The Situation in Zulu

-
The situation is isi-mo in Zulu.

What is the origin of the word situation? Does it come from sit? Where do things sit right now? Maybe. I don’t know. I must send the Queen of the British Empire a text, since it’s her language. That’s my only option because she doesn’t take my calls.

Situation is isi-mo in Zulu, because it comes from stand or standing up, -ima. Where do things stand right now, isi-mo? As you can see, ‘a’ becomes ‘o’.

Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Winnipeg.
Pic: Nonqaba waka Msimang.
We have a HEALTH situation in the world right now which is not healthy at all. We are not out there, enjoying spring, but behind closed doors so that we don’t infect each other with corona, his royal highness. We shall overcome one day. We hope.

The main problem with this virus is that it amplifies our individual situation because we are at home. Yours could be a money situation, mine could be a relationship situation. Other people have a worse situation e.g. surgery postponed indefinitely because of COVID-19.

Isimo. It has a negative connotation. It is seldom related to good news. Somebody is in hospital, we ask, si-njani isi-mo? Somebody has been kicked out by the landlord, we ask si-njani isi-mo?

I-simo. You say the first part like email, the second like see and the last like mourning.

ZULUENGLISH
I-simo sezulu sibi.The weather situation is bad.
Si-njani isimo?How is the situation?
I-simo simbi asisebenzi.The situation is bad. We’re not at work.
Si-njani isimo ekhaya?How is the situation at home?
I-simo sesingcono. Siya- khulumisana.The situation is much better. We speak to each other now.
Si-njani isimo sika-malume?How is uncle’s situation?
I-simo sakhe simbi. Akadli.His situation is very bad. He is not eating.
Ba-khala ngesimo somnotho.They are anxious about the economic situation.
Sinjani isimo esitolo sakho?What is your store’s situation?
Isimo sibi abathengi abekho.The situation is bad. No customers.
Kunjani ukulima?How’s farming?
I-simo sibi. Imvula ayikho.The situation is bad. No Rain.
I-simo sibi e-border.The situation is tense at the border (maybe there’s fighting).

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Elections And Political Bullies

-
Image
Forget democracy.   It should be called political bullying. We are watching it in the prelude to the Canadian election on the 19 th of October, 2015.   Americans have also started their political bullying for the looming presidential election next year. So many trees wasted on books about democracy.   Some countries have big budgets for invading other countries ‘ to defend democracy’ but it is seldom practised in campaigning for elections.   Calling opponents names and printing flyers attacking each other is behaviour that will not be tolerated in kindergarten, but it is all legal, in campaigning.   It is irritating and such a let-down to the whole notion of democracy.   Grown-up men and women behaving like Grade One kids. It is also misleading because many voters believe it is real hatred.   Don’t let that fool you.   These politicians play golf together, attend the same dinner parties, eat and drink at the same social events, share jokes and cut deals in parliament.   They
Read more

Comfort Food As Regret Food

-
Image
Chicken curry. Comfort food is good for the soul, which usually bleeds in winter from icy roads, bad drivers that want to annihilate pedestrians, frozen fingers and toes that take a sabbatical.   What happened to my toes?   I thought I was wearing special socks for boots? We therefore have a right to comfort food which throws doctors’ orders out of the window and has no loyalty to calories.   No calculator on the table, thanks very much.   Piece of bread 5 calories, half a banana 10 calories, sugar-free cheesecake 2,000 calories.   Ah! Ah!  We only live once. Naw!   Comfort food is old school food with its compulsory second helping.   It involves licking fingers and giving a big sigh, about the good life, which is shelter, food, love and debt.   The problem is the zip.   The jeans remind you that comfort food can also be called you will regret food .   Home sweet home is even sweeter in winter after surviving blowing snow and bumper to bumper traffic. What is more welcoming th
Read more

Einstein Passengers

-
Image
Being a passenger is very stressful.   You must listen to the owner of the car, nod and grumble yes to everything he says because you don’t want to piss him off. Two things can happen if you disagree with the driver: he can lose concentration and you all end up in a mash-up accident or stop the car and ask you to get out.   That is the driver’s prerogative.   You must listen to me if you are a passenger in my car.   Let’s flip the script for a minute and sympathise with the driver if she has a passenger who is more intelligent than Albert Einstein. He talks non-stop.   It is all about himself, how right he is, how good he is, how stupid his boss is. Einstein is also a driving instructor.   “Careful.   Look at that guy.   Is he crazy or something? ” says Einstein. Einstein is the unofficial pilot.   He presses imaginary brakes in the passenger seat when the driver stops abruptly for a guy who is texting on his bicycle. A certain Einstein took it to another level.   S
Read more