the case of a nasal, labial or sibilant.[8] No
consonant is doubled. Apparent exceptions occur to this last rule where two
nasals, two _r_'s or two _d_'s come together through the elision of a vowel
or a labial.

(4) Substantives are divided into classes or genders, indicated by the
pronominal particle prefixed to the root. These prefixes are used either in
a singular or in a plural sense. With the exception of the "abstract"
prefix _Bu_ (No. 14), no singular prefix can be used as a plural nor vice
versa. There is a certain degree of correspondence between the singular and
plural prefixes (thus No. 2 prefix serves almost invariably as a plural to
No. 3; No. 8 corresponds as a plural to No. 7). The number of prefixes
common to the whole group is perhaps sixteen. The pronominal particle or
prefix of the noun is attached as a prefix to the roots of the adjectives,
pronouns, prepositions and verbs of the sentence which are connected with
the governing noun; and though in course of time these particles may differ
in form from the prefix of the substantive, they were akin in origin. (This
system is the "concord" of Dr Bleek.[9]) The pronominal particles, whether
in nominative or accusative case, must always precede the nominal,
pronominal, adjectival and verbal roots, though they often follow the
auxiliary prefix-participles used in conjugating verbs,[10] and the roots
of some prepositions.

[v.03 p.0361]

(5) The root of the verb is the second person singular of the imperative.

(6) No _sexual gender_ is recognized in the _pronouns_ and _concord_.
Sexual gender may be indicated by a male "prefix" of varying form, often
identical with a word meaning "father," while there is a feminine prefix,
_na_ or _nya_, connected with the root meaning "mother," or a suffix _ka_
or _kazi_, indicating "wife," "female." The 1st and 2nd prefixes invariably
indicate living beings and are Usually restricted to humanity.

The sixteen original prefixes of the Bantu languages are given below in the
most archaic forms to be found at the present day. The still older types of
these prefixes met with in one or two languages, and deduced generally by
the other forms of the particle used in the syntax, are given in brackets.
It is possible that some of these prefixes resulted from the combination of
a demonstrative pronoun and a prefix indicating quality or number.

_Old Bantu Prefixes._

Singular.