njũgũma

Kikuyu

Etymology

Hinde (1904) records njuguma as an equivalent of English knobkerry in “Jogowini dialect” of Kikuyu, listing also Kamba nzoma as its equivalent.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ᶮdʑòɣòmǎ/

As for Tonal Class, Benson (1964) classifies this term into Class 5 with a trisyllabic stem, together with kĩboboto, ndaraca, and so on.

• (Kiambu)

• (Limuru) As for Tonal Class, Yukawa (1981) classifies this term into a group including gĩkwa (pl. ikwa), ithangũ (pl. mathangũ), kiugũ, kĩboko, kĩgunyũ, kĩnya, kĩroboto, kĩrũũmi, mbogo, mũcinga, mũgate, mũhaka, mũrangi, mũrũthi, ndaraca, ndirica, njohi, nyũmba, thĩ, and so on.

Noun

njũgũma class 9/10 (plural njũgũma) (diminutive gacũgũma)

1. knobkerry, a type of throwing club

Derived terms

(Proverbs)

• andũ matarĩ ndundu mahũragwo na njũgũma ĩmwe

See also

• ndotono, rũthanju, thimbũ

References

• Barlow, A. Ruffell (1960). Studies in Kikuyu Grammar and Idiom, p. 235.
• “njũgũma” in Benson, T.G. (1964). Kikuyu-English dictionary, p. 336. Oxford: Clarendon Press.