What are they saying in Zulu

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Bathini?  What are they saying?

What are they saying in Ottawa?  Canada’s federal government is based in this city and we must keep tabs on what Ottawa is saying.  Failure to do so might end in disaster and we find ourselves being another U.S. state like Hawaii.  That went down well because the world experienced a brilliant U.S. president in the form of Barack Obama.
The weather affects us so we must know what they are saying about it, especially if you live in Canada.  People in Africa and somewhere along the equator are spoilt.  That is why they are always complaining about the heat.  Try -31 in Canada.

Ba-thi-ni on the street? Streets are for cars and pedestrians, but some people live on them in one way or the other, conducting unofficial business or being homeless.  That is why they have to know what’s happening.
Ba-thi-ni?  You say the first part like Bali, but a soft -b- the second like tin and the last one like niece.

ZULU
ENGLISH
Bathini.
A girl’s name which means what are they saying.  Who knows what was happening in the family when she was born?  Difficult times or good times?  Maybe they were asking questions about independence.  Is it coming?
Ba-thi-ni nge-qhwa?
What are they saying about snow?
Ba-thi li-ye-za.
They say it is coming.
Ba-thi-ni nge-ma-li ye-mpe-she-ni?
What are they saying about the pension?
Ba-thi i-ye-za.
They say it is coming.
Ba-thi-ni ngo-Donald Trump?
What are they saying about Donald Trump?
Ba-thi u-zo-gi-ji-ma fu-thi.
They say he will run for president again.
Ba-thi-ni ngo-Z-Boy?
What are they saying about Z-Boy?
Ba-thi u-fi-le.
They say he is dead.
Ba-thi-ni nga-mi?
What are they saying about me?
Ba-thi u-tha-nda i-ma-li.
They say you love money.
Ba-thi-ni ngo-Tammy?
What are they saying about Tammy?
Ba-thi u-go-du-ki-le.
They say she went back home.
By:  Nonqaba waka Msimang.

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