The following list although is made up of simple short words,they pose a pronunciation challenge even to some who speak Swahili as the first language.This is mainly because,most Swahili words alternate consonants and vowels and all of them ends in a vowels.There are some exceptions.These are the culprits.
Another reason why these particular words are hard to pronounce is because unlike English, Swahili sounds are made up of syllables rather than individual single letters.Therefore when two consecutive consonants are split in pronunciation,they pose a challenge to some speakers.Check out the list below:
1.Nzi(n-zi)-housefly.
2.Nje(n-je)-out/outside
3.Ncha(n-cha)-edge
4.Nchi(n-chi)-country
5.Mtu(m-tu)-a person
6.Mbwa(m-bwa)-a dog/dogs
7.Mchwa(m-chwa)-termite(s)
8.Mto(m-to)-a river,a pillow.
9.Mlinzi(m-li-nzi)-Guardian/guard
10.Mzizi(m-zi-zi)-a root
11.Mvuvi(m-vu-vi)-a fisherman
12.Mvivu(m-vi-vu)- a lazy(person)
13.Mchicha(m-chi-cha)-Amaranthus(a type of vegetable that taste like spinach)
14.Mche(M-che)-cylinderical,a seedling.
15.Mchecheto(m-che-che-to)-Tension
16.Mvunguni(m-vu-ngu-ni)-under things like bed,tables, chairs,etc .
17.Mzinzi(m-zi-nzi)-adulterer
18.Msahaulifu (m-sa-ha-u-li-vu)-forgetful one(of a person or animal).
19.Mvi(m-vi)-grey hair
20.Mbu(m-bu)-mosquito(es).
Many people will tend to add an extra vowel or two to ease the pronunciation of the words.This is wrong because,they will also tend to misspell the very words that they’ve wrongly elongated.Below are examples of common wrongly elongated words:
1.Umbwa instead of mbwa (dog)
2.Inje instead of nje(out, outside)
3.Inchi instead of nchi(country).
4.Inzi instead of nzi (housefly)
5.Umbu instead of mbu(mosquito (es).
NOTE:The wrongly elongated words usually have a completely new different meanings.Eg.
Inchi-inch
Umbu-sibbling
Etc..
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