Difficult African Languages

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Learning other languages does not demean yours. It makes it stronger.

Ryan Coogler, who directed the blockbuster Disney/Marvel movie Black Panther, is into South Africa.  We don’t know what fascinates him about the country, maybe it is the languages.

November 10 is when Black Panther Wakanda Forever hits the cinema in my part of the world.
We shall, we will, we must go and see what director Ryan Coogler has put together for us. 

We can’t blame him.  This blog has a few students interested in South African languages and isi-Zulu in particular.  Maybe they are married to someone born there or are hoping to hop on a plane some day and visit the country. 

After having coffee with your friends you say goodbye and say: Si-zo-xhumana, meaning we'll hook up or get in touch. The language isi-Xhosa has a lot of clicks. Zulu has a few. Here are some to frustrate you because you can never pronounce them without losing your tongue.  So, you better get tongue insurance.

ZULU

ENGLISH

Xova.

Mix as in mix flour and yeast to make bread.

Gxuma.

Jump as in how high.

Qukula.

Lift, not just your arms at the gym, but heavy stuff like industrial machinery.

Qola.

I-qola.

Steal. To thief.

A thief, like stealing a photo and using photoshop and put your name on it.

Qoba.

Chop. Chop chop as the opening scene in Ang Lee’s film Eat Drink Man Woman, the best food movie period. You chop wood, meat, carrots etc.

Xhuma.

Join as in join the dots, networking or joining two ends of a rope.

Goqa.

Fold something.  Shawarma, your favourite snack is food folded in a laffa or pita.

Gqoka.

Dress.  You like people who dress in designer clothes.  Bollywood actresses like Nandita Das love clothes from their country India.

Gqiba.

Bury something, or hide something, a family secret.  Children born in rural Africa have their umbilical cord buried in their father’s yard.  Where is your umbilical cord buried?  It’s still a very important question about identity.

Ngqongqoza.

Knock. Knock, knock. Who’s there?

Qoma.

U-seqomile.

Dating.

She has a boyfriend.

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