thahabu

Kikuyu

Etymology

Borrowed from Swahili dhahabu, from Arabic ذَهَب (ḏahab).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ðàháβù(ꜜ)/, /ðàháβǔꜜ/

As for Tonal Class, Benson (1964) classifies this term into Class 10 with a trisyllabic stem, together with gĩting'ũri, ndigithũ, kĩĩgunyĩ, and so on. Also class 3 with a trisyllabic stem, together with kĩgokora, mbarĩki, thimiti, and so on.

• (Kiambu)

• (Limuru) As for Tonal Class, Yukawa (1981) classifies this term into a group including gĩcũhĩ, gĩkorora, kĩgokora, mũceere, mũgathĩ, mũgogo (pl. mĩgogo), mũgoma, mũirĩtu, mbarĩki, ndagitari, ngirathi, njohero, njũi, rĩithori (pl. maithori), ũnyiinyi, and so on.

Noun

thahabu class 10

1. gold

References

• Muiru, David N. (2007). Wĩrute Gĩgĩkũyũ: Marĩtwa Ma Gĩgĩkũyũ Mataũrĩtwo Na Gĩthũngũ, p. 15.