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March 06, 2005

Tamasheq words you may not know

During my time in Markoy I asked Bill for some examples of really obscure Tamasheq words. Even if you have enrolled in Tamasheq night classes at your local college, it may be a year or two before you learn these:

akmas (verb) - to tie a small quantity of something (e.g. coins) in the corner of a shawl

tafeza (noun) - the dried urine on the tail of a female camel (intended to attract males)

aladad (verb) 1. to secretly milk someone else's cow
2. to suck milk directly from a cow's udder
(usually you would use a calabash for milking, or failing that a shoe or a hat. But if you happen to be in the desert wearing open sandals and a turban, aladad might be your only option)

Unfortunately, Bill has not been able to incorporate any of the above into his translation of the New Testament into Tamasheq.

Posted by sahelsteve at March 6, 2005 08:48 PM