- Nov 16, 2011
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Peace Family,
I'm trying to study Swahili from books and I am running into the problem of the Number system being part Arab and the months being part English.
1 = Moja
2 = Mbili
3 = Tatu
4 = Nne
5 = Tano
6 = Sita
7 = Saba
8 = Nane
9 = Tisa
Source:
http://www.masai-mara.com/mmswn.htm
Where 6 and 7 are Arab numbers. As well as 20 and 30, and more.
This leads to the Months being Arab too.
For instance:
Jumatatu (Monday)
Jumanne (Tuesday)
Jumatano (Wednesday)
Alhamisi (Thursday)
Ijumaa (Friday)
Jumamosi (Saturday)
Jumapili (Sunday)
Source: http://www.afropedea.org/african-science/swahili-calendar
Where Thursday and Friday are clearly Arab. Not without irony, Saturday has the number 1 in it; Sunday, 2; Monday, 3 . . . so clearly Thursday and Friday would have 6 and 7 yet neither the numbers 6 nor 7 are non-Arab so one can't use them to find out the original names of these weekdays.
Separately,
Januari
Februari
Machi
Aprili
Mei
Juni
Julai
Agosti
Septemba
Oktoba
Novemba
Desemba
Source: Ibid.
Are clearly English. This site did suggest that there were traditional names of Month 1 and Month 2 e.g. mwezi wa pili . . . but that still doesn't give us insight into what were the original numbers of 6 and 7.
Anyone have any insight?
I'm trying to study Swahili from books and I am running into the problem of the Number system being part Arab and the months being part English.
1 = Moja
2 = Mbili
3 = Tatu
4 = Nne
5 = Tano
6 = Sita
7 = Saba
8 = Nane
9 = Tisa
Source:
http://www.masai-mara.com/mmswn.htm
Where 6 and 7 are Arab numbers. As well as 20 and 30, and more.
This leads to the Months being Arab too.
For instance:
Jumatatu (Monday)
Jumanne (Tuesday)
Jumatano (Wednesday)
Alhamisi (Thursday)
Ijumaa (Friday)
Jumamosi (Saturday)
Jumapili (Sunday)
Source: http://www.afropedea.org/african-science/swahili-calendar
Where Thursday and Friday are clearly Arab. Not without irony, Saturday has the number 1 in it; Sunday, 2; Monday, 3 . . . so clearly Thursday and Friday would have 6 and 7 yet neither the numbers 6 nor 7 are non-Arab so one can't use them to find out the original names of these weekdays.
Separately,
Januari
Februari
Machi
Aprili
Mei
Juni
Julai
Agosti
Septemba
Oktoba
Novemba
Desemba
Source: Ibid.
Are clearly English. This site did suggest that there were traditional names of Month 1 and Month 2 e.g. mwezi wa pili . . . but that still doesn't give us insight into what were the original numbers of 6 and 7.
Anyone have any insight?