dawa ya jiko
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Swahili[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Literally, “kitchen medicine”.
Noun[edit]
dawa ya jiko (n class, no plural)
- salt
- Synonyms: chumvi, dawa ya mboga
Usage notes[edit]
In some cultures, such as the Nubians, it's considered taboo to ask for salt directly at night, so a less direct phrase is used instead.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ Luffin, Xavier (2002 September) “Language Taboos In Kinubi: A Comparison With Sudanese And Swahili Cultures”, in Africa: Rivista trimestrale di studi e documentazione dell'Istituto italiano per l'Africa e l'Oriente[1], volume 57, number 3, page 361 of 356-367: “Therefore, chumvi (salt) is replaced at night by dawa ya jiko, "kitchen's medicine".”