Just as there are major issues with teaching second language-English speakers to read in a language that’s not their mother tongue, or to understand the complex principles of mathematics in English, so Professor Franco Frescura from the University of KwaZulu-Natal saw the difficulties in explaining important English and Afrikaans architectural terms to his Zulu-speaking university students. The Illustrated Glossary of Southern African Architectural Terms first arose as a need to effectively communicate with Zulu-speaking architectural students, but has become so much more than that, looking at the relationship between the built form, regional identity and local languages.
The latest edition of the book, co-authored with Joyce Myeza, provides English-isiZulu translations, and in addition to English and Afrikaans terminology, also includes Hindu and Zulu architectural terms, as well as some urban slang.
The book is available through the UKZN Press.
Image courtesy of theheritageportal.co.za