What are the Inherent Concepts in African Language that are not found in European languages?

[W. Kabaila]

there is no concept of stranger in African languages. what are some other concepts that reflect the values and philosophy of African Culture?

[Sax]

There's a word for stranger in Swahili, Mgeni/Wageni. Love and like are the same word in Swahili though which is a deep concept -penda.

[Obadele Kambon (www.abibitumikasa.com)]

Stranger:

Wolof - doxandeem
Twi - OhOhoO / Onana (Onana is more painful)
Yoruba - ajeji / alejo

Do know/speak an Afrikan language that doesn't have the word for stranger? I'm wondering how your people dealt with the coming of europeans and a-rabs....nothing too much stranger than them!!!

Obadele

[rakiba]

I love this forum in any language - I am a wannabe - I had to teach Kiswahili to children when I taught at Marcus Garvey school in LA in 1980 but I used a record and a book anddont remember much of it since I never used anything beyond habari gani and the kwanzaa principles of the nguzo saba. I formally began African and African American studies at university (UMich) in 1973 and the first class I had was called the arts of black folk taught by a master artist Jon Onye Lockard (of Detroit). We had to read the book African Religion and Philosophy by John Mbiti and I will l never forget the discussion there about sasa and zumani and the natural backwards flow of time as a part of the collective african psyche. I can remember that Prof Mbiti said in that book that for the African, as long as someone remembers you, you are alive. That was one of the most profound concepts and "bits" of real knowledge that I had ever received up till that time.

one love, rakiba

[Kala Mujibha]

In Yoruba, the word for kiss, mu ife translate really to "drink love"