A Date in Zulu

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Canada Day is July 1.
Photo:  Nonqaba waka Msimang.
A day is u-su-ku in Zulu.

Many days i-zi-nsu-ku.

Life is 24/7, which means 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  African Americans have had this English for generations.  It was frowned upon as Ebonics until it got into the mainstream and once again strengthened American English.  

The U.S. has also incorporated into standard English, phrases like being on the same page, a line in Rick Famuyiwa’s movie Brown Sugar, starring Taye Diggs and Sanaa Latham.   

Seven days in Zulu is i-zi-nsu-ku e-zi-yi-si-kho-mbi-sa.  A teacher would therefore ask Grade One: How many days do we have in a week? The class would respond in unison:  Ziyisikhombisa.

U-su-ku.  You say the first part like Urma, the second like Suzy and the last part like kudu.

ZULU
ENGLISH
Usuku lwami lokuzalwa.
My birthday.
Luhamba kanjani usuku lwakho?
How is your day?
Kabi.
Very bad.
Kahle.
Great.
Selufikile usuku lokujabula.
The day of joy is here.
Usuku oluhle.
A nice day.
Baba, ube nosuku oluhle.
Father, have a nice day.
Dali, ube nosuku olumnandi.
Darling, have a pleasant day.
Ngiphe usuku sikhulume.
Give me a date so that we can talk.
Ngaluphi usuku?
Which day?
Noma iluphi usuku ngo-July.
Any day in July.
U-Prince no Tammy banosuku.
Prince and Tammy have a date.
Ngicela usuku lwami nawe.
May I ask you for a date?
U-Zodwa ubala izinsuku ze-graduation.
Zodwa is counting days before graduation.
Ngibala izinsuku zokubona i-carnival.
I’m counting the days before the carnival.
By:  Nonqaba waka Msimang.

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