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U - u
u Letter representing the Maa high back advanced tongue root vowel /u/.
ʉ Letter representing the Maa high back non-advanced tongue root vowel /ʊ/.
u- [North] pn.b. [North] Variant of second person subject prefix occurring on verbs with a back stem vowel in the first syllable. Múntóki ainyoyíé mpúlîâ. Stop throwing up (disturbing, causing) dust. (SN). See: ɨ- ‘Second person subject pronominal prefix’.
-u Variant: -yu. In some suffixed forms: -un. asp. Inceptive aspect: enter into a new condition, become. adorú To become red. ajieyú To become swollen. Néyiolouní áajo eétūō ɛnadúóó âŋ It will be known that the afore-mentioned family has come [to look for a girl to marry]. Kéŋóroyū̀. It can be stabbed. (K -SN). See: -i [North] ‘Inceptive’.
-ʉ́ In some suffixed forms: -ʉn. dir. Verbal suffix indicating that the action is done with direction towards the point of reference; Ventive. Mílotúǃ Don't comeǃ (W). Kɨ́barnʉ́ ɨlpápɨ́t lo lmelíl. We shave hair from the neck (of a donkey). Káji eikoní tɛ nɛ́gɛlʉnɨ́ ɔlaigúɛ́nani lólpórrôr? How do they elect (choose out) the age-set leader? See: -yi [North] ‘Motion toward suffix’; -áa ‘Motion away’.
a-úáp v. 1 • To seize. Míntokíkī kʉná kɛ́râ áauap inkulîê tɛ níŋamáa impála. Children stop seizing papers as you wait to receive them from others. (Pk).
2 • [North] To swoop down on, as a bird.
a-uapaá v.dir. To snatch, grab quickly from s.o.
a-uaparíé To snatch from.
a-uapʉ́ 1 • To snatch towards the speaker.
2 • To snatch it out of.
a-uaparí To rush to somewhere with an intention of coming back soon.
a-uapʉ́ To snatch out of sth. e.g a finger from fire. See: a-ɨkɔ́ny ‘To seize’; a-ɨbʉ́ŋ ‘To seize’; a-simayie ‘To seize’.
e-úáso n. See: e-wúáso ‘River’.
E-úáso ŋirô1 n.prop. 1 • Name of a large river flowing north from Mt. Kenya and then turning east to form the southern boundary of Samburu District, Kenya (lit: river which-is-brown). This river, also known as the Northern Eúáso ŋirô, eventually loses itself and evaporates in the Lorian Swamp.
2 • Name of a river flowing south from Mau Narok through Narok District, Kenya. This river passes Ololulunga and Eúáso ŋirô trading center, also known as Enkiporôî 'The Scar.' it joins up with the Enkare Narok River and the Siyapei River, descending down the Inkurman Escarpment in some spectacular waterfalls. At the bottom of the Inkurman Escarpment the river changes name and is known as Enkare ŋirô 'The Brown Stream.' It flows into Lake Natron where it provides some sweet water to an otherwise alkaline lake (Mol 96 398).
é-úáso oó Nkídoŋi2 n.prop. 1 • Name of a small stream flowing south from endikir o lkiloriti [the Kikuyu Escarpment] towards oldóínyó onyokie [Mt. Suswa] (lit: river of the Calabashes).
2 • Name of a stream and a trading-center about 40 km. west of ŋong, Kajiado District, Kenya. The kind of calabash referenced in this name is that used by the Il-Aiser sub-clan, known as Il-Oibónok or In-kídoŋi. Mol calls this "The River of the Ritual Experts" because there is a sub-clan of the Il-Aiser clan called "The Calabashes" which is known for the ritual experts that come from it. See: en-kídōŋ ‘Sub-clan of the il-aiser clan’.
úátá [North] Nom sg: uatá. n. [North] Fence. Kɛ́ɨ́kára wuatá. The fences are strong. (S). See: ɛn-kɨkarrɛtá; kióni; ol-pááshíé; e-sitá ‘Fence’.
a-úd v. 1 • To bore, pierce, make a hole. Ɛgɨ́ráɨ́ áaud intóyie inkíyīāā. The girls are having their ears pierced. (Pk). Usage: In S, the main idea conveyed by a-úd is to make a hole. The word is used to describe piercing the body, or making a hole by burning with fire. The sense is less violent than that conveyed by a-irús. a-búl refers to piercing sth. that will burst or emit sth. as a result..
2 • To inject, vaccinate; [Purko] To inject, vaccinate. Ɛkɛ́púóí áaud inkɛ́ra tááisére iláditariní. Children will go to be vaccinated (injected) tomorrow by doctors. (Pk). Tɔ́bɔɨnʉ́ ɛndâ kɨ́tɛ́ŋ wúâs ɔ́ ɛ́ndâ nárɔ̄k peê éúdí. Bring that cow with the patch on the side/belly together with that black one to be vaccinated. (Pk). Usage: áa-ud and áa-rem refer to giving an injection. These plural forms are usually used in an impersonal context such as when one has gone to a dispensary, clinic, or hospital and no specific person is in mind who might have given an injection. The plural form áa-ɨshɔ ɨl-túpaí refers to administration of intravenous medicine (lit: 'to give bottles')..
3 • [North] To be open (of the homestead gate).
a-udú ɛnkárɛ́ To drill for water.
a-udó v.mid. To be pierced; have a hole. Kéúdó nɨnyɛ́ ɛná móti. This cooking pan has a hole. (Pk). See: a-rém ‘To spear, pierce’.
a-udoó v. To betray; give out confidential information.
e-údótó Nom sg: ɛ-udotó. Acc pl: i-udót. Nom pl: i-udót. [North] Acc sg: údótó. n. 1 • Hole made by poking, piercing, drilling. See: ɛ-náúdótó ‘Hole’; en-gúmótó ‘Hole in the ground’; e-lúsíé ‘Hole in sth. vertical or rigid’; ɛm-pɔ́lɔ́satá ‘Hole or torn spot in cloth’.
2 • Hole in earlobe.
e-údótó oó-īnkīyīāā Minor ceremony for boys and girls in which their earlobes are cut.
údótó ɛ́ n-kɨ́yɔk [North] [North] Ear canal.
a-ukaúk [North] v. [North] To be feathery, buoyant, light (such that the object cannot be thrown well).
Il-úkúmâê n.prop. A sub-clan of the Il-Aiser clan which does not have an attribute of witchcraft.
Ɨl-ʉ́kʉ́mâɨ̂ [North] Nom pl: L-ʉkʉmáɨ́. n.pl. 1 • One of the five clans of the Maasai which belongs to the left-hand moiety; the founding-father is Lakum, the son of the second wife of the first Maasai.
2 • [North] A phratry in the white cattle moiety.
a-uló v. 1 • To swerve; be unstable. Ɛtɔ́tɔ́ná dúóó ɛngárɨ́ auló ɔmɛtʉ́pʉkʉ́ tɛ nkoitóí. The vehicle kept swerving until it was out of the road. (Pk).
2 • To go all over the place. Míntóki doí auló aló endê, níló endê; shɔ́mɔ dúóó tɔ́tɔna tɛ wúéji nébō. Stop going there, and then there; go and stay in one place. (Pk). See: a-iuló ‘To be unstable’.
a-ulú v. To eat heavily. This is not necessarily a negative characteristic. See: a-lubó ‘To eat heavily’; a-ɨsɛpɛ́ ‘To be greedy, gluttonous’.
e-úlulû Nom sg: e-úlulû. Acc pl: i-ululuní. Nom pl: i-úluluní. n. 1 • Bottomless pit. Mmɛɨpʉ́táí áɨ́kātā inê amʉ̂ eúlulû nɛ́mɛ́ɛ́ta enkítíŋótó. You can never fill there because it is a bottomless pit. (Pk).
2 • Deep valley. Ɨ́ntapaashá ɨlashɔ́ eúlulû amʉ̂ kɛ́sʉlakíno. Prevent the calves from getting near the valley because they will fall into it. (Pk).
3 • Cave. Nɛ́jɨŋ, nɛ́malúlú eúlulû. And the monster went into the cave. (Pk). Usage: For PK, the sense of 'cave' is perhaps somewhat archaic, associated with Maa narratives rather than day-to-day language. See: ɔl-ɔdɔ́ lɛ́ nkɔp ‘The deep-most part of the earth’; e-nóŋótó ‘Valley’; ɔ-yɛ́rátá ‘Valley’; ɛ-ŋɛ́rɛ́m ‘Ditch, depression’; ɔl-kɛjʉ́ ‘Valley, river’; ɛn-kápʉ́nɛ́ ‘Cave’.
a-ulúó [North]: a-uló. v.mid. To be out of the kraal.
a-ʉ́m v.prog. To heap together. Míntóki aʉ́m kʉnâ tokitín, ɨ́ndapashá. Do not heap these things together, spread them. (Pk). See: a-sót ‘To heap together’.
a-ʉmá v.mid. 1 • To be heaped together.
2 • [North] To slide down, as of land-slides.
3 • [North] To reduce in size and number.
áa-ʉma v.mid.pl. 1 • To be collected together. Eétuo ɨltʉŋaná áaʉma áaɨŋɔr telepéshen. People have collected together to watch TV.
2 • [North] To reduce in number or size.
ɛ-ʉ́ma Nom sg: ɛ-ʉ́mâ. Acc pl: ɨ-ʉ́maí. Nom pl: ɨ-ʉ́maɨ́. [Purko] Acc sg: ɛ-ʉmâ. n. Fork. Ɨncɔ́ɔ̄kɨ̄ ɛndâ ʉ́ma maitáínyíé enkiriŋó. Give me that fork so that I may use it to remove meat. (Pk). Note: km suggests this is originally from Swahili Borrowed word: Swahili uma 'fork'. See: en-kijíko ɔɔ́ lala ‘Fork’.
ɛ-ʉ́mátá Nom sg: ɛʉmáta. n. Crowd. Ɛ́gɨ́ra ɛʉmáta ɔ́ ɔltʉ́ŋáná áapuonu aŋ. A crowd of people are coming home. (Pk).
L-úmpaní [North] [North] Acc pl: L-umpá. [North] Nom pl: L-úmpa. n. 1 • [North] Member of the L-umpá tribe. Usage: singular.
2 • [North] A Kalenjin tribe. Usage: plural.
o-lúmpuaní [West] Nom sg: o-lúmpuaní. Acc pl: i-Lúmpūā. Nom pl: i-lumpûâ. Variant: o-lumbua. n. 1 • Well, dry river bed.
2 • Maa word for some relatives of the Kalenjin who were hired to dig the deep wells. Táakʉ́ íyīē ɛnkáípópooní nɨ́ákʉ íyīē olúmpuaní. You become the "loved child", and you become the Olumpuani cannibal. Éló ɛldɛ́ Lúmpuaní. That i-Lumpua person will go. (W). kʉldɔ̂ Lúmpūā those i-Lumpua people (W). See: ɔl-cɔ́rrɔ ‘Well’.
ol-úmpuaní n. Well.
a-ʉmʉnyɛ́ v. 1 • To come in forcefully (eg. as when many people push into a house). Ɛgɨ́ra ɨltʉŋaná áaʉ̄mʉnyɛ atúa ají. People are coming into the house forcefully. (Pk).
2 • To fall down, as from a seat.
a-ún v.prog. 1 • To plant. Ɛ́gɨ́ráɨ̄ áatur ɛnkɔ́p peê euní ɨmpɔɔshɔ́. The ground is being dug so that beans can be planted. (Pk). Ɛgɨ́ráɨ́ áaun ɨlkɛɛ́k. Trees are being planted. (Pk). Ɛpɔ́kɨ́ta ɔlcátá láátuunó ɔlápa ɔshɔmɔ́. The tree that I planted last month is reviving. (W). Kéúnúto. He is planting it. (S).
2 • To erect. Néúní imbókishi. Side posts (of a house) are put up. (Pk). Kaún olpááshíé arɨ́sh olcámpa láí wóle Tinkóī. I will put up a fence to separate my land from Tinkoi's. Ɛgɨ́ráɨ́ áaun ɛnkají. The house is being erected. (Pk).
3 • To install or graduate warriors to adulthood.
4 • [North] To appoint a ceremonial leader called laúnoni for the phratry's age set.
a-unó v.mid. 1 • To be planted upright. Ɛgɨ́ra taá nɨnyɛ́ ɔlcáni aunó. The tree is getting planted. (Pk).
2 • To be grounded, stand still. Míntóki doí aunó, tɔ́tɔna. Stop standing still, sit down. ɛgɨ́ra taá nɨnɛ́ ɛnkají aunó. The house is standing still/The house is getting grounded.
a-unokí v.dat. To pin, stick onto (with a sharp object like a psear or arrow). See: ol-otunó ‘Leader of age-set’; e-únótó ‘Planting’.
uní Nom sg: úni. num. Three (feminine). Ɨ́nkɛnɨshɔ sií íyíé téjo "nabô, aré, uní" oontabai ip. Do the counting saying "one, two, three" up to one hundred. (Pk). Káyīēū doí nílotú sáâ uní. I want you to come at nine o'clock a.m. (Implication: There will be some major consequence or damage if you don't come at that time.) (lit: I want you indeed to come (at) three hours.) (Pk). Káyīēū doí nílotú sáâ uní ɛ́ nkɛwaríé. I want you to come at nine o'clock at night. (lit: I want you to come at three hours of night.) (Pk). See: okúni ‘Three (masc)’.
e-únótó Nom sg: e-unotó. Acc pl: i-unót. Nom pl: i-unót. n. 1 • Planting.
2 • Installation ceremony for warriors as they pass from warriorhood to junior elders. Following the e-únótó ceremony the men may marry.(However, the warriors are still prohibited from eating without the company of other warriors, up until the time of the aók kʉlɛ́ (in some areas known as ɛnk-áŋ ɛ kʉ́lɛ̄) ceremony. The purpose of this taboo is to teach young men to be self-reliant rather than to depend on their mothers who mostly prepare food for their husbands and young children.). Ɛɨdɨpákɨ apá eúnótó ɔɔ́ lmʉ́rran peê ɛakʉ́ ɨlpayianí. The installation ceremony of warriors to become junior elders has taken place. (Pk). The e-únótó ceremony takes place in a specially-chosen camp that includes a total of 49 houses. The 49th house is known as osinkira, the ol-oibóni's house. During the event, warriors daily entertain the ol-oibóni. Prior to the ceremony three important leaders are chosen. ol-aigúɛ́nani (lɛ́ nkàshè) is honored with a specially-chosen cow. ɔl-ɔbɔrʉ́ ɛn-kɛɛnɛ́ is honored with a leather strap with a knot that symbolizes his age set. By the end of warriorhood, this knot will be untied to free the warriors from their isolated world and enable them to do things independently without other age mates. ol-otunó shoulders all of his age set's sins. During the e-únótó festival. During the event, an animal horn is set on fire and warriors are forced to take a piece out before it is completely burned. No one wants to take the piece out, because whoever takes the horn out of the fire will be misfortunate throughout his life. However, if everyone refuses to take the horn out of the fire, the entire age set will be cursed.
3 • Ceremonial home where Maasai warriors end their warriorhood.
-unye2 asp appl. Suffix complex containing Inceptive plus Instrumental Applicative. Ápírúnye kʉlɛ́. I get fat on milk. Áírówúájunyé. I will become hot by then. óre doí eneyioloúnye ɛnkɛráí enkishón é mórúáó ɛtúá where the child will know life (issues).
-únye, -únyie1 dir voi. Suffix complex containing 'Motion Towards' Directional plus 'Instrumental' Applicative. Áúrúnye. I knock it over this way with sth. Áírrúgūnyē. I bend it over this way with sth.
-ʉ́nyɛ Variant: -únye; -únyie. dir voi. Frozen suffix combination with Motion Toward (Ventive) plus Middle meaning. Áúrúnye. I fall over this way. Áírrúgúnye. I bend over ths way. Nɛ́ɨshʉ́nyɛ ɛnkátiní âî tɛ íne. My story ends there. néshukunyíêî amʉ̂ ɛɨdɨpákɨ. and people (indefinite) come back because they have finished. See: -ʉ́(n) ‘Ventive’; -ɛ ‘Perfective Middle suffix’; -ári ‘Motion Away plus Middle’.
a-ʉpʉ́ ɨlɔmɔ́n [North] v. [North] To speak rudely.
a-úr v.prog. 1 • To cut sth. down, make sth. fall or slide down; topple. áúríto ɔlcatá. I am felling a log. (Pk). Kéúr ɛnkárɛ ɛmárti. Water will make the cliff slide/fall down,
2 • To bend sth. over; droop. Ɛgɨ́ra ɛnkɨ́tɛŋ námuei aúr enkíok. The sick cow is drooping the ear.
3 • [North] To change direction.
4 • [North] To listen.
a-uró In some suffixed forms: -uror. v.mid. 1 • To lean or fall over. Tóduaa taá mɨ́sʉlári amʉ̂ kéúróri ɨna mártî. Take care so that you don't fall, because that cliff will fall over (ie. it is weak) (Pk).
2 • To fall down, cave in (of house, etc.). Ɛgɨ́ra ɛnkáji auró. The house is falling down. (Pk).
a-urokinó v.dat v.mid. To fall on, lean on or over sth. Ɛ́kɨ́gɨ́ra taá doí ɨnâ perɛ́ aurokinó. That spear is falling on you. (Pk). Míkíntóki aurokínó amʉ̂ atanauré sií nanʉ́. Stop leaning on me because I am also tired. (Pk).
a-urokinó nkáji v.phrase. [North] To loose a wife in death (lit: the house to fall on one).
a-uroó v.dir. To cut down, push down, fell. Ágɨ́ra auroó ɔlcatá. I am cutting/pushing a log down. (Pk).
a-urorí v.dir v.mid. To fall down (of sth. that is normally upright). Ɛgɨ́ra ɔlcátá aurorí. The log is falling down. (Pk). Nɛ́ɨ́kɨrɨ́kɨ́rá ɛnkɔ̂p olêŋ o mɛtáa kéjó enkáji áúróri. The earth shook very much until the house is about to fall. Eturóri télepéshen. The television fell down. Tóduaa taá mɨ́sʉlári amʉ̂ kéúróri ɨna mártî. Take care so that you don't fall, because that cliff will fall over (ie. it is weak). (Pk). Etúúróri ɛldɛ́ shɛ́tá tɛ nkárakɛ́ ɛtamórua. That tree has fallen because it has become old. (W). See: a-batát ‘To fell, make fall down’; a-itɛrrɛ́ ‘To fall from fainting’; a-sʉlarí ‘To fall off’.
a-urú v.dir. To pull down, cut down towards self. Ágɨ́ra aurú ɔlcatá. I am pulling down a log. (Pk).
a-urunyé v.dir v.mid. To fall down this way, towards the point of reference. Ɛ́ntɔdɔl doí ɔlcatá amʉ̂ ɛgɨ́ra aurunyé. Watch out for the log, because it is falling this way (towards the speaker's side). (Pk). See: a-roó ‘To make it fall down’; a-batát; a-rriá ‘To fall down’. A-batatá indicates falling down while one is doing sth. else or accidental, eg. a car involved in an accident; a-urorí indicates falling down when one is in a normal upright position, eg. fainting.
a-uré [North]: a-uríé. PF: -turia. v.s. To be afraid of, fear. Káūrē ɔltɔ́mɛ́. I fear an elephant. Euré Dóris olásúráí. Doris is afraid of snakes. (W). See: kurêt ‘Cowardly’.
a-ureyú [North]: a-urieú. v.incep. To grow afraid of, come to fear. Ágɨ́ra aureyú ɛnâ síái amʉ̂ kégól payé. I am growing to fear this job because it is difficult. (Pk). Áyéwūō aureyú peê adɔl ajo mmeniŋisho aké. I came to fear her when I realized she does not heed anyway. (Pk).
úríátá [North] [North] Nom sg: uriatá. n. [North] Fear.
a-uríé [North] v. [North] To fear. See: a-uré ‘To fear’.
a-urieicó [North] v.apas. [North] To be afraid, be fearful.
enk-uritisho Nom sg: enk-úritisho. n. Cowardliness. Ɔlbáríé ɛná áyíóní tenkúritisho. This cowardliness of this boy is equivalent to that of a jackal. (Pk). See: a-uré ‘To be afraid’.
úro [North] [North] Nom sg: úrô. [North] Acc pl: úroí. [North] Nom pl: úroí. n. Axe. Kéímíŋának kʉná úroí. These axes are blunt. See: en-tólú ‘Axe’; a-úr ‘To fell’.
e-urórotó [North] Nom sg: urórotó. [North] Acc pl: urorót. [North] Nom pl: urorót. n. Falling down (eg. a house or tree). See: a-úr ‘To make sth. fall’.
a-ʉrʉʉraná [North] v.s. [North] To be round, circular.
úrráúr [North] Nom sg: urraúr. Acc pl: urraurrí. Nom pl: úrraurrí. n. [North] Earring for newly-circumcised girls. See: e-mónyórít ‘Earring for newly-circumcised girls’.
úrráûrr [North] [North] Nom sg: urraúrr. [North] Acc pl: urraurrí. [North] Nom pl: úrraurrí. n. [North] Earring worn by the father of the initiate at circumcisions and weddings.
-ût adjvz. Suffix which derives a human-propensity adjective from a verb.
a-ʉ́t v. 1 • To point at, point out, show. Tʉ́ʉta ɛnkalámu lɛrâî. Point to the orange pen. Tʉ́ʉta ɛnkɔlɔ́ŋ. Point to the sun. Míkíntóki aʉ́t. Stop pointing at me. (Pk). Óre kʉná atampó náa ɨlbʉ́labʉ́l ɔɔ́ʉtʉ́ ɛncán. These clouds are signs that show it's going to rain. (W). Tʉ́ʉta ɔltápʉ̂t. Point at the ceiling! (W).
2 • To intend. Ágɨ́ra aʉ́t sií nɨnyɛ́ sukúul ajó kálo. I am intending to go to school too. (Pk).
a-ʉtaá v.dir. 1 • To point the way, away from reference point. Ágɨ́ra aʉtaá peê méló aké apoŋorí. I am directing him so that he does not loose the way.(Pk).
2 • To advise, instruct, show how sth. is done, with expectation that the hearer will act. Note: for a "dv" field: alikí ɔ aashʉ̂ aɨtɔdɔ́l ɛnɛɨkʉnári; ɛnaikó tenías Kɛ́ʉtáa ŋɔtɔnyɛ́ entítō ɛnyɛ́ peê méíser A mother will advise her daughter so that she will not misbehave. Syn: a-ikók ‘To advise, counsel’.
a-ʉtakɨ́ v.dat. 1 • To point towards. Tʉ́ʉtakákɨ osínkirríri. Point to where the fish is.
2 • To point out sth. to s.o.
3 • To show, indicate, instruct. Áagɨrá aʉtakɨ́ ɛnáíkó peê akéd ɔlcaní. She is showing me how to climb a tree. (lit: She is pointing to me that which is hung in order to climb a tree.) (Pk). Kɛ́ʉtákɨ ɔlpáyian ɔlayíóni lɛnyɛ́ eneikoní tenéūdī ɛnkɨ́tɛ́ŋ. The man will show his son how to inject a cow.
a-ʉtaríé v.dir v.inst. To show by means of sth. Áagɨra aʉtaríé ɛmpɛ́rɛ́ ɛnyɛ́. He is directing me by using his spear. (Pk).
a-ʉtʉ́ v.dir. To direct towards point of reference. Ágɨ́ra aʉtʉ́ ɨnɛ nitií. I am directing him to where you are. (Pk).
a-ʉtá v.mid. To be cursed. Náa kɛ́áta taá doí ɛná áyíóní ɛmpúkúnotó ɔltʉ́ŋaní ɔʉ́ta. This boy has a behavior of s.o. who has been cursed. (Pk).
ɛ-ʉ́tárotó Nom sg: ɛ-ʉtárotó. Acc pl: ɨ-ʉtarót. Nom pl: ɨ-ʉ́tarot. n. Direction, instruction. See: a-ʉ́t ‘To point’.
a-utu'út [àùtùʔút, with two initial moras] v.prog. To grind. Áútú'útíto. I am grinding.
e-útu'ut Nom sg: e-útú'ut. Acc pl: i-utu'utí. Nom pl: i-útu'utí. n. Stone used for smoothing wood, such as in making an oriŋká. Ɨncɔɔkɨ́ eútu'ut násíkíé ɛlɛ̂ rinká. Give me a smoothing stone so that I can use it to make this club smooth. (Pk).