Static linguistic forms in oral literature of the Akamba

The author introduces the concept of static linguistic forms in use among the Akamba. The concept emerges from a consideration of the formal characters of three linguistic forms, namely ndai (synonym of ndao; both ndai and ndao are derived from the verb kutaa which denotes ‘to tutor’, ‘to advise’, ‘to educate’ and ‘to enlighten’), nthimo (derived from the verb kuthima which denotes ‘to measure’ and ‘to weigh’), and mvano, a plural of wano which is derived from the verb kwana meaning to narrate. After discussion of the three static linguistic forms the author demonstrates how they relate to Akamba thought and oral literature. Ref.