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bu- a prefix of many functions EN→LG

for which see the grammars. The following usages are important for lexical purposes because the derivatives formed cannot all be included in the dictionary. 1) bu + la ~ negative infinitive, often equivalent to an English noun which is not an infinitive in form. okumanya, to know; obutamanya, not to know; ingnorance. 2) bu + stem of a noun from another class often produc es an adverb which must be rendered by a phrase in English, enkofu, guinea fowl; bukofu, like a guinea fowl, kukaabya bukofu, to make cry like a guinea fowl, i.e., to cause to suffer. 3) bu + reduplicated stem of a noun of another class indicates plurality with the added notions of indefiniteness, scattered state or even contemp t. essomero, school; obusomerosomero, small, scattered schools which are inferior in quality. 4) normal verb form + bu + verb stem + i. Abalala bagamba nti... others say that; Abalala bagamba bugambi nti... others just/ simply/only say that.

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buli invar EN→LG

adj. & pron. each; every; all; everyone, buli kiseera, all the time, always, buli kimu, everything, buli kyonna, everything. buli wonna, everywhere, buli wantu, everywhere, na buli kati, even now, up to the present time, buli gye bagenda, everywhere or wherever they go. buli lwe bagenda, every time or whenever they go. buli ayagala okujja, everyone or anyone who wishes to come.

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bweso EN→LG

o- adv. like (the game of) mweso. Ate n'ebyafaayo abimanyi bweso. And as for history, he knows that ‘cold'/to the tips of his fingers, cf. omweso.

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Christianity EN→LG

Obukristaayo, Obukristu, eddiini ya Kristo, eddiini ya Kristu. Christmas, Sikukkulu, Okuzaalibwa kwa Yesu Kristo, Okuzaalibwa kwa Yezu Kristu, Nnowele.

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eno demons EN→LG

pron. & adj. for singular nouns of the n/n class, this, enkumbi eno, this hoe. as a. demons, adv. here, ne gye buli eno, until now, up to this time. cf. eyo, Wi.

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ffuluku (la) expert EN→LG

very skillful person. Yali ffuluku mu kukwata emisota. He was very skillful in his ability to handle snakes. Abantu bamwogerako nga ffuluku mu kumannya eddagala ery'ekinnansi. The people described him as being an expert in (knowing) native medicine.

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ggwolu EN→LG

e- also eggolu plur. amawolu (li/ma) leftover plantains; leftover food, leftovers; (in the plur., in addition to the preceding) jilted person, castoff. Amawolu galiibwa mujjukiza. (prov.) Leftovers are eaten by someone who makes his presence or desires known, cf. ^wola, -wolu.

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gye rel. adv. where. Before forms of -li EN→LG

be, it is the equivalent of the English prepositions to or from, gye ndi, where I am; to me. Yali afuukidde ddala wa luganda gye ndi. He had become as much as a relative to me. With a change in tone gye becomes an emphatic adv. of place, there, gy'ali (= gye a I i) he is there; he is well (in answering salutations). Idioms: Ekyo kiri gy'ali. That is up to him. Katonda gy'ali! God will avenge me. gye bujja, in the future. God is there = God knows what is best or Nze gye nnali nga jinamba nti ajja. As for me, I kept thinking he would come.

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jjobyo EN→LG

e- (li/ma) type of bitter green which produces white flowers. Okalya dda kadda dda, ejjobyo liddira mu mutwe, (prov.) lit. You eat it now, it comes back afterwards, the jjobyo comes back to the head (by producing gray hair). What you do now produces consequences later.

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katemyo EN→LG

a- (ka/bu) top ring in the roof of a thatched hut; fig. pinnacle, acme. Atuuse mu katemyo. He has now reached the pinnacle of success.

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kaza (-kazizza) v.tr. caus. make dry EN→LG

cause to dry; make firm; fig. make certain of; confirm, affirm; know well; pronounce well; name, nickname, dub. okukaza amaaso, to harden one's gaze; to be watchful, okukaza ekkubo, lit. to dry a path, i.e., to frequent, habituate. Omusajja oyo eya- kazibwako erya Kapere, this man who was nicknamed (erya implies erinnya, name) Kapere. Oluganda alinga alukazizza. He seems to have learned Luganda very well. Omwezi gukazizza bulungi. The moon is shining brightly.

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kiwempe EN→LG

e- (ki/bi) coarse mat made of plantain or papyrus fibers. This is one of the oldest type of mats known among the Baganda. cf. oluwempe.

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know EN→LG

get to, okumanya, okutegeera; for know use perf. tense of v., e.g I k.,mmanyi, ntegedde; become known, okwatuka, okwatiikirira.

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kumala mpaka EN→LG

to settle a dispute. Ekimala empaka kusirika. The way to settle a dispute is to keep silent or On points of dispute it is best to wait and see kumala bwoya ku n turn be, to keep (someone) running ragged, annoy (someone) by keeping him on the go all the time, lit. finish off the hair on the calves of the leg. kumala mmya, to put (someone) in his place, take down a peg. kumala muntu maanyi, to take the wind out of someone's sails, kukamala, to cause trouble (ka = akabi or akabaate). Okamaze. Now you have gone and done it.

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kyekango EN→LG

e- (ki/bi) fear, fright, alarm, dread. Ekyekango tekimanya muzira. Even a hero or brave man is subject to fear, lit. Fright does not know a hero.- cf. kanga, -ekanga.

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kyogero EN→LG

e- (ki/bi) basin in which a baby is washed. It was originally madeaf clay hat the word is now also applied to metal basins.

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labira (-labidde) v.tr. appl. see for/in EN→LG

etc.; get for, provide; give greetings for another. Omundabira. Give him my regards. kulabira mu maddu, to be overjoyed to see (something, somebody). okulabira ku..., judging from, compared with. Kino kitono nnyo okulabira ku nkuba etonnya wano mu K. This is very little compared with the rain that falls here in K. kulabira awo (a high-frequency phrase which is difficult to reduce to any simple English equivalent): to get or see something by surprise or unintentionally; to do something without having made plans. Simanyi oba nga nnaagenda, leero nnaalabira awo. I do not know if I am going, I shall have to see/I really have no definite plans. Nnaalabira awo nga bandeetedde ku kamere. I was surprised when they brought me a little food. Baalabiraawo nga bazannya. They happened to be playing. Ndabira awo ekitabo kyange. You see that book of mine over there, give it to me. awo nga nkulabira or awo we nnalabira (stylized ending for a fable or tale). So the tale endeth.

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lalaba EN→LG

to showoff, put oneself in the limelight. Laba erikuleese. Go away. Get out of here, lit. See (the road, ekkubo is implied by eri-) which brought you. Gundi oyo talaba! So-and-so is very proud/putting on airs. Ng'olabye. I am sorry for you now. I sympathize with you. Nkukubye nga ndaba. I have hit you on purpose/intentionally. Obalaba. Say hello to them for us. En- nyumba yaabwe eraba buvanjuba. Their house faces east. Bwali tebunnalaba. It was before dawn (bu- implies obudde). Ndaba ku ki? lit. What do I see? (A friendly greeting to a guest, particularly an unexpected one). Bo bakola nga bwe balabye. They do just as they please, mu kulaba kwange, in my view, according to the way 1 see it. Tandabamu kantu. He despises me/ has no respect for me. Onookiraba. You will be sorry. You will find out, lit. you will see it.

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leeta (-leese EN→LG

ndeese) v.tr. bring; conduct; cause, produce. Ssengaawe zireese. His aunt has arrived, unfortunately, lit. the winds (empewo is implied by zi-) have brought his aunt. Akyogerako si ye akireeta. (prov.) The person who talks about it is not the one who causes (the misfortune) to happen. Kaakati obireese! Now you have really done it! Now you have started something bad. (-bi- of obireese implies ebi- gambo, matters).

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lugali EN→LG

o- (lu/n) flat tray (made from the fibers of papyrus or other plants; often used for winnowing). Emimwa gye gya lugali. His lips are flat and spread out (as opposed to thick and protruding). Wa lugali. He has a ‘big mouth.' Nzigyako olugali. Shut your big mouth, cf. walugali.

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lugo EN→LG

o- from engo, leopard, oiugo olumanyi embuzi emponge, lit. the leopard who knows the sacrificial goat, i.e. someone who knows his way around. Ye munnaffe yali lugo olumanyi embuzi emponge mu bitundu bino. Our companion knew his way around in these parts.

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lugogo EN→LG

o- (lu/n) fresh plantain fiber (as opposed to that which is dried, known as kyayi). cf. ekigogo, omugogo.

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lwebagyo EN→LG

o- plur. enneebagyo (lu/n) sash, strip of cloth used as a belt. It is now considered rather old-fashioned, cf. baga, -ebaga.

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magendere EN→LG

a- plur. (li/ma) whereabouts; state (of matters, affairs). Tetwamanya magendere ge. We did not know where he had gone, kubulako magendere, to disappear without a trace, cf. genda.

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magezi EN→LG

a- plur. (li/ma) wisdom; knowledge; device, stratagem; advice; wit; skill, amagezi ga bnlijjo, common sense, everyday knowledge, omuwi w'amagezi, advisor, okusala amagezi, to devise a plan. Yasa- langa gonna (gonna here = amagezi gonna). He used every expedient. He did everything he could. Amagezi tegaba g'omu. (prov.) Wisdom/cleverness is not the monopoly of one person. Okwagala kulya amagezi. (prov.) Love benumbs (lit. eats) the senses. Love is blind. Note: the gramm. sing, eggezi (q.v.) differs in meaning from the plur. cf. -gezi, kalimagezi, olugezigezi.

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makula EN→LG

a- (li/ma) formerly food presented to the Kabaka; wonderful thing, now used mostly as an attribute of another noun wonderful, magnificent, ebintu bingi eby'amakula, many wonderful things, mu- kazi makula, a gorgeous woman, cf. ekkula.

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maviire EN→LG

a- plur. (li/ma) place of origin, place where one comes from; place from which one has arrived. Ggwe wategedde amaviire ge? Do you know where he comes from? cf. va, viira.

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mayitire EN→LG

a- plur. (li/ma) whereabouts. Simanyi mayitire ge. I don't know his whereabouts. I don't know where he is. o cf. yita, yitira.

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mbuyaga EN→LG

e- (n/n) stormy wind, okuba mbuyaga ekunta, to die, be dead, lit. be the wind which blows. Ate ddala mba kukikola, singa kati ndi mbuyaga ezikaza engoye. Indeed if I had done it I would be dead by now, lit. would be the wind which dries the clothes, cf. kubuyaga.

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mmeeme EN→LG

e- (n/n) described in previous dictionaries as: sternum, sternal cartilage; pit of the stomach; internal bodily part. It is now used almost always in a figurative sense: heart, soul, seat of the emotions. It occurs in hundreds of phrases and expressions of which the following is a sampling: mu ngeri ya kawanika mmeeme, in a frightening way. kwekuba mmeeme, to reconsider, emmeeme n'enfa, and my heart sank/I was utterly distressed. Nze emmeeme yangwa wala. I became very depressed. Otukubye wala emmeeme. You have really given us a scare. Emmeeme yamudda mu nteeko. He felt relieved, lit. his heart went back in place, ow'emmeeme etawaana amangu, one who is easily nauseated. Emmeeme entye- muse. 1 am terribly anxious/concerned/ shocked. Kino kyali ng'ekyawanula emmeeme ye. This seemed to relieve him/ calm him down. Emmeeme katale, ky'esiima ky'egula. (prov.) The heart is like going to market — it buys what it wants. Emmeeme gy'esula, ebigere gye bikeera. fprov.J Where the heart sleeps is where the feet- go in the morning, i.e., when you sleep with the intention of doing something, that is what you do. Emmeeme etefumba kigambo ekwo- geza munno ky'atagenda kwerabira. (prov.) lit. The heart which does not fashion well the spoken word makes you say what your friend will never forget. The spoken word can never be retracted.

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mpengere EN→LG

e- (n/n) dry sorghum millet eaten when other food is scarce, empengere y'omusajja, a very strong man. Togayiranga mpengere mu kisenge. (prov.) Never pass judgment before you know the facts.

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mweso EN→LG

o- (mu/ba) the name of a game common throughout Africa. It is played on a board with holes in it cut in four rows; two persons sit on opposite sides of the board; they have a number of seeds (mpiki) or smooth stones, which they play into holes. Oluganda alumanyi nga mweso. He knows Luganda perfectly, cf. vesa, obweso, omwesi.

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ndyamaggwa EN→LG

e- (n/n) lit. thorn-eater. Used in the proverb: Endyamaggwa y'emanya bw'egakyusa. lit. The thorn-eater knows how to digest them. One man's meat is another man's poison.

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nguuli EN→LG

e- (n/n) huge elephant; something huge/monstrous; now most commonly walagi, a very strong liquor resembling gin.

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