A Handbook of the Ila Language (Commonly Called the Seshukulumbwe)
Spoken in North-Western Rhodesia, South-Central Africa; Comprising Grammar, Exercises, Specimens of Ila Tales, and Vocabularies (Classic Reprint)
Description:... Excerpt from A Handbook of the Ila Language (Commonly Called the Seshukulumbwe): Spoken in North-Western Rhodesia, South-Central Africa; Comprising Grammar, Exercises, Specimens of Ila Tales, and Vocabularies ON my arrival at N anzela in july, 1902, I found it necessary to commence at the very beginning in learning the language, for nothing had as yet been done to reduce it to a written form. I was fortunate in having some knowledge of the Suto language and in securing as my first assistant a young man who knew considerable Suto as well as Ila. With his help I began at once to compile a vocabulary and to make grammatical notes. After a time I found that this man used a dialect which was more like Tonga than real Ila; so I procured the assistance of another young man, who was a true Mwila, and who had lived for some time at the mission. He has continued to be my assistant since then, and his help has been invaluable. The extensive knowledge he has displayed of his own language, and especially the copious ness of his vocabulary, have been a constant source of wonder and pleasure to me. From the beginning I had the intention of compiling such a Handbook as this; and I now submit the result of my labours to my fellow pioneers in N orth-western Rhodesia, trusting that they may find it a help in learning the language.
I do not pretend to have mastered every detail of the language but as it is certain that I shall have to make the same remark if I continue my studies for many years, I do not think that is a reason for delaying the publication of the book. Whatever has been omitted through' ignorance or inadvertence, the main outlines of the language will, I believe, be found correctly delineated.
And here I should like to utter a word of caution. If any one using this book finds that some expression he has caught from a native is different in sound or form from what he reads here, I would ask him not to hastily conclude that I am wrong. In different parts of the country different words are used, and the same words may occur in slightly different forms; indeed one man will at one time pronounce a word in a certain way and at.
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