"Wapishi"

Translation: Cooks

[ngwarai]

This made me smile because this word means "those who burn" in one of the Bantu languages. :)

[John M.]

Which one? I'm always curious to learn about my fellow Bantus! :)

[ngwarai]

Well, not exactly the same but close:

apishi = burners (people who burn sth) Ndau

vapisi = burners (people who burn sth) Shona

What is more interesting is that Swahili chose to use a different word from the verb infinitive "to cook" , which is "kupika" All the Bantu languages I know derive the noun "cook" from the infinitive verb "to cook" .

A few examples:

Infinitive: kubika = to cook , noun: mubiki/abiki = cook/cooks --- Ndau

Infinitive: ukupheka = to cook , noun: umpheki/abapheki = cook/cooks --- Ndebele

Infinitive: kuapeha = to cook , noun: muapehi/baapehi = cook/cooks --- Lozi

[Gazelle1596]

It actually is the same - it took me my teacher pointing it out, it seems like a stretch, but :) :
There is a causative form, which often/usually is -ish- (before the last -a of the verb). For verbs that end in -ka the k is dropped and turns into the sh.

[Willi983524]

Thanks, this is very interesting

[jo2dSY]

Ah, but it seems much more fun to see it as connected to burning! Maybe when I lose concentration when cooking I can see it as improving my Swahili...?!

[Ivoryblossum]

This is really helpful! This, and Eric Omondi's "Nikupike." Maybe I can start remembering if I keep both of these things in mind.
https://youtu.be/McUc7p8i0-0?t=286

[manyofa]

Ubika, mubiki/vhabiki......tshivenda.

[zieLiz]

This is also similar to the turkish word for cooking, pişirmek.

[eldred1]

Wah-PEE-she? Wah-pies-he? Pronunciation is killing me, any help?

[AGreatUserName]

Like "wah-PEE-shee" :-)