Measurement vocabulary in Luchazi

Measurement vocabulary in Lucazi

Here is a list of common words and phrases used during measurements in Luchazi language and their meanings in English:

1. Aihi = short.
2. Ku hiha = to be short.
3. Vuihi = breath.
4. Alaha = long or high or tall.
5. Vulahe = length or height.
6. Ku-lahesa or lahesa = lengthen.
7. Mu vuhati = at the side or beside.
8. A kama = big.
9. Ku lema = to be heavy.
10. A hehu = light in weight.
11. A lelu = light in weight.
12. Cipeseleso = scale or balance; device for measuring weight or mass.
13. Cipeso = weight; a piece of metal known to weigh a definite amount and used on scales to determine how heavy something is.
14. Peselesa = weigh.
15. Ku peselesa = to weigh.
16. Pezu = weight.
17. Ha pezu = by weight.
18. Njundo = weight.
19. Seteka = compare; set by comparison.
20. Ciseteko = measure or measurements.
21. Viseteko = measurements.
22. Njongo = litre; a small container used as a measure of capacity, equal to a litre.
23. Zinjongo = litres.
24. Mutamba ua njongo = half a litre.
25. Kilu = kilo or pound.
26. Makilu = kilos or pounds.
27. Mukeya = length of forearm; cubit.
28. Kamukeya = cubit.
29. Kacikuta = a small bunch or bundle.

Shapes and sizes in Luchazi

Beeswax and rubber are moulded in shapes and sizes as agreed upon by the producers and traders. Rubber is moulded in the following measures:

1. Mutali = a cylindrical piece about the size of a man’s forearm.
2. Cisama = a rectangular piece about an inch thick; two feet long and a foot wide.
3. Citota = a pile of ten mitali or ten visama.
4. Cipale = a pile of ten vitota.

Beeswax is moulded in the following measures:

1. Mbunge = a spherical mass about one foot in diameter.
2. Lipaua = a rectangular block averaging two feet in length, a foot wide and a foot thick.