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From: lilandbr@scn.org (Leland Bryant Ross)
Subject: 2 language IDs wanted
Message-ID: <E0J5JL.H7G@scn.org>
Sender: news@scn.org
Reply-To: lilandbr@scn.org (Leland Bryant Ross)
Organization: Seattle Community Network
References: _Chalice Hymnal_, St. Louis, 1995, Nos. 30 & 40
Date: Fri, 8 Nov 1996 02:28:32 GMT
Lines: 41


I'm reading the new Disciples of Christ _Chalice Hymnal_, and I've run 
across two African hymns in it (with African texts and (purported) 
translations) but no indication of the languages in which the texts are 
given.  I would like to know what languages these are, and if anyone 
wants to comment on the translations or provide more literal (though 
perhaps less singable) ones, I'm game.


#30 Masithi                         (Sing amen)

     Masithi: Amen, siyakudumisa.    Sing amen: Amen, we praise your 
                                          name, O God.
     Masithi: Amen, Bawo, amen,      Sing amen: Amen, Bawo, amen, Bawo,
          Bawo, amen, siyakudumisa.       amen, we praise your name,
                                          O God.
     (described as "South African")


#40 Alleluiah! Alleluiah! Jehovah, bubu nawo.

     (described as "from Togo"; "bubu nawo" footnoted as meaning "honor 
                                                                 to you")

The only African language I know any significant amount of is Swahili, 
and when I saw "siyakudumisa" glossed as "we praise your name", it just 
didn't "feel" right, which on reflection I realized was because I "felt" 
it as a Swahili *negative* statement, analogous to "sitakuoni" "I will 
not see you"...  But of course there's no reason why "si" and "ku" have 
to mean the same thing in Zulu or Sotho they do in Swahili...

Anyhow, I'd like to know.

Anticipatory thanks,

Leland
--
Liland Brajant ROS'    			Ae, ka manu iluna oka hale,
P O Box 30091      			"O" ku'u leo "E moe maika'i," 
Seattle, WA 98103 Usono			Kani ku'u leo, ku'u hoapu,
Tel. (206) 633-2434  			Ae, ka manu iluna oka hale.
