Omiano vya Tjipangandjara: Otjiherero Proverbs and Idioms

Omiano vyohungiriro. IDIOMS

Omiano vyohungiriro IDIOMS Omuano wohungiriro otjike¿a? Omuano wohungiriro okatimbuhewo poo okamuhewa komaheya nge ha ketasana nomaheya womambo nge ri mokamuhewo ngo nu mbu rihongwa ombomba nao uriri, tjimuna. Otjirongo tji rumata ovinamuinyo (Tji ¿unisa ovinamuinyo). What is an idiom? An idiom is a phrase or sentence whose meaning cannot be deduced from the meaning of its individual words, and which must be learned as a whole unit, e.g. Otjirongo tji rumata ovinamuinyo (literally ‘The place bites livestock’) ‘The place makes livestock fat.’ Omahereroparisiro Idioms Omiano vyohungiriro Literal translation Omatorokero ongarate General meaning Omaheya Context(s) Ongaro mu mu ungurisiwa omuano Idioms 183 1 Otjirongo tji rumata ovinamuinyo. Literal translation The place bites livestock. General meaning Otjirongo tji ¿unisa ovinamuinyo. The place fattens its livestock. Context Omuano mbwi u ungurisiwa omundu tji ma vanga okuhandjaura kutja ovinamuinyo tji vya tura motjirongo ho vi ¿una nawa. It is used to explain that the pasture of a place is good for livestock. 2 Mba ramwa. Literal translation I am choked (by food). General meaning Hi na kutjiwa kutja hi tje vi poo hi tjite vi. I am puzzled (by words or questions). Context U ungurisiwa omundu tje hi na kuyenena okuzirira komambo poo kepuriro nda purwa. It is used when someone does not know how to respond to a question asked of them. 3 Mbi na otji¿a tji matji ndji ri momuinyo. Literal translation I have something that is eating me inside. General meaning Mbi na ouzeu momuinyo. I have a problem that is disturbing my thoughts. Context U ungurisiwa i omundu ngu na ouzeu momuinyo. It is used by a person who is stressed, depressed or miserable. Idioms 184 4 Mba pitwa. Literal translation I am out gone. General meaning Mba pambauka. I am flabbergasted. I am puzzled. Context U ungurisiwa i omundu ngu ma zunÿa ovi¿a. Neye tja munu kutja wa zunÿa otje hungira omuano mbwi. It is used by someone who has erred without a clue of what they’ve done. When they become aware that they have erred they use this idiomatic expression. 5 U nyuta. Literal translation She/he folds. General meaning U rya tjinene. She/he eats too much. Context U ungurisa omundu tji ma yamba omukwao kutja u rya tjinene. It is usually used in gossip, when a person refers to someone who eats too much. 6 Wa tuka mba ma kotoka nambano. Literal translation She/he flew there she/he will come back soon. General meaning Wa i mba tjimanga nu ma kotoka nambano. She/he quickly went somewhere and she/he will return soon. Context U ungurisiwa omundu tji ma vanga okuyenda kwarwe nokukotoka tjimanga. It is used when someone wants to go somewhere quickly and intends to return soon. Idioms 185 7 U nomeho omare. Literal translation She/he has long eyes. General meaning Omukorondu He is a womaniser (when referring to a man) or she is a prostitute (when referring to a woman). Context U ungurisiwa okuyamba omundu ngamwa ngu nomapanga womorusuvero omengi. It is usually used when gossiping about someone who has many sexual partners. 8 Omatwi wa haama ko. Literal translation Ears she/he sits on them. General meaning Omuhahu ka zuvasana. She/he is noncompliant. Context U ungurisiwa komundu ngu ha puratene ku mbi ma raerwa. It is used in reference to someone who refuses, or fails, to comply with what they are told. 9 Ke na matwi. Literal translation She/he does not have ears. General meaning Omuhahu ka zuu. She/he is disobedient. Context U ungurisiwa komundu ngu ha zuu ku mbi ma raerwa. It is used to refer to someone who refuses, or fails, to obey commands. Idioms 186 10 Wa rya ozombapira. Literal translation She/he ate papers. General meaning Wa hongwa nawa. She/he is well-educated. Context U ungurisiwa ohunga nomundu ngu ma yarisa omahongero omawa okuza mu mbi ma hungire. It is used to refer to someone who demonstrates that they are well-educated by the way they speak. 11 Omuzandu ngo wa ningena. Literal translation That boy is wet. General meaning Otjingundi ke na masa. He is frail. Context U ungurisiwa komundu ngu he na omasa morutu na ngu he na ombango ondwe mokutjita ovi¿a. It is used to refer to someone who is physically and/or emotionally weak. 12...