ma-, prefix2
/ma/
A Sotho and Setswana plural noun prefix found in some words originating in these languages.
- Note:
- For examples, see kgotla, Lekgoa, makatane, Matabele. In Sotho and seTswana, the singular of words beginning ma- is formed by replacing this prefix with le- or by dropping the prefix. In South African English, this pattern is not always observed, and words in the plural forms are sometimes treated as singular nouns, an -s being added to form the English plural. See also le-.
A Sotho and Setswana plural noun prefix found in some words originating in these languages.
Copyright © 2023 Dictionary Unit for South African English.
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