English-Turkana Dictionary

Grammar

The usual form of the Turkana sentence is: verb + subject + object
e.g. alosi ayong moi locor: / will go tomorrow to the well. There are
other forms depending on which element in the sentence one wishes
to stress e.g. moi alosi ayong locor: tomorrow I will go to the well;
locor alosi ayong moi: it is to the well I will go tomorrow.

The verb

There are two classes of verbs in the Turkana language: 'T class and
'K' class, each having characteristic vowels 'a' or 'o'. This gives four
different types, which we refer to as being K.A.; K.O.; T.A.; T.O.

1 The imperative form of the verb to beg 'akilip' is kilip/a i.e.

you beg : kiUp

all of you beg : kilipa K.A.

2 The imperatrve form of the verb to herd *akiyok' is kiyok/o i.e.

you herd : kiyok

all of you herd : kiyoko K.O.

3 The imperative form of the verb to weed 'akicap' is tacap/a i.e.

you weed : tacap

all of you weed tacapa T.A.

4 The imperative form of the verb to rest 'akiper' is toper/o i.e.

you rest : toper

all of you rest : topero T.O.

Most of the verbs fit within these four forms. So we have K +
vowel + stem + characteristic vowel or T + vowel + stem +
characteristic vowel. The characteristic vowel is determined by the
vowel in the stem and/or the vowel in the infix of the verb. If the
vowel in the infix is stronger than that in the stem then there can be a
change in the characteristic vowel. This change is easily noticed in the
subjunctive.

It is important to understand the verb in Ngaturkana, as the verb is
the most important element in the language. The capacity of this
language to express the most difficult concepts is conferred on it by its
verb-initial and verb-dominant quality. Until the verb type is known
it is impossible to analyse the language. Once its classification is
known, then an understanding of this language becomes possible.
This is the key to the complicated system of tense, voice and mood; as
well as action, verbal and manner-nouns.

The Turkana verb has six elements:

Ke— (prefix)
-si— (infix)
-cum- (stem)
-an— (infix)
—akin- (infix)
-ete- (suffix)

action being done to me

causative

stem of the verb to spear

frequently

for the purpose

they are doing something

i.e. Kesicumanakinete: they will cause me to kill for them frequently
(literal translation). There is a mortuary ceremony called Ngakisicu-
manakinet: to cause to kill often for the purpose of wiping away tears
of bereavement.

The Turkana verb has four final infixes: un, ar/or, kin, and it. All
verbs can theoretically have these infixes and combinations of them
as our examples below show.

We now illustrate some of these complications by giving some
forms of our four verbs.

1. Akihp K.A.: to pray or beg

Active voice

Infinitive participles

Akilip (K.A.) to pray/beg

Akilipitoi to have prayed
Akilipya to pray with
Akilipitor to have prayed with

Verbal nouns

Ekelipan/Ngikelipak prayer/s; beggar/s
Ekelipiton/Ngikelipitok one who usually prays

Passive voice

Infinitive participles

Akilipo to be prayed/begged
Akilipupu to be in a state of being prayed
Akilipitae to have been begged

Reflexive

Infinitive participles

Akilipa to beg oneself

Akilipar to get oneself prayed for

Manner-nouns

Ekilipe/Ngikilipasinei

a way/s of praying

Instruments

Ekilipet/Ngikilipet

Akilipet/Ngakilipet

Ikilipet/Ngikiiipet

instrument for praying/pl. (masculine)
" /pi. (feminine)
' /pi. (neuter)

Action-noun

AkiHpet/Ngakilipeta

a praying/prayings

Reflexive

Erono akilipa bon

to be 'asking' oneself is bad

Infinitive nouns

Ejoikinit akilip
Eparing akilipo
Erono akilipa bon
Akilip/Ngakilipeta

it is good to pray
it is difficult to pray
it is bad to beg oneself
praying/prayings

Participles

Active

Ekelipan lo
Ekelipiton lo

this prayer

this common beggar

Passive

Akilipet/Ngakilipeta: Na/Nu
Akilipupu/na ngakilipupu/nu

Infinitive abstract nouns

Akilipanot/Ngakilipanotin

Verbal adjectives

the place/s to be prayed in
the begged one

praying/s

Ilipana/Ilipaka

this person is adept at praying

Ekelipan/Ngikelipak

beggar/s

Ilipana apese na

this girl likes to pray

Apese na ilipana na

this is the girl who likes to pray

Infinitives of verb akilip K.A.: to beg

akilip to beg

akilipun "

this way

akilipar "

that way

akilipakin "

for

akilipenen "

frequently

akilipunun "

" this way

akilipanar "

that way

akilipanakin "

for

akilipilip "

repeatedly

akilipilipun

" this way

akilipilipar "

" that way

akilipilipakin

for

Causative infinitives

akisilip to c

ause to beg

akisilipun

this way

akisilipar

that way

akisilipakakin

" for

akisilipenen

frequently

akisilipunun

this way

akisilipanar

that way

akisilipanakin

for

akisilipilip

" repeatedly

akisilipilipun

this way

akisilipilipar

that way

akisilipilipakin

for

To all these the infix 'it' c

an be added, which gives the notion of a

customary action e.g. akil

Lpit, akilipunit

The causative form of the *K' class verb is s + vowel:

akisilipanakin : to cause to beg for often
akisicumanakin : to cause to spear for often

All these infixed verbs have the same complicated system of tense,
voice and mood as well as action, verbal and manner-nouns

2. Akiyok K.O.: to herd

Active voice

Infinitive participles

Akiyok (K.O.) to herd

Akiyokitoi to have herded

Akiyokyo to herd with

Akiyokitor to have herded with

Verbal nouns

Ekeyokon/Ngikeyokok one who herds/pl.

Ekeyokiton/Ngikeyokitok one who usually herds/pL

Passive voice

infinitive participles

Akiyoko to be herded

Akiyokoku to be in a herded state
Akiyokitoi to have been herded

Reflexive

Infinitive participles

Akiyoko to herd itself
Akiyokor to get itself herded

Manner-nouns

Ekiyokiye/Ngikiyokisyo a way of herding/ways of herding

Instruments

Ekiyokiet/Ngikiyokiet instrument/s for herding, (masculine)
Akiyokiet/Ngakiyokiet " " " (feminine)

Ikiyokiet/Ngikiyokiet " " " (neuter)

Action-noun

Akiyoket/Ngakiyoketa a herding/herdings
Reflexive

Ekiyokiye lo kon erono this herding of yours is bad
Infinitive nouns

Ejoikinit akiyok it is good to herd

Epiring akiyoko
Erono akiyoko bon

Akiyoket/Ngayoketa

Participles

it is strange to be herded
herding in itself is bad
herding/herdings

Ekeyokon lo
Ekeyokiton lo

this herder

this usual herder

Passive

(Acokor: usual word for the place of herding)
Ayokor/Ngayokorisyo: Na/Nu the pJace/s of herding

Infinitive abstract noun

Akiyoket/Ngakiyoketa a herding/herdings

Verbal adjectives

Ekeyokon/Ngikeyokok
lyokono/Iyokoku
lyokono idia lo
Idia lo iyokono lo

Infinitives of verb akiyok K.O.: to herd

to herd

herding/herders

adept person in herding

this boy likes to herd

this is the boy who likes to herd

akiyok

akiyokun

akiyokior

akiyokin

akiyokenen

akiyokunun

akiyokonor

akiyokonokin

akiyokoyok

akiyokoyokun

akiyokoyokor

akiyokoyokokin

Causative infinitive

akisiyok

akisiyokun

akisiyokior

akisiyokin

akisiyokenen

akisiyokunun

akisyokonor

akisiyokonokin

akisiyokoyok

akisiyokoyokun

akisiyokoyokor

this way
that way
for
frequently

repeatedly

this way
that way
for

this way
that way
for

to cause to herd

this way
that way
for
frequently

repeatedly

this way
that way
for

this way
that way

akisiyokoyokokin to cause to herd repeatedly for

To all these infinitives the Mt' form can be addgd.

3. Akicap T.A.: to weed

Active voice

Infinitive participles

Akicap (T.A.) to weed

Acapitoi to have weeded

Acapya to weed with

Acapitor to have weeded with

Verbal nouns

Ekacapan/Ngikacapak weeder/s

Ekacapiton/Ngikacapitok one who usually weeds/pl.

Passive voice

Infinitive participles

Acapo to be weeded

Acapapu to be in a weeded state
Acapitae to have been weeded

Reflexive

Infinitive participles

Acapa to weed itself
Acapar to get itself weeded

Manner-nouns

Ecape/Ngicapesyo a way of weeding/ways of weeding

Instruments

Ecapet/Ngicapeta instrument for weeding/pl. (masculine)
Acapet/Ngacapeta " " " /pi. (feminine)

Icapet/Ngicapeta " " " /pi. (neuter)

Action-noun

Acapet/Ngacapeta a weeding/weedings
Reflexive

Ecape lo erono this weeding is bad

Infinitive nouns

Ejoikinit akicap it is good to weed

Eparing acapo it is strange for it to be weeded

Erono 'acapa' bon weeding in itself is bad

Akicap/Ngacapeta weeding/weedings

this weeder

this usual weeder

Participles

Active

Ekacapan lo
Ekacapiton !o

Passive

Acapat na/Ngacapan nu
Acapap na/Ngacapap nu

Infinitive abstract nouns

Acapanot/Ngacapanotin

Verbal adjectives in participle form

Ekacapan/Ngikacapak weeder/weeders

Ekacapana/Ekacapaka adept person in weeding/pi

Ecapana apese na this girl likes to weed

Apese na ecapana na this is the girl who likes to weed

Infinitives of verb akicap T.A.: to weed

the place to be weeded/pl
the weeded one/pl

this weeding/pl

akicap to we

ed

acapun

tf

this way

acapar

H

that way

acapakin

It

for

acapenen

tf

frequently

acapunun

tt

" this way

acapanar

tt

" that way

acapanakin

tf

for

acapacap

ft

repeatedly

acapacapun

tf

" this way

acapacapar

It

" that way

acapacapakin

ft

for

Causative infinitives

akitacap

to cause to weed

akitacapun

ft

' this way

akitacapar

If

that way

akitacapakin

It

for

akitacapenen

It

frequently

akitacapunun

It

" this way

akitacapanar

tt

that way

akitacapanakin

If

for

akitacapacap

It

' repeatedly

akitacapacapun

tt

this way

akitacapacapar

It

that way

akitacapacapakin

for

To all these the infix

it'

can be added, which gives the notion of

customary action e.g.

acapunit, acapa

rit.

4. Akiper T.O.: to rest/sleep
Active voice

Infinitive participles

Akiper (T.O) to sleep

Aperitoi to have slept
Aperyo to sleep with
Aperitor to have slept with

Verbal nouns

Ekaperon/Ngikaperok sleeper/s
Ekaperiton/Ngikaperitok usual sleeper/s

Passive voice

Infinitive participles

Apero

Aperitoi

Aperot/Ngaperon

a place which can be slept in
to have been used for sleeping
a place which has been slept in/pl.

Reflexive

Infinitive participles

Apero bon to sleep alone
Aperor bon to sleep away alone

Manner-nouns

Epere/Ngiperesinei

a way/s of sleeping

Instruments

Eperiet/Ngiperiet

Aperiet/Ngaperiet

Iperiet/Ngiperiet

a thing/s for sleeping in (masculine)
" " (feminine)
(neuter)

Action-nouns

Aperet/Ngapereto

a sleeping/s

Reflexive

Epere lo erono

this sleeping is bad

Infinitive nouns

Ejoikinit akiper
Eparing epere
Erono apero bon
Aperit/Ngaperito

it is good to sleep

it is difficult to' sleep

it is wrong to sleep alone

sleeping/s

Participles

Active

Ekaperon lo this sleeper

Ekaperiton io
Passive

this common sleeper

Aperot na the place to be slept in

Ngaperon nu the places to be slept in

Infinitive abstract nouns

Aperonot/Ngaperonotin sleeping/s

Verbal adjectives

Ekaperon/Ngikaperok
Eperono/Eperoko
Eperono apese na
Apese na eperono na

Infinitives of verb akiper T.O.: to rest/sleep

sleeper/s

adept sleeper/s

this girl likes to sleep

this is a girl who likes to sleep

akiper

to rest

ape run

this way

aperor

' that way

aperokin

' for

aperenen

frequently

aperunun

this way

aperonor

that way

aperonokin

for

aperiperit

' repeatedly

aperiperun

this way

aperiperor

that way

aperiperokin

for

Causative infinitive

a ki toper

to cause to rest

akitoperun

/

' this way

akitoperor

t

that way

akitoperokin

f

' for

akitoperenen

f

' frequently

akitoperunun

t

' " this way

akitoperonor

f

that way

akitoperokin

t

for

akitoperiper

t

repeatedly

akitoperiperun

t

this way

akitoperiperor

f

that way

akitoperiperokin

for

To all these the infix

'it' can be added to give the notion of customary

action e.g. aperit, akiperit.

The causative form of t

hen

^' class V

erb is t + vowel:

akitoper to cause to rest
akituduk to cause to build

XIX

akiteen to cause to tie

So the number of Turkana infinitives reaches fifty five for every verb.

Verb tenses

There are so many tenses that it would be impossible to give them
here. However let me give a few of the more common and simple-
tenses. Let us take the verb to weed (akicap) and the verb to beg or
pray (akilip).

Past

elipi (I prayed)

ilipi

elipi

(i)kilipi

ilipete

elipete

acapi (I weeded)

icapi

acapi

(i)kicapi

icapete

acapete

Narrative

elip (and I

prayed)
kiiip
kilip
elipa
kilipa
kilipa

atacap (and I

weeded)
tacap
tacap
atacapa
tacapa
tacapa

Present

elipi (I am praying)

ilipi

ilipi

(i)kilipi

ilipete

ilipete

acapi (I am weeding)

icapi

ecapi

(i)kicapi

icapete

ecapete

Contemporary

elipi (while I was

praying)
kilipi
kilipi
elipete
kilipete
kilipete

atacapi (while I was

weeding)
tacapi
tacapi
atacapete
tacapete
tacapete

Future

elipi + moi (I will pray)

ilipi

ilipi

(i) kilipi "

ilipete

ilipete

acapi + moi (I will weed)

icapi "

ecapi "

(i)kicapi "

icapete "

ecapete "

Root Past

elip (I really
prayed)
ilip
elip
(i)kilip
ilipa
eUpa

acap (I really

weeded)
icap
acap
(i)kicap
icapa
icapa

Negatives

Prefix ny to make the negative nyelipi: I am not praying. Another
negative is pa + verb e.g. pa alosi: I am not going.

Subjunctive

This tense is made by adding ya (ia) or yo (io) to the personal prefix

XX

and the root of the verb in the singular, and yata (iata) or yoto (ioto)
in the plural e.g.

acapya kicapya ecapyata
elipya kilipya ilipyata

Conditional

It is formed by putting *k' before the personal prefixes of the tenses
we know. The present and past however are the same:

kacapit: if I weed; if I weeded.

Ani or kerai can also be used with the verb:

ani kacapi: if I weed

Nouns

Ngaturkana has no articles, but has three genders for nouns viz.
masculine, feminine and common (neuter). It distinguishes between
singular and plural by means of:

1 Regular prefixes and irregular suffixes

2 Regular prefixes and suffixes of verbal nouns

3 Special prefixes for kinship terms

4 Nouns without gender prefix

5 Other plurals

1 Regular prefixes and irregular suffixes

Singular Plural

aberu ngaberu woman/women

ekile ngikilyok

(ngigiliok) man/men

ikoku ngide child/children

So the prefixes are:

Singular Plural

Feminine a- nga—
Masculine e - ngi —
Neuter i— ngi—

2 Regular prefixes and suffixes of verbal nouns

Theoretically all infinitives of a verb are verbal nouns, as shown
above for akicap: to weed and akiyok: to herd. Also the four
participles of a verb are verbal nouns.

ekacapan lo this weeder

ekacapiton lo this usual weeder

acapat/ngacapan: na/nu the place to be weeded/pl

acapap/na ngacapap/nu the weeding one/pl

3 Special prefixes for kinship terms

Here in the singular the feminine prefix a is replaced by na (like
locative), the masculine e with lo, but the neuter retains i.

nakaato

my sister (of mother)

lokaato

my brother (of mother)

ikaato

my small sister or brother

nakaapa

my 'half sister (of father)

lokaapa

my 'half brother (of father)

ikaapa

my small half-sister/brother

Nouns without gender prefix

Kuju

North

Kwap

South

Kide

East

Too

West

5 Other plurals

No singular prefix and 'ta' plural.

lokuto/talokuto also ngikutoi aardvark/s

panase/tapanase aardwolf/s

apa/taapa father/s

ito/taito mother/s

amae/tamae uncle/s

eya/taeya aunt/s

Living plants and grasses are usually masculine:

etir: acacia tortilis (young)
eowi: acacia tortilis (mature)
esekon: salvadora persica

Cut down trees and grasses become feminine:

ekitoe: tree akitoe: cut tree

nginya: grass nganya: cut grass

The names of foreign peoples are masculine, their languages are
feminine:

Ngitoposa ngatoposa
Ngijie ngajie

Foreign liquids are generally masculine singular and indigenous
ones feminine plural:

ebeer: beer (no plural)
epepsi: pepsi "

(no singular) ngakipi: water

" ngakile: milk

Classes of nouns

There are nine classes according to my classification:

1 Infinitives of transitive verbs e.g. akigir: writing

2 Infinitives of intransitive verbs e.g. akibusokin: falling

3 Those got from primitive verbs of quality e.g. aosou: cleverness

4 Those got from derived verbs of quality e.g. abanganut: stupidity

5 Concrete nouns from verbs of quality ending in ana (emudukana/
emudukaka) e.g. emudukanot: blind man

6 Nouns of action e.g. ekaswoman: reader

7 Instrumental nouns e.g. ebanyet: instrument for shaving

8 Nouns made by adding 'it' e.g. edukit: way of building

9 Compound nouns e.g. taataa: grandmothers

Pronouns and adjectives

Personal pronouns

ayong I ngoni (sua) we

iyong you iyesi you (plural)

inges she/he ikes they

Possessive adjectives

kang my yok (kosi) ours

kon yours kus yours

keng his kec theirs

These adjectives can be placed within or after the nouns:

After Within

awi kang akaawi

erot kon ekonirot

ikoku keng ikeekoku

akwap yok ayokokwap (inclusive)

akwap kosi akosikwap (exclusive)

ngatuk kus ngakusituk

ngimongin kec ngikecemongin

Relative pronouns

These agree in gender and number with noun:

Singular Plural

M ngolo ngulu

F ngina nguna

C ngini ngulu

e.g. ekile ngolo the man who

ngikiliok ngulu the men who

apese ngina the girl who

ngapesur nguna the girls who

ikoku ngini
ngide ngulu

the child who
the children who

Possessive pronouns/adjectives

Singular

Plural

ekang: mine

akang

ikang

ngolo kang: mine

ngina kang

ngini kang

ngikang
ngakang
ngikang
ngulu kang
nguna kang
ngulu kang

Demonstrative pronouns/adjectives

Singular

Plural

M

lo, logo

this

lu, lugu

these

F
C

na, naga
en, egen

tt

nu, nugu
lu, lugu

tt
tt

e.g.

ekile lo
logo

this man
this one

ngikiliok lugu
lugu

these men
these ones

M
F
C

ye, yege
ya, yaga
U igi

that

kui, kukwi
kwa, kokwa
kui, kukwi

those

ft

tt

e-g-

emoru ye
yege

that hill
that one

ngimoru kui
kui

those hills
those ones

M

ngolo, ngol

that near

ngulu, ngul

those near

F
C

ngina, ngin
ngini, ngin

H
tt

nguna, ngun
ngulu, ngul

tt
tt

e.g.

apese ngina
ngin

that girl
that one

ngapesur nguna
ngun

those girls
those ones

All demonstrative pronouns and adjectives may be augmented or
quantified by inserting *ti' (singular) and 'koo' or 'koso' (plural)
between the nominal gender prefix and its nominal stem:

atiberu na this big woman

ngakosoberu nu these big women

It is commonly used between demonstratives:

lotilo

lukosolu

yetiye

kuikosokui

ngolotingol

ngulukosongul

this big man
those big men
that big man (far)
those big men (far)
that big man (near)
those big men (near)

XXIV

Demonstratives can convey the notion of smallness by using 'dyo'
singular and 'di' plural:

adyokimuj some little food
ngadikipi some little water

The notion of sameness can be conveyed by the infix 'pei':

lopeikilelo this very same man

lupeikilioklu these very same men

Interrogative pronouns and adjectives

ngae (tangae plural)? who?

e.g. ngae elosi? who goes?

tangae elosete? who are going?

Singular Plural

M ali (nyali)? alu (nyalu)?

F ani (nyani)? anu (nyanu)?
C ani (nyani)? alu (nyalu)?

(who, what, which, where)?

alikile? which man?

aniberu? which woman?

anikoku? which child?

nyah ekile tokona? where is the man now?

nyani apese? where is the girl?

nyanu ngatuk? where are the cows?

fiow many is expressed:

ngiai ngikiliok? how many men?
ngaai ngatuk? how many cows?

ngiai ngide? how many children?

They are so many indicating the number with a show of fingers:

emwakasi ngikiliok ngine the men are so many
emwakasi ngatuk ngane the cows are so many

The feminine form ngane is often used with a masculine noun:

ngimongin (ngane) ngine so many oxen

Indefinite pronouns and adjectives

ati (plural, taati) such a person

nyali ati? where is so and so?

eyei ati ai?

ngolokile? any man who?

nginapese? any girl who?

nginikoku isaki iyong? whichever child you want?

ngulukiliok? any men who?

Some or a little is expressed:

Singular Plural

edyo ngidi

adyo ngadi

idyo ngidi

e.g.

nakinae edyobela give me

" adyokiring give me

" idyokale give me

" ngidibaren give me

" ngadikile give me

" ngidikidyo give me

The other is expressed:
Singular Plural

a Httle stick
some meat
a small kid
some cattle
some milk
just a little

eg

ece

ngice

ace

ngace

ice

ngice

ecekile or ekile ece

another man

acepese or
icekoku or

apese ace
iicoku ice

another woman
another child

ngicekiliok
ngacepesur

other man
other girls

Singular

Plural

ngoloce

nguluce

nginace
nginice

ngunace
nguluce

e.g.

ekile ngoloce the other man

apese nginace the other girl

ibore nginice the other thing

The concept small can be rendered by:

Singular Plural

cici cicik

e.g.

lodyocici

the little man

nadyocici

the little woman

nidyocici

the little child

ludicicik

the httle men

ngaberu ngadicicik

the little woman

ngide ngulucicik

the little children

^^g

Singular

Plural

loci

lucik

naci

nacik

nici

lucik

ckile loci

the small man

loci (m)

the small one

naci (f)

ff

nici (c)

n

^verbs

ori?

when?

anukiro?

for what reason?

nyo?

why?

kainyo?

why?

inyo?

in what manner?

ai?

where?

nyo bo?

why again?

Bibliography

Barton, J. Turkana grammatical notes ^ 1921
Emely, E.D. The Turkana of Kolosia District, J.R.A.I., 57, 1927
Gulliver, Pamela. Turkana — English Dictionary, MS
Hulley,D.M. Vocabulary and grammar for use in Turkana^ Karamoja

and Topossa, Kampala, 1923
Johnson, H. The Uganda Protectorate, Vol. 2, London, 1902
Raglan, Lord. Some roots common to the Turkana, Kotuko and Bari

languages, 1926
There are short lists of vocabularies given by Barrett in MS
form: Rev. M. Brenrtan (1964), Kelly (1969), Anderson (1974) and
Best (1983)

Linguistic works by:

Dimmendal, G.J. The Turkana language, Foris Publications, 1983
Heine, B. and Mohlig, W.J.G. The non-Bantu languages of Kenya,

1980
Polley, L. and Jeffrey, D. Phonological structure of Turkana, 1977
A rather comprehensive bibliography has been put together by

Oxfam:
Oxfam, Selected Bibliography 1985, Oxfam Turkana District, P.O.

Box 40680, Nairobi

English - Turkana
Dictionary

Compiled by A. Barrett

Copyright © A Barrett, 1988

Published by

Macmillan Kenya (Publishers) Limited

P.O. Box 30797

Kijabe Street

Nairobi

ISBN 0-333-44577-5

Printed in Hong Kong