ngwacĩ

Kikuyu

Alternative forms

• ngwaci

Etymology

Hinde (1904) records ngwashi as an equivalent of English potato in “Jogowini dialect” of Kikuyu, listing also “Ulu dialect” (spoken then from Machakos to coastal area) of Kamba makwasi,“Nganyawa dialect” (spoken then in Kitui District) of Kamba makwatzi and Swahili kiazi (pl. viazi) as its equivalents.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ᵑɡwàɕěꜜ/

As for Tonal Class, Benson (1964) classifies this term into Class 6 with a disyllabic stem, together with mũgwacĩ, nyamũ, and so on.

• (Kiambu)
  • (Limuru) IPA^(key): /ᵑɡoàɕěꜜ/

  As for Tonal Class, as ngũacĩ, Yukawa (1981) classifies this term into a group including baba, guka, gũtũ, mũguĩ, mũtwe, nyamũ, ruo, rũhĩ (pl. hĩ), rũkũ (pl. ngũ), taata (“my aunt”), ũta (pl. mota), ũthiũ (pl. mothiũ), and so on.

Noun

ngwacĩ class 9/10 (plural ngwacĩ)

1. sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)

   Meronym: mĩrĩyo

Derived terms

(Nominal Phrases)

• ngwacĩ ya ngoma

(Proverbs)

• ikai rĩa nyama ti rĩa ngwacĩ
• ngwacĩ itigathagwo rĩenjero
• ngwaci ya mwana wene noyo ihoragia mwaki

Related terms

(Nouns)

• mũgwacĩ class 3

See also

• mũhoroha, ihũrũra; waru