nyau

Kikuyu

Etymology

Benson (1964) suspects affinity with Maasai e-nyau (“cat”).[1]

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ɲà(ː).úꜜ/
According to Benson (1964), this a is pronounced both long and short.[1]
As for Tonal Class, Benson (1964) classifies this term into Class 3 with a disyllabic stem, together with kĩhaato, mbembe, kiugo, and so on.
  • (Kiambu)
  • (Limuru) IPA(key): /ɲàúꜜ/
As for Tonal Class, Yukawa (1981) classifies this term into a group including bũrũri (pl. mabũrũri), ikara, ikinya, itimũ, kanitha (pl. makanitha), kiugo, kĩhaato, maguta, mũgeka, mũkonyo, mũrata, mwana, mbembe, mbũri, nyaga, riitho, riũa, rũrĩmĩ (pl. nĩmĩ), ũhoro (pl. mohoro), and so on.[2]

Noun

nyau class 9/10 (plural nyau)（augmentative kĩnyau; diminutive kanyau）

  1. cat[1]
    Synonym: mbaka
  2. wild cat (Felis silvestris)[3]

References
  1. “nyau” in Benson, T.G. (1964). Kikuyu-English dictionary, p. 343. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
  2. Yukawa, Yasutoshi (1981). "A Tentative Tonal Analysis of Kikuyu Nouns: A Study of Limuru Dialect." In Journal of Asian and African Studies, No. 22, 75–123.
  3. Kingdon, Jonathan (1977). East African Mammals: An Atlas of Evolution in Africa, Volume III Part A (Carnivores), p. 312. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. →ISBN
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