matatu

Wed Dec 13 01:26:49 UTC 2000

My Swahili-speaking and -teaching colleague sent me this on 'matatu' (from
the horse's mouth, so to speak).  As it turns out, both Dennis and Joe are
right!

>Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2000 19:34:37 -0500 (EST)
>From: John M Mugane <mugane at oak.cats.ohiou.edu>
>To: Beverly Flanigan <flanigan at oak.cats.ohiou.edu>
>Subject:  response to question
>
>Beverly, the name 'matatu' was a nominal modifier. When the people
>transportation vehicles first appeared, they had a uniform fare of 3
>British colonial coins. The coins are known as 'mapeni' in Swahili,
>'mang'otore' in Gikuyu, and the number 3 has to agree with the noun class
>ma- (usually marks plural and collective notions), hence 'mapeni matatu' or
>'mang'otore matatu', and as is very common in Bantu syntax the head noun may
>be dropped so long as the referent is known. The trouble then is that with
>time that referent is forgotten. There are many similar names for those
>transportation vehicles accross Africa. Check Cameroon and elsewhere in
>West Africa.
>
>The ma- class is usually class 6 and the point that 'matatu' is a singular
>noun is totally impossible. See -tatu, which means three across area Bantu and
>beyond. There is no way the number three would in turn be called
>'singular' unless some other complicated story exists--which I proceed to
>tell you. This is an interesting case in which a number counting
>things in class 6 has itself become a proper name and as is usual with new
>things has been thrown down to class 9/10 (borrowed and
>new-experience/reversal words) from its original class 6. In 9/10 there
>is no morphological distinction between the singular and the plural
>until when modification is invoked. So we talk of one matatu and 3 matatu,
>but that should not mask the etymology of the word.
>
>That description I have hinted at is a garden-variety phenomenon in Bantu
>morphology and syntax. I like what the word 'matatu' tells us about word
>formation and the unpredictability of its eventual use.
>Very interesting stuff, if I may say so myself!
>
>I hope this helps. Please feel free to forward this note to your list.
>
>John
>
>On Tue, 12 Dec 2000, Beverly Flanigan wrote:
>
> > John, these people have been debating the word 'matatu' (Swahili?),
> meaning
> > jitney bus or cab.  The issue is whether it's singular or plural.  Who
> is right?!
> >
> > >Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2000 18:49:00 -0500
> > >From: "Dennis R. Preston" <preston at PILOT.MSU.EDU>
> > >Subject: Re: jitney
> > >Sender: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > >To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > >Reply-to: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > >
> > >Joe may be right, but I am still suspicious (since ma- is the ubiquitous
> > >plural prefix attached even to foreign words (even when they are plural
> > >suffixed in the donor languages). I ain't impressed by the Lonely Planet
> > >quote (any more than I am by their restuarant suggestions).
> > >
> > >dInIs
> > >
> > >
> > > >Few (well, really none) are the occasions when I have had the
> opportunity
> > > >to correct Dennis Preston,
> > > >but I'm pretty sure matutu is a singular noun. Matutu may be a
> plural word
> > > >in other African usage, though.
> > > >
> > > >Joe Pickett
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >from the Lonely Planet Travel Guide on the web
> > > >(http://www.diverplanet.com/Lonely_Planet/Africa/tan.htm)
> > > >
> > > >Driving in Tanzania is a trade-off between speed and potholes. Traffic
> > > >density is
> > > >                                low outside main towns, so your main
> enemy
> > > >is the holey road surface. On the
> > > >                                mainland at least, car rental is
> still an
> > > >expensive option. By bus, don't expect much.
> > > >                                On the long-haul routes there's
> generally a
> > > >choice between luxury and ordinary, but
> > > >                                these are very relative terms. On short
> > > >hauls the choice is between ordinary buses
> > > >                                and dalla dalla - the Tanzanian
> equivalent
> > > >of a Kenyan matutu.
> > > >
> > >
> > > >
> > > >"Dennis R. Preston" <preston at PILOT.MSU.EDU>@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on
> 12/11/2000
> > > >04:38:19 PM
> > > >
> > > >Please respond to American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > >
> > > >Sent by:  American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >To:   ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > > >cc:
> > > >Subject:  Re: jitney
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >Matutu is surely a plural.
> > > >
> > > >dInIs
> > > >
> > > >>I think the "people mover" car or truck has various names in various
> > > >>English speaking countries.
> > > >>
> > > >>I know in Kenya that call it a matutu. I'd heard that some people
> in the
> > > >>NYC area also call it this because so many drivers are from Africa.
> I have
> > > >>no confirmation of this, however.
> > > >>
> > > >>In Liberia they call it a moneybus (even though it's usually a pick-up
> > > >>truck).
> > > >>
> > > >>There are probably many other names.
> > > >>
> > > >>Joe Pickett
> > >
> > >
> > > >>James Smith <jsmithjamessmith at YAHOO.COM>@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on
> 12/11/2000
> > > >>11:51:48 AM
> > > >>
> > > >>Please respond to American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > >>
> > > >>Sent by:  American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >
> > > >Dennis R. Preston
> > > >Department of Linguistics and Languages
> > > >Michigan State University
> > > >East Lansing MI 48824-1027 USA
> > > >preston at pilot.msu.edu
> > > >Office: (517)353-0740
> > > >Fax: (517)432-2736
> > >

_____________________________________________
Beverly Olson Flanigan         Department of Linguistics
Ohio University                     Athens, OH  45701
Ph.: (740) 593-4568              Fax: (740) 593-2967
http://www.cats.ohiou.edu/linguistics/dept/flanigan.htm