design

arʉ̂s Nom sg: árʉ̀s. Acc pl: arúsì. Nom pl: árusí. adj. 1 • Spotted black and white on the sides to underside; spots typically spread from the dewlap to the teats. Restrict: cattle. Náà ɛ́ntɛrɛwakákɨ̀ ɔlɔɨŋɔ́nɨ̀ láí arʉ̂s. And please bring me my bull that is spotted black and white underneath. (Pk).

2 • Black mixed with white (e.g the hair of an elderly ethnic black person, before it has turned completely white).

3 • Spotted, referring to the skin of a person. Usage: derog. Órè olconí lɛ Lɛriónkà nɛ́taá apá arʉ̂s tɛnkárakɨ́ ɨlɛpɛ́dɔ̀. Lerionka's skin is spotted because of scabies. If an animal is arʉ̂s over its whole body, it may be called pʉ̂s. See: pʉ̂s ‘Blue’.

ɛnk-arʉ̂s n. Spotted one. Kéló ɛnkárʉ̀s. The spotted one will go. (Pk).

dɛ́rɛ̀ Nom sg: dɛ́rɛ̂. Acc pl: dérèì. Nom pl: déréì. adj. Combination of black and white, with black dominating; may have shades of green to yellow but is basically "gray". The color could be temporary, as when an item is covered with dark gray dust. Color of a mouse or vervet monkey. Ɛtɨmɨrákɨ̀ ɛnkáshê dɛ́rɛ̀. The mouse-gray heifer has been sold. Kɛ́ɨ́dɛ́rɛ̀ ŋolé ɛnkɨ́nʉkʉ́. The mist yesterday was mouse-gray. See: en-derónì ‘Mouse, rat’.

a-irimó v.mid. To be spotted or dotted, involving at least two colors of spots (e.g. black and red, brown and black, white and red, black and white). The spots are conspicuous but not as big as tárâ. For S, the spots are congenital, not the result of a-irím. ɔlmɛʉ́t oirímò spotted giraffe. ɔrmɛʉ́t oirímò spotted giraffe (Pk). Kéírímò apá ɔlapá ashé ɔ́tɨmɨrá mpapá. The calf that Dad sold was spotted. (Pk).

a-irimó é nyókîê Spotted red.

a-irimó ɛ́ rɔ̂k Spotted black. See: a-irím ‘To daub, splatter’.

kerî₁ Nom sg: kerí?. Acc pl: kerîn. Nom pl: kérìn. adj. Spotted. ɛnkɨ́tɛ́ŋ kerî spotted cow. The spotting need not be everywhere uniform.

en-kerî [North] n. [North] Necklace.

ol-kerî leopard. See: enk-óípíláí ‘Necklace’.

keshúroi [kèʃúɾ!óy] Nom sg: késhuróí. Acc pl: keshúrò. Nom pl: késhùrò. [North] Acc sg: keshúróì. [North] Nom sg: késhuróì. adj. 1 • Red and white, with red dominating the body and white confined to the face; mixture of múgíé and large white spots. Usage: animals. Kányɔr ɔlɔɨŋɔ́nɨ̀ keshúroi laíjó ɛldɛ̂. I love a bull which has a red body and white face like that one. (Pk). Kéikéshúróì alɛ́ áɨ́ŋònɨ̀. This bull is coloured red and white. (SN).

2 • Having a white face, possibly extending up to the dewlap, with a different color or design on the rest of the body. See: a-ɨbɔ́rr ‘To be white’.

kúrrúkúrr₃ adj. 1 • adj. Blend of two colours, one mostly red and one mostly white, spread in a random pattern and of almost equal intensity; spotted. Tápaashare ɨ́lɔ̂ áshê kúrrúkúr míkìrròr. Avoid that red-and-white spotted calf so it doesn't collide with you. (Pk). Éíkúrrúkúr apá áyelóŋ orkúô líkitaŋadíê embáríé. The kid that we protected from the jackal the other day had a blend of two colors. (Pk).

2 • adj. [West] Black and white, or red and white pattern, as on a zebra.

3 • n.prop. [North] Kurrukur valley between Samburu and Turkana. See: rɨ́rɨ́ ‘Having a red upper and white lower part’.

leléo₁ Acc pl: leleoní. Nom pl: léleoní. 1 • Having large circular or spots or patches which form a pattern. Tápààshàrè ínâ kítéŋ óleleoní míkìnkùm. Avoid that circularly-spotted cow so it doesn't ram you.

2 • Having a circular or semi-circular repeating pattern or design (e.g. as on a tortise shell). LING: Primarily used in the plural form.

ɔl-márà [Purko] Acc sg: ɔr-márà. n. 1 • Cheetah. Usage: rare.

2 • Leopard.

3 • The spotted one. See: márà ‘Patchy’.

e-márà Giraffe. See: ol-kerî ‘Leopard’.

márà₁ Nom sg: márâ. Acc pl: marai. adj. 1 • Dotted, spotted, patchy, checkered, involving at least the color red, black, or brown, and with spots at least those the size belonging to a cheetah. The design has a camouflaging effect. Olmeút márà dúóó kítoduâ. It is a spotted giraffe we saw. Éímàrà ŋolé olashé ótoiwuokí. The calf that was given birth yesterday is spotted. (Pk).

2 • Mixture of any types of colors. This could be applied to a striped blue and white shirt, a red napkin with blue flowers, a basket with straw and dark brown pattern woven in, etc. See: ɔl-márà ‘Cheetah’.

ŋabólì₁ Acc pl: ŋabólò. adj. Brown in color, with large dark-brown patch on the rump or upper part; may also be used for non-animals (e.g. a cave, cloth, tree).

pukótì Acc pl: pukót. adj. Blend of black and white, so well blended that the whole appears blue or gray. Ɛ́ɨ́kɨ́ncɔɔ́yɔ̀ enkashê pukótì áàlàkìè orkítéŋ. We will give away the heifer that is a blend of black and white in payment for the ox. Éípukótì apá olashé ótalakíékì orkíné. The calf that was used to pay for the castrated he-goat was a blend of black and white in color. The term may apply to a variety of animals such as olárrò 'buffalo', oinkát 'wildebeest', olásúráí 'snake', as well as to cattle. A portion of an animal's body may possess this color, e.g. the mouth. See: sámpù ‘Striped’.

rírí Nom sg: ririn. adj. Colour possessed by the termite: characteristically red and white. When applied to a cow, indicates red head and white body. Áírírí orirí ɔ́ɨ́nɔsá inkamʉ́kà áinéí. The termite that ate my shoes is white with a red head. (Pk). Orkítéŋ rírí ŋolé étéyíáŋákakɨ́ nkúyìàà. It is an oxen that had a red head and white body that was slaughtered yesterday for my grandfather. (Pk). Ɛɨnyaŋákakɨ́ Sénéwà ɛnkɨlâ rírí. Senewa was bought a tunic (cloth) that is red at the top and white at the lower part. (Pk). See: o-rírí ‘Termite’; kúrrúkúr ‘Having a random red and white pattern’.

sámpù Nom sg: sámpû. Acc pl: sámpìn. Nom pl: sampín. [Purko] Acc pl: sámpîn. [Purko] Acc pl: sámpun. adj. Striped or variegated, with small thin stripes (smaller than those of a zebra); typically brown and tan. Áátà ɛnkɨ́tɛ́ŋ sámpù. I have a brown and tan striped cow. sámpù barrikôî light brown-tan striped. sámpù múgíé dark brown striped. oldóínyó sámpù variegated mountain. Usage: Primarily for cattle; rarely used to describe sheep or goats. Some speakers would not use it for non-animate referents..

sámpù kumpaú Striped with the color of dried tobacco leaves. Pl: sámpun kumpaûn. See: a-sɨrá ‘Striped’; kerî ‘Black and white striped’; pukótì ‘Black and white striped so that the whole appears blue’.

sántétua Nom sg: santétua. Acc pl: santetuaní. n. Varicoloured, containing many conspicuous colors such as black, green, yellow, red. Átódúá osampúrumpúrì sántéua tɛ ɛncórró nányɔ̀rɨ̀. I had seen a beautiful butterfly at the 'Green spring'. (Pk). ɛngárɨ̀ sántétua Safari rally car (used for a competition) (Pk).

a-sɨrá v.mid. To be striped; paint oneself. Átódúá enkoilií nasɨ́rà tɛ múrúà. I saw a striped gazelle in the fields. (Pk). Ɛkɛ́sɨ́rà ilóítikoshí pɔ́ɔ̀kɨ̀. All zebras are striped. (Pk). Etíì ilóítikoshí ɔ́ɔsɨrá enkɔ́ŋátá náádɔ́. There are striped zebras in the wide plains. See: kerî ‘Black and white striped’.

tárâ₁ adj. Spotted and colorful. Tɔ́bɔɨnʉ́ ɛldɛ̂ áshê tárâ níŋúáá ɔlɔ́ɨ́bɔr. [tàɾà] Bring that spotted calf and leave the white one. (Pk).

tara-mɛʉ́t Spotted like a giraffe, with even distribution of black and brown, or of black and red spots. Term may apply to cattle, felines, goats, vipers, and to non-animals. Áɨ́tàrà-mɛʉ́t apá olashé ɔ́ɨ́nɔsá orŋójìnè. The calf that was spottted like a giraffe was eaten by the hyena. (Pk). See: én-tárâ ‘Viper’; márà ‘Spotted, patchy’; mɛʉ́t ‘Giraffe’.

tʉ́ntáí₁ Nom sg: tʉntáí. Acc pl: tʉntaîn. Nom pl: tʉ́ntaîn. adj. Characterized by an alternating black and white pattern. éíshópítò entitó ɛnkɨlâ tʉ́ntáí. The girl is wearing an alternating black and white dress. See: ɛn-tʉ́ntáí ‘Oval bead’.

wúâs₂ Nom sg: wùàs. Acc pl: wúásìn. Nom pl: wúásîn. Variant: wúásin. adj. 1 • With a big (white) patch on side or belly. Usage: rare for non-cattle. Téreú ɛldê áshê wúâs metóòkò ɛnkárɛ́. Bring that calf with a long white patch on the side to drink water. (Pk). Képuonú inkíshù wúásin ɛnɛ̂. The cows with patches will come here. (Pk).

2 • Multi-colored, spotted. See: Il-Wúásinkíshù ‘Maasai section’; a-rashá ‘To have spots or multiple colors’.

yɨ́yáí₁ adj. Black and white pattern. Ɨ́ncɔɔ́kɨ̀ ɛndâ kɨlâ yɨ́yáí maishópò. Give (me) that cloth with black and white pattern to wear. (Pk). See: ɔ-yɨ́yáí ‘Porcupine’.