambiadj.poor,des[tute,helpless,few;búútaambi
n.poverty,smallness;kúmutaambon.grief,sorrow,poverty;omutaamban.harlot,pros[tute,whore;ómutaambin.poorman,helplessp.,needyp.;siitambisyon.punishment,torture;xuutamben.thebeingpoor;khúútaambav.tr.need,belackingin,lack,bepoor,bedes[tute,be helpless,bebereaved;khuutaambaka.a(?)v.tr.bungle,makeamessof;khúútaambyav.tr.disturb(interrupt),troubleap.,maketrouble,torture,causetobepoor;xuutambisyav.disturb,interrupt,troubleap.,maketrouble,torture;naxatambi!notatall!,never!
Root*-tamb-(4of4)• Wanga:omutamban.harlot;pros[tute;omutambin.a
needyp.• Logooli:umudaambin.p.whoisinneedorwantortrouble,
p.who’salwayslackingwhattoeatordo;ikidaambalen.badmanners,mannered,grossmisconduct;kudaambizav.causetrouble,distressorunhappiness;-daambav.tobeinneedorwantorintrouble,alwayslackingwhattoeat,ordo
Root*-manan-• proto-Kalenjin:*pαnαnpauper,orphan• Bukusu:obumananin.poverty;ómumananin.poorperson;
khúumananav.int.becomepoor• Gwe:owumananin.poverty;omumananin.poorperson;
ohumananav.becomepoor• Saamia:obumananin.poverty;omumananin.poorperson;
ohumananav.becomepoor• Wanga:obumananin.poverty;omumananin.poorperson;-
mananav.int.becomepoor• Logooli:ubumananin.poverty;mumananin.poorperson
*-pαnαn-• Nandi(Creidder&Creider2001):• kibananiat(/_ki-pánan-yâ:t/)n.poorperson• bananet(/_pánan-é:t/)n.orphan• ke-banan(/_ke:-panán/)v.itr.tolookuncaredfor;tolacksomething
• ke-bönön-ji(/ke:-panan-cì/)v.appl.topleadforsomeone,toappeal,tobeg
• Kupsabiny• panann.beggar
Someconclusions• GreaterLuhyialanguages,inpar[cular,havehighly
elaboratedvocabularyforpoverty:Nyolehasupto15seperateroots;Saamiahas8;Bukusu7&Masaaba6
• Goesagainstwhatwouldexpectgivenapparentlylimitedlevelofsocio-economicdifferen[a[onbefore20thC;moreinlinewithwhatexpect(&find)inGandavsGwere&Sogawherehaveseveralcenturiesofpronouncedsocio-economicdifferen[a[on
• Complex&diverseconceptualiza[onsofpoverty–asmaterial,asconnectedtobereavement,butalsotoselfishness,&(notdiscussedtoday)todeceit,laziness,improvidence&totakinghostageforrepaymentofadebt
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