thiruai

Kikuyu edit

thiruai (Taurotragus oryx)

Alternative forms edit

thirua

Etymology edit

Benson (1964) suspects affinity with Maasai o-sirua (“eland”).

Pronunciation edit

IPA^(key): /ðiɾuai/, /ðiɾoai/

As for Tonal Class, Benson (1964) classifies this term into Class 5.

(Murang'a) IPA^(key): /ðí.ɾwà.íꜜ/

The same underlying pattern as that of mindira.^[1]

(Nyeri) IPA^(key): /ðì.ɾwá.ǐ/^[1]
(Ndia) IPA^(key): /ðí.ɾwá.ì/

The same underlying pattern as that of njohero.^[1]

Noun edit

thiruai class 9/10 (plural thiruai)

eland
Synonym: namũ

Related terms edit

(Nouns)

gĩthirua class 7

References edit

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Kagaya, Ryohei (1982). "Tonal Analysis of Kikuyu Nouns in Three Dialects: Murang'a, Nyeri and Ndia." In Journal of Asian and African Studies, No. 24, 1–42.

“thirua” in Benson, T.G. (1964). Kikuyu-English dictionary, p. 517. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Kingdon, Jonathan (1982). East African Mammals: An Atlas of Evolution in Africa, Volume III Part C (Bovids), p. 126. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. →ISBN
Leakey, L. S. B. (1977). The Southern Kikuyu before 1903, v. I, p. 451. →ISBN

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