Zulu Lesson My Name is Example

My name is Example. Have you ever heard of somebody by that name? It’s a loved name in the Zulu nation. Sibonelo and it’s given to both girls and boys. It’s a whole sentence: You are a good example (uyisibonelo esihle).

Example i-si-bonelo in Zulu. This comes from the verb -bona, to see. That is what the family is hoping, for the child’s future. Maybe the mother is good example. Maybe parents are a good example to the nation.

i-si-bo-ne-lo. You say the first part like email, the second like see, the third like Bonang Matheba, the multi-lingual South African media practitioner. You say the fourth part like Nellie and the last like law.

Before i-Pads, a larger pool of individuals brought up kids, because parents lived with uncles and aunts or grandparents. Being a good example was drummed at an early age. Cousins were cautioned not to smoke because that set a bad example for the younger ones.

ZULU	ENGLISH
Sibonelo.	A girl’s name.
Sibonelo.	A boy’s name.
Ubani igama lakho?	What’s your name?
Igama lami u-Sibonelo.	My name is Sibonele.
Yini ndaba bakuqamba kanjalo?	Why did they give you that name?
Abazali bami bafuna ukuba ngibe isibonelo esihle emhlabeni.	My parents want me to be a good example in the world.
U-Cindy i-si-bonelo e-sibi.	Cindy is a bad example.
U-Jerry isi-bonelo e-sibi.	Jerry is a bad example.
U-yi-si-bonelo e-sihle lothisha.	This teacher is a good example.
Sibonelo, ukhona uma wakho ekhaya?	Sibonelo, is your mother home?
Yebo, usekhaya.	Yes, she is at home.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.