Page:Hausa Proverbs.djvu/123

Formation of the Noun of Action III a. FORMATION OF THE NOUN OF ACTION. In Hausa this is formed by prefixing mai (sing.), masu (plural) to a noun, verb, or adjective. A similar construction is to be found in most neigb- bouring langu ages, the word corresponding to mai being sometimes prefixed and sometimes suflSxed. Hausa mai-taffia man going. Kanuri kamm ledjinn man going. Hausa mai kiwo'n doki man feed horse. Kanuri fiirr nyogo ma horse feed man. Hausa mai doki man horse. BOLEWA aim dohsho » Kerrikerri ba dohkii » SONGHAI windi koi house man or owner. J> kwara koi village man or owner, BOLEWA ann subba man coat. Kanuri sagama weave man. M magaarama boat man. Our own horseman, milkman, and Hindustani pani- wallah, punkahwallah, etc., are very similar. Mai., then, has the signification of man, and it may perhaps be found that there is some common root con- nected with the words H^^-j^, m^c-ticm, ma-clie^ ma-tay mu-tane, ma-za.^' Ma-su is the same word made plural by the addition of su. Mai is sometimes pronounced ma before a word beginning with a long syllable as ma-saka, a weaver, where it is desired for some reason to keep that syllable long.