Kimeru dictionary collection

Collection — Box: 1

Identifier: MSS 646

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection includes a "A tentative Kimeru dictionary" published by the Meru Catholic Bookshop in 1964, compiled by Fother B. G. Giorgis. The second dictionary is an M.A. thesis submitted in Anthropology by Andrew F. MtoMugambi to the Graduate School of Syracuse University in 1970. In this version, Kimeru is spelled "Kemeero."

Dates

Creation: 1964 - 1970

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Access

The material is stored off site. Please request 3 working days in advance if you wish to use it.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright is retained by the authors of the items in this collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law. For photocopy and duplication requests, please contact the Stephen O. Murray and Keelung Hong Special Collections, Michigan State University Libraries.

Biographical / Historical

These two Kimeru-English dictionraries represent the early efforts to document the Kimeru langauge of Kenya, in the 1960s. The Kimeru language is of the Meru area of Kenya, and is a part of the larger Bantu languages group. It is closely related to Kiembu and Kikuyu. The Catholic Church, namely Italian fathers, conducted much of the early work on studying Kimeru. The first academic study, completed by MtoMugambi, is in this collection, and toMugambi published an updated dictionary in 2012 (PL8513.4 .M36 2012).