3.3.
Adjectives.
Hornby (2001:14) looks at adjectives as being «words that
describe persons or things.»The adjectives in focus in this study are
qualifying and indefinite adjectives. Both of them are the ones which display
diglossic lexical distinction; other adjectives (than the latter) display
diglossic phonological distinction. Example, in numeral adjectives,
«moja» will be used in S and «moya» in B.S.; in
demonstrative adjectives, «huyu» will be used in S and
«uyu» in B.S.; in possessive adjectives, «yao» in S and
«yabo» in B.S. etc.
3.3.1.
Qualifying adjectives
A lot of qualifying adjectives used in S are shared in B.S.
with/out morpho-phonological distinction.
Example:
|
B.S.
|
English equivalents
|
S
|
|
Murefu
|
tall,long
|
Mrefu
|
|
Muzuri
|
Pretty
|
Mzuri
|
|
Wazi
|
Open
|
wazi
|
|
Tayari
|
Ready
|
Tayari
|
For the sake of diglossic lexical distinction, B.S. resorts
largely to borrowings from French, corresponding with their S counterparts as
illustrated here below:
|
B.S.
|
English equivalents
|
S
|
|
Blanc
|
White
|
-eupe
|
|
Jaune
|
Yellow
|
Kimanjano
|
|
Bleu
|
Blue
|
kaniki, samawi
|
|
Hypocrite
|
Hypocrite
|
-nafiki
|
|
Rouge
|
Red
|
-ekundu
|
|
Gaillard
|
Big
|
Kubwa
|
|
Propre
|
Clean
|
Safi
|
|
Faux
|
Bad
|
-baya
|
3.3.2.
Indefinite adjectives
Indefinite adjectives in S are shared in B.S. with/out
(morpho-) phonological distinction.
Example:
|
B.S.
|
English equivalents
|
S
|
|
Moya
|
some/certain
|
Moja
|
|
Bengi
|
Many
|
Wengi
|
|
Fulani
|
some, such
|
Fulani
|
|
Kila
|
Each
|
Kila
|
As far as diglossic lexical distinction is concerned, the
following two indefinite adjectives have been outstanding:
|
B.S.
|
English equivalents
|
S
|
|
Mwenyi/mwenye
e.g.: Mweye atafika...
|
Whosoever
Whosoever comes...
|
yeyote/wowote
Yeyote atakayefika...
|
|
Zimoya
e.g.: Nguo zimoya
|
Same
Same clothes
|
vile vile, sawa sawa
Nguo sawa sawa
|
| 
