Nonqaba said ...

South Africa, like most African countries has a system of naming children. Names tell a story about where the child is born, region and circumstances surrounding its birth. For example, Nomvula is a popular girl's name because it means it was raining when she was born. Or, parents wish that her life is full of rain, which is good luck because it makes food grow. My name tells a story about what went down between my parents and my grandfather.   Amazing! Hollywood move out of the way.   You know nothing about storytelling. Names reflect parents’ wishes for themselves or the new baby.    Kids are also named after what happened when they were born. NAME MEANING Fika Arrive. Mfundo Education. Lunga Be good. Langa The sun. Madoda Men. Thula Be quiet. Thulani Be quiet (many people). Themba Hope. Simphiwe We have been given. Muzi Home.

We say ‘ phuma’ if we want you to go out.   Dogs go as far as the door when they are hungry because they know somebody will say ‘ Phuma .’    A notorious line in movies is: ‘Get out.’ You say ‘Phuma’ in Zulu.   You say it as in pull or put. ZULU ENGLISH Ngena. Come in. Phuma. Go out. Phumela phandle. Go outside. Phuma endlini. Go out of the house. Phuma ngapha. Go out this side. Uphuma nini emsebenzini? When do you knock off at work? Ngiphuma ngo 6. I leave at 6. Baphuma nini emsebenzini? When do they knock off at work? Baphuma ngo 10. They knock off at 10. Uphumaphi? Where were you?   Where have you beeen? Ngiphum’eskoleni. I’m from school. SAMPLE CONVERSATION FATHER:   Uphumaphi? SON:   Ngiphuma eskoleni. FATHER:   Niphuma nini eskoleni

His child. Pic: Nonqaba waka Msimang Possessive noun People say the strangest things like my man, my woman.   The only thing that is constant is myself. What is theft?   Stealing somebody’s property I suppose.   Let’s see who owns what. ZULU ENGLISH Yami. Mine. Intombi yami. My girlfriend. Indoda yami. My man. Yakho. Yours. Yabo. Theirs. Wabo. Theirs. Yenu. Yours. (many people). Enu. Yours. (many people). Zenu. Yours. (many people). Wenu. Yours. (many people) Yethu. Ours. SAMPLE CONVERSATION MOTHER:   Ingane yami. (My child) FATHER:   I-cellphone yakho. (Your cellphone) MAGISTRATE:   Indawo yabo. (It’s their land/property) NURSE:   Umsindo wabo. (Their noise) TEACHER:   Imikhuba yenu. (It’s your bad habits) POLICE:   Amagama enu. (Your names) NEIGHBOUR:   Izimoto zenu. (Your cars) PRIEST:  

“Where does food come from?” asks the teacher. “From the super market Miss.” a student’s reply.   Lima is to plant. Children born in cities have no concept of agriculture, seeds, planting, harvesting, drought, floods, and everything related to ukulima , which means working the soil in order to produce food.   We don’t want to use farming, because it is broader and includes keeping animals, bees, fish etc.   We want to limit ukulima , to actually planting and harvesting. ZULU ENGLISH Uyalima. He is working the soil. Bayalima. They are working the soil. Umlimi. Farmer. Umlimi uyalima. The farmer is working the soil. Ba yalima abalimi. (many people) Farmers are working the soil Ngizo lima. I will work the soil. Linethile.   It rained.   Lima ni . (you, many people) Start working the soil. Linet