100 Proverbs in the Hausa Language Taferferra A four-cornered house, after the Yoruba style. Ginna, to build a house. Yaahi, to patch a crack up with mud. There is a proverb, No. 339, referring to these two words. Goffa (pronounced like our coffer), the fork of a stick: itachi maigoffa the stick or pole with a fork at the top, mostly used for the support of a house. Mafiadi, the cross-piece which rests on two goffa. Dirlvohi, the short poles which are put round the circle or square marked out for a new house ; on these the framework will rest Tsayko, the sticks which slope from the dirkoki to the mafiadi. Karra'n taiika, the cross-pieces tied to tsaylco for the grass of the roof to rest on (Ajarra^ guinea-corn stalk). Sahga'n or Sauga'n tmika, the same use as harrcCn tanha, but consists of stripped rods or branches. Jinka, the roof proper, i.e., the conical erection of grass, &c., put on a house. Yanta, the stringing grass together to make roofing. A common saying is Aihin malalachi yanta. Yanta is the work of a useless man. Dahho, or conjuring. The tricks performed by these conjurors are said to be very similar to those performed by natives of India. A guinea-corn plant grows from a seed, &c., a child is killed, chopped up, and brought to life again, &c. It often happens that one wants to use the word
