isiZulu

Amagama esintu okubizwana ngawo

IsiZulu wulimi olujulile futhi ngendlela olunonophele ngayo luze lubonakale nasendleleni esibizana ngayo ukuveza inhlonipho nezinga lalowomuntu esisuke sikhuluma ngaye noma naye ngalesosikhathi. Amagama okubizwana ngawo aveza ubulili, ubudlelwane obakhekile, nalowo obizwayo ukuthi isikhundla anaso noma ingxenye anayo emndenini noma emphakathini. Lezindlela zokubizana zazidala ukuhloniphana, ukubumbana nokuthandana kubantu. Kwenza ukusondelana kwabantu ngemindeni nangokuzalwa kokulamana futhi. Lamagama … Read more

Ulimi LwesiZulu

IsiZulu ulimi olukhulunywa ikakhulukazi abantu bakwaZulu Natali kanti futhi luwulimi olungebukhuni uma lukhulunywa. Abantu abakhuluma isiZulu baningi, ngisho nalabo abangasincelanga ebeleni okanye labo abakhuluma ezinye izilimi njengamaXhosa, abeSuthu kanye nabanye. Indlela abantu abangamaZulu abakhuluma ngayo ulimi lwabo iyahlukahlukana ngokwezindawo abahlala kuzo kanye nezibongo zabo. Abantu abahlala ezindaweni zakwaZulu indlela abakhuluma ngayo yehlukile kulabo abahlala ezindaweni … Read more

The Complexity of Language

In a country like South Africa, with its history of colonialism and Apartheid, English is often viewed as the language of the oppressor. But on a practical level English is recognised as one of the major international languages, and as such is a vital tool in advancing in life – so why would anyone not want to learn it? … Read more

Ubuntu

Ubuntu, (pronounced|ùbúntú), is an ethic or humanist philosophy focusing on people’s allegiances and relations with each other. The word has its origin in the Bantu languages of Southern Africa. Ubuntu is seen as a traditional African concept. Contents 1 Meaning 2 Change in South Africa 3 Zimbabwe 4 Rwanda and Burundi 5 Uganda and Tanzania … Read more

A Helping Hand

Last month Ulwazi received an email from a Mr Fanekiso Dube, requesting help with a Zulu language project that he’s helping to run in Mzuzu, northern Malawi. According to Fanekiso there are large numbers of Nguni people living in Malawi, Zambia and Tanzania (known in these areas as ‘Ngoni’ people) as a result of Mfecane, a period of widespread … Read more

isiZulu Idioms Translated

Last month one of our subscribers left a comment asking for English translations of a list of Zulu idioms. Below are both the isiZulu & English meanings of various Zulu idioms that are associated with nature or trees. Ukuthunga intebe: Ukwenza into engasoze yaphumelela; To do something that will never succeed Ukuzalelwa esithebeni: Ukuzalwa ngabazali abami kahle, … Read more