How Are You?

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DNC in Chicago, August 19-22. Was President Biden and Jill here? They were. What an event! It looks like delegates enjoyed every minute of it. 

 ZULU LESSON

Great news! This blog also offers Zulu lessons. You have no intention of travelling to the southern part of the continent but a second language won’t harm you.

Great news because I can only prepare a lesson, if it has an English equivalent. Hmmm! That doesn’t sound right. Who died and made English the only language in the world? Don’t get me started.

I have a new word for my few Zulu students, because they can say it in English. -khona, as in corner. If you live in Canada or U.S. it is important to know that the address you are looking for is at the corner of: Aboji and Dakota; Broadway and Main; Sinclair and Donald; Portage and Century etc.

- khona means presence, availability, being healthy and existentialism in its totality, that is why it is in greetings. How are you? Ngi-khona, meaning I’m healthy, alive. I’m here. I exist.

1. Grocery list. Do we have potatoes? A-khona.

2. Is your mother home? U-khona.

3. Are my kids here? Zi-khona.

4. Are all delegates here? Si-khona.

5. How are your parents? Ba-khona.

6. How are you? Ngi-khona.

Now let’s look at baby girls, the pride of amaZulu. You will meet somebody by the name of A-khona, one day. She will explain that she has so many sisters, her parents named her: A-khona amantombazane (there are many girls). Alternatively, you’ll meet a girl named Zi-khona. The name is a sentence: Zi-khona izintombi (there are many women.)

Nonqaba waka Msimang

Blogger Without Borders

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