Waiting in Zulu
Waiting.
Nobody likes waiting for their take-out hamburger and fries order, the bride at a wedding, pay cheque, tender results,
election results, the bus, outcome of the credit check, phone calls etc. Waiting for phone calls from loved ones is a
bad idea. It’s injurious to health. It’s better to wait for the boss’ call because
you know what to expect.
‘You are fired.’
Linda is a Zulu
verb that means waiting. There are
millions of women who have Linda, the English name. Li-nda,
the first part is pronounced as in leak, leap or lit, the second one as in, indie,
indie films, that sort of thing.
ZULU
|
ENGLISH
|
Lindiwe
|
A girl’s name. The expected
one. Lindi/Lindy is the popular
abbreviation.
|
Silindile.
|
A girl’s name which means we are waiting.
|
Linda.
|
A boy’s name.
|
Linde-lani.
|
You must wait for something.
|
Linda la. Ngi-yabuya.
|
Wait here. I’m coming back.
|
Ngi-linde.
|
Wait for me.
|
U-linde bani?
|
Who are you waiting for?
|
Ngi-linde ubaba.
|
I’m waiting for dad.
|
Ngi-linde u-Lindiwe.
|
I’m waiting for Lindiwe.
|
Ngi-linde u-Sasha Obama.
|
I’m waiting for Sasha Obama.
|
Ngi-linde i-hlobo.
|
I’m waiting for the summer.
|
Si-linde imali.
|
We are waiting for money.
|
Ba-linde i-bhasi.
|
They are waiting for the bus.
|
Ba-linde i-fireworks.
|
They are waiting for fireworks.
|
EXERCISE
You: U-linde bani? (Who are
you waiting for?)
Your friend: Ngi-linde u-dali
wam. (I’m waiting for my darling, honey,
boo, sugar pie, or okomi, as they say in the Yoruba language).
Nonqaba waka Msimang is the author of Sweetness, a South
African novel.
Comments