Talking in Zulu

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The Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor fight is the talk of the boxing world this Sunday morning.

Talking is khuluma in Zulu.  Somebody is on the phone, talking to somebody.  I think khuluma is used interchangeably with speak.  Some people are soft spoken and are asked to raise their voices a bit, especially in meetings.
What we say has led to fist fights, the Second World War or weddings.  Sometimes we don’t need to talk, just looking at another person is enough to experience hate, anger or love. 

Khu-lu-ma.  The first part is pronounced as in could, the second part as in looks and the third part as in money.

ZULU
ENGLISH
Khuluma.  Silalele.
Talk.  We are listening.
Khuluma. Ungesabi.
Talk.  Don’t be scared.
U-Filip, u-khuluma kwi-cellphone.
Filip is on his cellphone.
U-khuluma no-bani?
Who is he talking to?
U-khuluma no-Kacper.
He is talking to Kacper.
U-Agucia, u-khuluma kwi-cellphone.
Agucia is on her cellphone.
U-khuluma nobani?
Who is she talking to?
U-khuluma no-Aneta.
She is talking to Aneta.
Baya-khuluma.
They are talking.
Ba-thini?
What are they saying?
Ba-khuluma nge-United Nations (UN).
They are talking about the United Nations (UN).
Ba-khuluma nge-European Union (EU).
They are talking about the European Union (EU).
Ni-khuluma ngani?
What are you talking about?
Si-khuluma ngo-mama.
We are talking about mother.
A-si-khulumisa-ni.
We don’t speak to each other.
U-khulumela futhi.
She talks too much.
U-Donald Trump no-Kim Jong-Un a-ba-khulumisa-ni.
Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un don’t talk to each other.

By:  Nonqaba waka Msimang

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