Bantu Rosetta Stones, Part 1
Sound and meaning relationships between ancient Egyptian and proto-Bantu words
NIOKA, NYOKA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | NIK, Serpent |
| Proto-Bantu root | -OKA, Snake, Serpent |
| Kiswahili-Bantu, formative | NI-OKASnake, Serpent |
| Shona-Bantu | NYOKA Snake, Serpent |
NUHA, NUKA (Tsonga-Bantu, other Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | NHA, stink, be in a foul condition |
| Proto-Bantu | NUKA |
| Tsonga-Bantu | NUHA, smell, stink |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | NUKA smell, stink |
| Shona-Bantu | NHUA/NHUWA stink, a bad smell |
| Tsonga-Bantu word NUHA gives a close fit in sound and meaning to the Ancient Egyptian word | |
KOMA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | KM, bring to an end, to end, to finish |
| Proto-Bantu | –MA, stop, come to a standstill |
| Luvale-Bantu | KOMA, come to an end, finish, cease |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | KOMA, come to an end, finish, cease |
SIUA (KiKamba-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | SHU, the Sun, daylight |
| Ki-Kamba-Bantu | SIUA, SYUA, the Sun |
| Shona-Bantu | ZUA/ZUVA |
| NOTE: ‘SH’ in Ancient Egyptian = S as in ‘sound’ | |
KITU (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | KH-T, thing, substance, affair, business |
| Proto-Bantu root | -TU |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | KITU, thing, substance, matter |
INIAMA (Bemba-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | INM, skin of human being, flesh |
| Proto-Bantu | NAMA |
| Bemba-Bantu | INAMA, flesh, skin, meat |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | NIAMA, NYAMA, skin, flesh, animal, meat |
| Shona-Bantu | INYAMA/NYAMA skin, flesh, meat |
SHIKA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | SKH, hold, grasp |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | SHIKA, hold fast, seize, grasp |
| NOTE: clenched fist, third sign on the right, demonstrates the action of holding | |
SHIKANA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | SKHN, hold in the arms, embrace, hold, contain |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | SHIKANA, hold each other, embrace each other, be friends |
ASHIKANAYE (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | SKHNY, the one who embraces |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | ASHIKANAYE, the one who embraces |
IMO (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | IM, within |
| Proto-Bantu | MU + O > MO |
| ‘O‘ directs attention to some word/words in a sentence already mentioned or about to be mentioned. Kiswahili-Bantu IMO, it is within, it is inside, it is included in | |
| Shona-Bantu | IMOMO/IMOMU, inside, within |
UA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | UA, to destroy |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | UA, kill, destroy life |
| Shona-Bantu | URAYA, to kill, to destroy |
RERA (Shona-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | RR, to nurse, to baby-sit, bring up a child |
| Shona-Bantu | RERA, take care of a child, baby-sit |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | LEA, bring up a child, nurse, educate |
| Luganda-Bantu | LERA, nurse a child, bring up |
| Note: the interchange between the consonants R and L. These two consonants frequently interchange and maintain exact meanings between the words. However, the word which gives the best sound/meaning relationship is the Shona-Bantu word RERA. | |
NTOA HESABU (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | NT HSB, dedicated to accounts, attached to accounts |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | NTOA HESABU, giver of accounts, dedicated to accounts |
BAITI (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | BAIT, house |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | BAITI, house |
BARIKIA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | BARKA, to bless |
| Kiswahi-Bantu | BARAKA, blessing, BARIKI, to bless |
| BARIKIA to give a blessing to | |
| Setswana-Bantu | BAKA, to bless |
BARAKA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | BARKA, gift |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | BARAKA, gift, a favour |
TIMIA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | TM, to finish, to complete, to finish one’s course |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | TIMU, TIMIA, to be complete/completed, come to an end |
TEMA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | TM, to cut, engrave |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | TEMA, to cut, cut up |
| Shona-Bantu | TEMA, to cut, cut down, to throw |
TEMATEMA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | TMTM, to cut, to carve |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | TEMATEMA, to cut, cut up |
| Duplication of words is a common feature used in Bantu languages to intensify meanings of a given action. | |
JAMAA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | TCHAM, youth, young man |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | JAMA, a chap, a young man, a relation |
| Shona-Bantu | CHANA, youth |
SHINA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | SHN, foliage of a plant or tree, hair |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | SHINA, Root of a tree, stem including all the parts from the rootlets to the branches |
| It would appear that the Ancient Egyptians considered hair to be a root similar to the roots of a tree. Thus they used the word SHINA to mean hair | |
UGUMU (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | GM, strength, power, might |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | UGUMU, strength, hardness, obstinacy |
KAKA (YETU)- (Luvale-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | KAKA, God |
| Luvale-Bantu | KAKA, Ancestor, grandparent, God |
| Luvale-Bantu | KAKA (YETU), Our God, our ancestor. In this case |
| YETU means, our Kiswahili-Bantu; KAKA, An elder relative, elder brother | |
JEURI (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | TCHRI, ignorant, stupid |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | JEURI, arrogant, insulting, argumentative, boastful, putting on airs |
JEURIJEURI (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | JCHRITCHRI, to boast, to talk in an alien speech |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | JEURIJEURI, to boast, put on airs |
| Shona-Bantu | JIRICHIRI, (a natural pool within Zinemi River in Masvingo, Zimbabwe) |
ZUIO (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | S (Z) door-bolt |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | ZUIO, restraint, obstruction, barring, barrier, stopper |
| ZUIO is derived from ZUIA, restrain, cause to stop | |
SEFU (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | SF, knife, sword |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | SEFU, large knife, sword |
SIMO (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | SM, kind, image, form |
| Proto-Bantu | –Ma, –MO |
| Zulu-Bantu | IZIMO, form, shape, nature, character |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | SIMO, kind, sort |
| The Zulu-Bantu word ISIMO or IZIMO is derived from the root –MA, stand, stop, be of a certain character. -MO is its derived noun. Using the Zulu-Bantu prefix ISI- or IZI- the noun form, ISIMO or IZIMO gives the exact meaning with the Ancient Egyptian word | |
HENQA (Sesotho-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | HNQ, to seize, to press, to squeeze |
| Sesotho-Bantu | HENQA, to seize, to catch |
HESABIWA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | HSBW, things taxed, assessments |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | HESABIWA, be counted, be numbered, assessments |
M-KATE (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | KHAT, bread, dough |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | M-KATE bread |
| The Kiswahili-Bantu word for a loaf of bread is derived from the verb KATA, to cut. Thus a cutting or something cut into a loaf of bread or a piece of cake is called M-KATE, something cut. It would appear that the Ancient Egyptians dropped the consonant M and shortened the word to KATE instead of M-KATE | |
MASKANI (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | MSKHN, abode |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | MASKANI, abode, dwelling place |
PATUA, PASUA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | PT, to break open |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | PATUA, PASUA, split open |
| Shona-Bantu | PUTSA/PUTSIKA, to break open, to split, to shatter |
| The Kiswahili-Bantu words PATUA or PASUA are both listed as being identical words in the Dictionary of the Kiswahili Language by the Reverend Dr. L. Krapf | |
SHUKENI (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | SKHNI, alight |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | SHUKENI, all alight, disembark, land at the destination |
| The Ancient Egyptian word is derived from the Kiswahili-Bantu verb SHUKA, to descend, alight. The form SHUKENI is derived by agglutinating the following words SHUKA + NINYI. The shortened form becomes SHUK-ENI meaning, you all alight at a given destination. The Ancient Egyptians used the word to denote a resting place as may be seen from the hieroglyphics below | |
SHUKENI (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | SKHN, resting place |
CHATU, JATU (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | TCHT, cobra, snake |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | CHATU or JATU, python, snake |
| Shona-Bantu | CHATO/SHATO, snake, python |
KATITI (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | KTT, small |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | KATITI, tiny, small |
| Shona-Bantu | KATOTO/KATOKO, small boy, small girl |
KETE KETE (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | KTT, small |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | KETE + KETE, quiet, quiet, silence |
PAA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | PA, fly, fly up |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | PAA, rise, ascend, soar, fly |
| Shona-Bantu | PAPIRO/MAPAPIRO, wing, wings (to fly) |
BEKA, BAKA, WAKA (Bemba-Bantu, other Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | BKH, to light up, give light, illumine |
| Shona-Bantu | BAKA, kindle, give light |
| Bemba-Bantu | BEKA, to shine, glitter |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | WAKA, shine brightly, be lit |
BESA, BASA, WASHA (Southern-Sotho-Bantu, other Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | BS, flame, fire, blaze |
| Southern Sotho-Bantu | BESA, make a fire, to burn, to cook or roast |
| Shona-Bantu | BASA, BESA, make a fire |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | WASHA, kindle, set fire to, light |
| The Ancient Egyptians used the Bantu words, BESA, BASA to describe a God who was in charge of making fire. He was called BSI, and was given by the set of hieroglyphics shown below | |
MO-BESI (Southern-Sotho-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | BSI, the fire making God |
| If we consider the Southern Soto-Bantu word BESA and attach the prefix MO-, the one who, we obtain the word MO- BESI, the one who lights a fire, who roasts. This would be equivalent to using the Ancient Egyptian consonants BSI, to give the word BESI, without the prefix MO- The intended meaning without the prefix MO- would still describe a person who lights up a fire | |
NJEMA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | NTCHM, sweet, pleasant |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | NJEMA, good, fine, nice, pleasant |
| The word Ancient Egyptian word given by the consonants NTCHM is the Kiswahili-Bantu word NJEMA. NJEMA is derived from the adjective -EMA which means good and, includes goodness of all kinds pertaining to feeling, taste, or conscience | |
RINA, JINA, LEINA (Venda-Bantu, other Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | RN, name |
| Venda-Bantu | RINA, name |
| Southern-Bantu | LEINA, name |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | JINA, name |
WAO (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | W, they, them, their |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | WAO, they, them, their. WAO is the Kiswahili-Bantu pronoun |
| Shona-Bantu | WA/VA, they, them, their |
WOTO, UOTO (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | WT, UT, plants, vegetables |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | WOTO or UOTO, plant, vegetable growth, vegetation |
| WOTO or UOTO is derived from the verb OTA, grow, sprout; usually applied to vegetable life | |
UCHAO (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | UTCHA, early morning, dawn |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | UCHAO, sunrise, dawning, dawn |
MUMO (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | MM, among |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | MUMO, inside, among |
MATO, MACHO (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | MAA-T, sight, vision |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | MATO, MACHO, eyes |
KAMA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | KHAM, to embrace |
| Luvale-Bantu | KAMA, hold in hand, grasp |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | KAMA, squeeze, hold, embrace |
| Zulu-Bantu | KHAMA, press, squeeze hold, exert force |
| NOTE: KH in Ancient Egyptian = K in Kiswahili-Bantu = KH in Zulu-Bantu | |
SOMO (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | SHM, relative, kin |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | SOMO, a friend, a relation, an acquaintance, a person with the same surname |
| Shona-Bantu | SHAMWARI, a friend, an acquaintance |
| Shona-Bantu | HAMA, a relative, kin, family |
SOMO (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | SHM, a wise man |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | SOMO, a confidential adviser |
| The word SOMO is derived from the verb SOMA, to read. The noun SOMO means a lesson, a reading or a class subject devised by a teacher. Thus SOMO is something read, and may also mean a teacher who instructs a person in an initiation ceremony. SOMO also means knowledge, education, learning, science | |
| NOTE SH in Ancient Egyptian = S in Kiswahili-Bantu | |
KAZA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | QAS, bind, tie, fetter |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | KAZA, bind, tie, tighten, fasten |
KINENE (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | QNN, to be fat |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | KINENE, that which is, big, fat, stout, plump |
MUANA, KANA (Shona-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | N-KHN, child |
| Proto-Bantu Root | ANA, small, young |
| Shona-Bantu | KANA/KAMWANA, child |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | MUANA, child |
| The word for a child in Bantu languages is derived from the Proto-Bantu adjective -ANA which means small, young. Bantu languages attach different prefixes to the adjective -ANA to derive the word for a child. Examples of this may be seen by examining the Kiswahili-Bantu word for a child given by the prefix MU- to give the word MU-ANA. Likewise the Shona-Bantu word for a child attaches the prefix K- to give K-ANA. It is obvious in this instance that the Ancient Egyptian word must be derived from the Proto-Bantu root -ANA. By inserting the Ancient Egyptian prefix NK-, one derives the Ancient Egyptian word for a child as N-KANA, NKANA | |
MKOTA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | NKHT, strong man |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | MKOTA, strong man, a gigantic person. Note here N = M |
| The interchange between the consonants N and M is quite usual in Bantu languages. It does appear that this is also the case between the Ancient Egyptian language and Bantu languages. Thus MKOTA and NKOTA are similar words which give the identical meaning of a strong man | |
WENIEJI-WOTE (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | WNTCHWT, subjects |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | WENIEJI-WOTE, WENIEJIWOTE, subjects, citizens |
| Shona-Bantu | WAZHINJI/VAZHINJI, citizens, the majority, the many, the population |
MOSIDI-MATO, MASIZI-MATO (MACHO) (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | MSDMT, black eye paint |
| Southern Sotho-Bantu | MOSIDI, black powder derived from soot |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | MASIZI, black powder derived from soot |
| Ancient Kiswahili-Bantu | MATO, eyes |
| Shona-Bantu | MAZISO, eyes |
| The Ancient Egyptian word consists of MSD + MT. This is an interesting word, because the Kiswahili-Bantu word for the black powder derived from soot is given as MASIZI. The equivalent word in Southern Soto-Bantu is similar to the Kiswahili-Bantu word and strongly resembles the Ancient Egyptian word given by the consonants MSD as MOSIDI, black powder derived from soot. The remaining Ancient Egyptian consonant MT is the Kiswahili-Bantu word for the eyes, given in Ancient Kiswahili-Bantu as MATO as opposed to the current word, MACHO. Thus the description of black eye paint would be MOSIDI+MATO, or MASIZI+MATO | |
AMA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | AM, grasp |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | AMA hold tightly, grasp, cling, clasp |
USEMI (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | SMI, report |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | USEMI, speech, conversation, language, talk |
SOKOTA (Kiswahili-Bantu) |
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| Ancient Egyptian | SKHT, twist, weave, make shelter with leaves and branches |
| Kiswahili-Bantu | SOKOTA, twist, twine, plait, weave |