meanings of kanyera

[Steven Paas]

Dear Language Friends,

 

The exchange of thoughts on ‘kanyera’ [according to the entry in our dictionary: 1..piles -protruding on the anus, 2.haemorrhoids] has produced the quite a number of  ideas, e.g.:

-the feeling of chills in warm weather,  which is caused by any (?) disease that gives you fever, for example malungo, chitayo.

-possible connection with lore [what kind of disease is this? name in English?]

-a sexually transmitted disease’, ‘kumva tseke-tseke m’mabondo’, or ‘church ya napuse’ [meaning of these terms?]

-some secrecy one cannot on the forum because there are a lot of ‘alukhu’ around.

-anthu amene amanyolonyoka [combination of the meanings of –nyola and –nyoka?].

-nothing to do with kobirira [meaning in English?]

-term that evokes a Spanish swearword

-difficult to define because ‘very few disease would have its own signs and symptoms’.

 

The word kanyera is likely to have at least has more meanings than piles/ haemorroids.  It may be difficult but not impossible to define or delineate those meanings. I am looking forward to more suggestions, also with regard to the questions in square brackets. How to amend or correct the entry of kanyera?

 

Thanks for your assistance,

 

Steven

 

From: Dr. A Muula

Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 1:31 PM

To: civs...@sdnp.org.mw

Cc: nyas...@listserv.icors.org ; freeny...@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [Civsoc-mw] Kanyera

 

Interesting. But what is a "definition". My understanding is that the term "definition" obtains from latin "definire" which is to build a fence around something. Definitions are by their definition, incomplete. Kanyere could mean many things, just like malungo as we define it in vernacular is not just malaria. The modern medical man and woman have translated malungo to mean malaria.

 

You will also know that we have "mauka" in Chichewa. Lord..mauka is many things, some itchy, some not itchy, some being sores some not being sores, some being discharges, some not being discharges. So, Kanyera could also be more than one thing especially if its definition is based on symptoms and signs. I could say generally, very few disease would have its own signs and symptoms.

 

Adamson

On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 1:00 AM, <tlika...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Steven,

Your dictionary definitions (below) do not appear to include the feeling of chills in warm weather which is, according to common understanding, the defining symptom of Kanyera. Is it your suggestion that Piles and Haemorrhoids are accompanied by this symptom? If not, then perhaps they are a different kettle of fish altogether.

My own suspicion is that Kanyera does not exist as a singular affliction. The most likely agent, or among the likely agents (acting in unison to cause Kanyera symptoms) must be Malaria - Plasmodium  working in concert with another infection.
I suspect the same for that other afflication of lore which, somehow, does not exist in the western world where Malaria is rare or non-existent: the instant killer Chitayo amwene!

Ambuje

On Jun 16, 2013, at 3:27 PM, "Steven Paas" <s.p...@kpnplanet.nl> wrote:

Dear Language Friends,
In my view the discussion on the meaning of ‘kanyera’ has not yet resulted in a clear definition.  Can’t we do better than only referring to ‘feeling chilly in hot weather’, ‘sexually transmitted disease’, ‘kumva tseke-tseke m’mabondo’, or ‘church ya napuse’?
Our Online Chichewa Dictionary, http://translate.chichewadictionary.org , has this:
kanyera 1.piles (protruding on the anus); 2.haemorrhoids;
You may not be satified with this definition. If so, please comment, correct, add.
Zikomo,
Steven Paas
Sent from my Blackberry® on the Videotron Mobile Network

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[Steven Paas]

Thank you Pia,

 

Yes, I will be happy to throw out the rectum-related meaning IF we can be sure that it does not apply to kanyera at all.

 

However, there seems to be a mystery around the word. Can’t we remove the shroud a bit? What would you suggest for:

a.translation of kanyera.

b.one or two sentences in which the word is properly used

 

-nyera and -biba are both in the dictionary, please check whether you are satisfied with the definitions., http://translate.chichewadictionary.org Anyway your example sentence for -biba is nice and welcome.

 

Steven

 

From: pia likoya

Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 4:34 PM

To: civs...@sdnp.org.mw ; bwalo-la-...@googlegroups.com

Subject: Re: [Civsoc-mw] meanings of kanyera

 

steven,

perhaps a good start would be to disabuse yourself from the erroneous perception that 'kanyera' has something to do with the verb 'kunyera'. the latter means to defecate. the affliction 'kanyera' at least as far as i'm aware has nothing to do with the rectum or what comes out of it. at best it is an sti whose details seem to be shrouded in mystery.

 

i suppose just like chitayo, kanyera is used in malawi culture to caution young men against associating with women who're not 'clean' (eg due to kumwezi/period).

 

not that i contest kanyera's existence but more i feel it is highly exaggerated. like the bit about 'tseke-tseke m'mabondo' sounds like a figment of somebody's wild imagination.

 

by the way, kubiba = to defecate as well. not sure about the etymology of this term. it is usually used as a respectable term for kunyera eg when a baby has soiled its nappies, we often say mwana wabiba (to poop).

 

my tuppence worth.

 

cheers,

pia.

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From: s.p...@kpnplanet.nl
To: civs...@sdnp.org.mw; bwalo-la-...@googlegroups.com
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:46:48 +0200
Subject: [Civsoc-mw] meanings of kanyera