Structure and message: A look at four Swahili stories

Abstract

For some time now I have been interested in structures in Swahili which seem to relate to the question of ‘self’ versus ‘non-self’. For example, the expression in English ‘he was seized with remorse’ seems to suggest to some extent that remorse is something separate from the self—although “he was seized by remorse' would give the impression even more strongly. In Swahili it is normal for expressions with regard to emotion, illness, pain and other states affecting the self to be expressed in terms of subject and object, with the 'non-self, i.e. the feeling, as the active participant, for example, alishikwa na homa—‘he was seized by fever’; homa ilimshika—‘fever seized him’.

Vir 'n geruime tyd interesseer strukture in Swahili my wat verband hou met die begrippe ‘self’ en ‘non-self. Die volgende dien as voorbeeld: Die Engelse uitdrukking ’He was seized with remorse ‘Hy het berou gehad’ impliseer dat berou iets is wat buite die self lê. Die uitdrukking He was seized by remorse ‘Berou het hom oorval’ druk hierdie idee nog sterker uit. In Swahili is dit gebruiklik om uitdrukkings wat verband hou met emosie, siekte, pyn en soortgelyke toestande wat die ‘self affekteer, uit te druk in terme van die’ non-self. Die gevoel of emosie word met ander woorde as die ‘aktiewe agent’ (die ‘non-self’) verwoord teenoor die ‘self wat die geaffekteerde party is.’ Ter illustrasie: alishikwa na homa ‘hy is deur die koors oorval’; homa ilimshika ‘die koors het hom oorval’.