Dead Animal Names
Hadza has received some attention for a dozen 'celebratory' (Woodburn) or 'triumphal' (Blench) names for dead animals. These are used to announce a kill. They are (in the imperative singular):
| Animal | Generic name | Triumphal name |
|---|---|---|
| zebra | dóngoko | hantáhii |
| giraffe | zzókwanako | háwahii |
| buffalo | naggomako | tíslii |
| leopard | nqé, tcánjahi | henqéhee |
| lion | séseme | hubúhee |
| eland | khómatiko | hubúhii |
| impala | p(h)óphoko | dlunkúhii |
| wildebeest hartebeest |
bisóko qqeléko |
zzonóhii |
| other large antelope | hephéhee | |
| small antelope | hichíhee | |
| rhinoceros | tlhákate | hukhúhee |
| elephant hippopotamus |
beggáhuko wezzáhiko |
kapuláhii |
| warthog boar |
dláha kwai |
hatcháhee |
| baboon | neeko | nqokhóhii |
| ostrich | khenángu | hushúhee |
The words are somewhat generic: henqehee may be used for any spotted cat, hushuhee (hushuwee) for any running ground bird. 'Lion' and 'eland' are distinguished only by gender. Blench (2008) thinks this may have something to do with the eland being considered magical in the region.
An IO suffix may be used to reference the person who made the kill. Compare hanta 'zebra' with the more mundane verbs, qhasha 'to carry' and kw- 'to give', in the imperative singular and plural (Miller 2009):
| hanta-hi-i (hanta-ta-te) |
hanta-hi-ko-o (hanta-hi-kwa-te) |
| zebra-DO.3fs-IMP | zebra-DO.3fs-IO.1sg-IMP |
| a zebra! | I got a zebra! |
| qhasha-hi-i (qhasha-ta-te) |
kw-i-ko-o (kw-i-kwa-te) |
| carry-DO.3fs-IMP | give-DO.3fs-IO.1sg-IMP |
| carry it! | give it to me! |
Read more about this topic: Hadza Language
Famous quotes containing the words dead, animal and/or names:
“We all run on two clocks. One is the outside clock, which ticks away our decades and brings us ceaselessly to the dry season. The other is the inside clock, where you are your own timekeeper and determine your own chronology, your own internal weather and your own rate of living. Sometimes the inner clock runs itself out long before the outer one, and you see a dead man going through the motions of living.”
—Max Lerner (b. 1902)
“There is no mystery in the luminous lines
Of that high, animal face
The smile, sad, humouring and equal
Blesses without obliging
Loves without condescension;”
—Denis Devlin (1908–1959)
“I would to God thou and I knew where a commodity of good names were to be bought.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)