3.7.
Prepositions
Hornby (2001:917) looks at prepositions as words or groups of
words used before nouns or pronouns to show place, position, time, or method.
Swahili spoken in Bukavu has got some prepositions which display diglossic
distinction in them. On the basis of diglossic lexical distinction, the
following prepositions can be noted:
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B.S.
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English equivalents
|
S
|
|
Na
E.g.: kata nyama na kisu
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Thanks to, by means of
cut meat by means of a knife
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Kwa
kata nyma kwa kisu
|
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Na
E.g.: Ntaenda na bus
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By
I'll go by bus
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Kwa
Nitaenda kwa basi.
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Mu
E.g.:Pitia mu dirisha
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Through
Pass through the window
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Kwa
Pita kwa dirisha.
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Mu
E.g.: Mu Congo
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In
In the Congo
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Katika
Katika Congo
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«Na» is basically an S lexical item whose use is
expanded in B.S.; «mu» is as well an S lexical item.
3.8.
Conjunctions.
Webster's Comprehensive Dictionary of the English language
(1996:276) defines conjunctions as being «words used to connect
words, phrases, clauses, or sentences.»The conjunctions hereafter display
diglossic lexical distinction:
|
B.S.
|
English equivalents
|
S
|
|
Wala...wala....
E.g.: Wala ubakie, wala uende
|
Either...or...
Either you stay or you go
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Ama...ama...
ama ubaki ama uende
|
|
Kama
E.g.: Minaema kama ndaenda
|
...that...
I say that I'll go
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Kwamba
Ninasema kwamba nitaenda.
|
|
Juu
E.g.: Unafika juu nimegonjwa
|
Because
You come because I'm ill
|
Kwani
Unafika kwani nimegonjwa.
|
|
Na
E.g.:Hatucheke na hatulie
|
Neither...nor...
We neither laugh nor weep
|
Wala
Hatucheki wala hatulii
|
The conjunctions used in B.S., saving those that may display
diglossic phonological distinction, are basically S terms whose use differs
from that of S. For the sake of argument, «wala» as a conjunction in
S means «neither...nor», «kama» «as, if»,
»juu» as an adverb or preposition in S means «on top of,
above», «na» as a conjunction in S means «also,
and...» and is only used in affirmative sentences.
3.9.
Interjections
Crystal (1988:423) defines interjections as being
«classes of words with emotive meaning, which do not form grammatical
relationships with other classes.» Interjections used in Swahili spoken in
Bukavu show B.S./S lexical distinction as elaborated hereafter:
|
B.S.
|
English equivalents
|
S
|
|
Elo! (English: hello!)
E.g.: Elo masta!
|
Hey!
Hey,gentleman!
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Ewe!
Ewe bwana!
|
|
Ema! (Mashi)
E.g.: Ema! Ii njo nini ?
|
Gosh!
Gosh! What's this ?
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Je!
Je! Hiyi ni nini?
|
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Yee!/Yi! (Mashi)
E.g.: Yee! Amekufa
|
Oh !
Oh! S/he's dead
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Mbona !
Mbona amefariki!
|
|
Neci (wa)! (Mashi)
E.g.:Neci! Niyako
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No!
No! It's not yours
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E-E!
E-E! Siyako
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In B.S., «Elo!» is used to attract somebody's
attention;»Ema!» and «Yee!/Yi!» are used to express
surprise. Concerning «Neci(wa)!», Kikuni (1999:19) says that, as a
borrowing from Mashi meaning «yes», it is used ironically as an
exclamation in a negative answer to interpret as «No!»
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