Vundhzawu

Ntsongahato kumbe ntsongohato? (Tsongalization or formation of diminutives?)

Xana loko hi endla leswaku nchumu wu va wutsongo, ha wu tsongahata kumbe ha wu tsongohata?

Swihlovo swo tala swi vulavula hi ntsongahato wa marito (diminutive forms). Swikombiso: homu > xihon'wana nhloko > xinhlokwana murhi > ximudyana saka > xisakana vele > xivedyana

Leswi endliweke eka swikombiso leswi a hi ku tsongahata marito kambe i ku ma tsongohata. Ku na ku hambana exikarhi ka nsinya wa rito -tsonga na -tsongo. Nsinya wa -tsonga lowu hetelelaka hi -a hi lowu wu vumbaka marito yo fana na Xitsonga, Mutsonga, Vatsonga, kasi nsinya lowu hetelelaka hi -o i nsinya wa rihlawuri lowu vumbaka marito yo fana na -tsongola, lexitsongo, ntsongwana, katsongo, na man'wana.

Hi marito man'wana, loko hi tsongahata xanchumu hi endla leswaku xi hundzuka xa Xitsonga, kasi loko hi tsongohata xanchumu hi endla leswaku xi hundzuka lexitsongo. Hikokwalaho, loko hi tsongahata rito Xinghezi 'Bible' hi ri hundzula ri va 'Bibele' kasi loko hi tsongahata rito ra 'Bibele' ri ta hundzuka 'Xibibelana'.

Hi Xinghezi hi nga swi vekisa xileswi: Is the correct word for 'diminutive' ntsongahato or ntsongohato? The argument here is that there is a difference between the two words. The word 'ntsongahato' derives from the stem -tsonga (with the terminative vowel -a) whose derivatives are words like Xitsonga, Mutsonga, Vatsonga. Contrary to this, the stem -tsongo (with the terminative vowel -o) is used to form diminutives. In other words when we Tsongalize (by using the stem -tsonga) the English word 'Bible' it will become 'Bibele' whereas when we diminutize (by using the stem -tsongo) it will become 'Xibibelana' (a mini Bible).