View source for Zulu language

{{Infobox language
|name=Zulu
|nativename=isiZulu
|states=[[South Africa]], [[Lesotho]], [[Swaziland]]
|region=[[KwaZulu-Natal]], eastern [[Gauteng]], eastern [[Free State (South African province)|Free State]], southern [[Mpumalanga]]
|speakers={{sigfig|11.97|2}} million
|date     = 2011 census
|ref      = e18
|speakers2=[[L2 speakers]]: {{sigfig|15.7|2}} million (2002)<ref>Webb, Vic. 2002. "Language in South Africa: the role of language in national transformation, reconstruction and development", ''Impact: Studies in language and society'', 14:78</ref>
|familycolor=Niger-Congo
|fam2=[[Atlantic–Congo languages|Atlantic–Congo]]
|fam3=[[Benue–Congo languages|Benue–Congo]]
|fam4=[[Southern Bantoid languages|Southern Bantoid]]
|fam5=[[Bantu languages|Bantu]]
|fam6=[[Southern Bantu]]
|fam7=[[Nguni languages|Nguni]]
|fam8=[[Zunda languages|Zunda]]
|nation={{RSA}}
|agency=[[Pan South African Language Board]]
|script=[[Latin script|Latin]] ([[Zulu alphabet]])<br>[[Zulu Braille]]
|sign=[[Signed Zulu]]
|iso1=zu
|iso2=zul
|iso3=zul
|glotto=zulu1248
|glottorefname=Zulu
|guthrie=S.42
|lingua=[http://linguasphere.info/?page=linguascale&linguacode=99-AUT-fg 99-AUT-fg] incl.<br>varieties 99-AUT-fga to 99-AUT-fge
|map=South Africa Zulu speakers proportion map.svg
|mapcaption=Proportion of the South African population that speaks Zulu at home
{{div col}}
{{legend|#EDF8E9|0–20%}}
{{legend|#BAE4B3|20–40%}}
{{legend|#74C476|40–60%}}
{{legend|#31A354|60–80%}}
{{legend|#006D2C|80–100%}}
{{colend}}
|notice=IPA
}}
'''Zulu''' or '''isiZulu''' ({{small|Zulu:}} ''isiZulu'') is the [[language]] of the [[Zulu people]]. 10 million people speak Zulu, and most of them (95%) live in [[South Africa]]. It is the most common home language in South Africa, where 24% of people speak it at home.<ref name=ethnologue>Lewis, M. Paul (ed.), 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Sixteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com/. Accessed 2011-05-15.</ref> Over 50% of the [[population]] also speak and understand the language.<ref name=ethnologue />

In 1994, it became one of South Africa's 11 [[languages of South Africa|official languages]]. Like other [[Bantu languages]], Zulu is written using the [[Latin alphabet]].

== Where it is spoken ==
[[File:South Africa Zulu speakers proportion map.svg|thumb| Where isiZulu is spoke in South Africa: [[proportion]] (percentage) of the population that speaks isiZulu at home.
{{columns
|col1=
{{legend|#EDF8E9|0–20%}}
{{legend|#BAE4B3|20–40%}}
{{legend|#74C476|40–60%}}
|col2=
{{legend|#31A354|60–80%}}
{{legend|#006D2C|80–100%}}}}]]
[[File:South Africa Zulu speakers density map.svg|thumb|Where isiZulu is spoken in South Africa: [[density]] of isiZulu home-language speakers. 
{{columns
|col1=
{{legend|#ffffcc|&lt;1 /km²}}
{{legend|#ffeda0|1–3 /km²}}
{{legend|#fed976|3–10 /km²}}
{{legend|#feb24c|10–30 /km²}}
{{legend|#fd8d3c|30–100 /km²}}
|col2=
{{legend|#fc4e2a|100–300 /km²}}
{{legend|#e31a1c|300–1000 /km²}}
{{legend|#bc0026|1000–3000 /km²}}
{{legend|#800026|&gt;3000 /km²}}}}]]
Zulu belongs to the [[Nguni languages|Nguni]] group of [[Bantu languages]]. Zulu [[migrant]]s (people who move from place to place) have taken the language to other regions. There are now Zulu speakers in [[Zimbabwe]], [[Lesotho]], [[Mozambique]], [[Malawi]], and [[Swaziland]]. 

Zulu speakers in Zimbabwe speak a dialect called "[[Northern Ndebele language]]."

People who speak [[Xhosa language|Xhosa]] can understand most Zulu. The opposite is also true: Zulu speakers can understand Xhosa. [[Xhosa language]] is the most common language spoken in the [[Eastern Cape]] of [[South Africa]].

== History ==

The Zulu, [[Xhosa people|Xhosa]], and other Nguni people have lived in South Africa for a long time. The Zulu language has a lot of click sounds common in Southern African languages. These click sounds are not found in the rest of Africa. The Nguni people have lived together with other Southern tribes like the [[San]] and [[Khoi]]. 

Zulu and all other native [[Southern Africa]]n languages was at first an [[oral language]]. It was not written down until [[missionary|missionaries]] came from [[Europe]]. These missionaries used the [[Latin alphabet]] to write the Zulu language. The first Zulu [[grammar]] book was published in [[Norway]] in 1850 by [[Hans Paludan Smith Schreuder]].<ref>Rakkenes, Øystein (2003) ''Himmelfolket: En Norsk Høvding i Zululand'', Oslo: Cappelen Forlag, pp. 63-65</ref>

The oldest document written in Zulu is a [[Bible]] from 1883.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.omniglot.com/writing/zulu.htm|title=Zulu (isiZulu)|publisher=Omniglot|last=Ager|first=Simon|date=2011|accessdate=2011-07-03}}</ref> [[John Dube]], a Zulu from [[Natal]], wrote the first Zulu novel, ''Insila kaShaka'', in 1933.<ref name="britannica literature">{{cite web|title=Zulu literature|publisher=Encyclopedia Britannica|url=http://www.britannica.com/blackhistory/article-57058|accessdate=2011-07-03}}</ref> Another important Zulu [[author]] was [[Rolfes Robert Reginald Dhlomo|Reginald Dhlomo]]. Dhlomo wrote ''U-Dingane'' (1936), ''U-Shaka'' (1937), ''U-Mpande'' (1938), ''U-Cetshwayo'' (1952) and ''U-Dinizulu'' (1968).<ref name="britannica literature" /><ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=R. R. R. Dhlomo|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|edition=Online|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica|year=2011|accessdate=2011-07-03|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/160804/R-R-R-Dhlomo}}</ref> Other important Zulu writers are [[Benedict Wallet Vilakazi]] and [[Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali]].<ref name="britannica literature" />

Before 1994, the Zulu language was controlled by the [[Zulu Language Board]] in [[KwaZulu-Natal]]. Today, the [[Pan South African Language Board]] supports the use of all 11 official languages of South Africa.

== Use today ==
Before 1994, the official languages of South Africa were English, [[Dutch language|Dutch]], and [[Afrikaans]]. During [[Apartheid]], Zulu was spoken commonly in the [[Kwazulu]] [[bantustan]]. All education, however, at the [[high school]] level was in English or Afrikaans.

After Apartheid ended in 1994, Zulu became one of the official languages in South Africa. The [[SABC]] first started showing Zulu-language television and news programs in the 1980s. There are many Zulu radio stations and newspapers available, mostly in the [[Kwazulu-Natal]] province and [[Johannesburg]]. The first full-length [[feature film]] in Zulu was ''[[Yesterday (2004 film)|Yesterday]]''. It was made in 2004 and [[nomination|nominated]] for an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] (Oscar).

In ''[[The Lion King]]'' movie, the "[[Circle of Life]]" song has many Zulu phrases in it. Some of these phrases are:
* ''Ingonyama nengw' enamabala'' ({{lang|en|A lion and a leopard come to this open place}})
* ''Nants ingonyama bakithi Baba''' ({{lang|en|Here comes a lion, Father}})
* ''Siyo nqoba'' ({{lang|en|We will conquer}})
Other ''Lion King'' songs also had Zulu phrases in them.

=== Standard and urban Zulu ===
There are two main types of Zulu. One type is called [[standard language|standard]] Zulu, and it is taught in schools. Standard Zulu is also called "deep Zulu" ({{lang-zu|isiZulu esijulile}}). Standard Zulu is a [[linguistic purism|purist]] language. This means that new ideas are described using words that are [[derivative|derived]] from other Zulu words.

The other type of Zulu is called urban Zulu ({{lang-zu|isiZulu sasedolobheni}}). Urban Zulu is the kind of Zulu spoken by people who live in cities. Urban Zulu uses [[loan words]] borrowed from other languages to describe new ideas. Most of these loan words come from English.

Some of these different words for new ideas in Standard and Urban Zulu are listed here:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Standard Zulu
! urban Zulu
! English
|-
| ''umakhalekhukhwini''
| ''icell''
| cell/mobile phone
|-
| ''Ngiyaqonda''
| ''Ngiya-understanda''
| I understand
|}
These two different types of Zulu language make problems in learning and [[education]]. Young people speak urban Zulu and do not often understand standard Zulu.<ref>Constance Samukelisiwe Magagula. ''Standard versus non-standard isiZulu: a comparative study between urban and rural learners' performance and attitude.'' Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009 [http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10413/273/Magagula%2c%20Constance%20Samukelisiwe%20thesis%202009.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120114163328/http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10413/273/Magagula%2c%20Constance%20Samukelisiwe%20thesis%202009.pdf |date=2012-01-14 }}</ref>

== Phrases ==
This is a list of [[phrase]]s in Zulu.

{|
|-
| Sawubona ||| ''Hello,'' to one person
|- 
| Sanibonani || ''Hello,'' to a group of people
|-
| Unjani? / Ninjani? || ''How are you (one person)? / How are you (many people)?''
|-
| Ngisaphila / Sisaphila  || ''I'm okay / We're okay''
|-
| Ngiyabonga (kakhulu) || ''Thank you (very much)''
|-
| Ngubani igama lakho? || ''What is your name?''
|-
| Igama lami ngu... || ''My name is...''
|-
| Isikhathi sithini? || ''What's the time?''
|- 
| Ngingakusiza? || ''Can I help you?''
|-
| Uhlala kuphi? || ''Where do you stay?''
|-
| Uphumaphi? || ''Where are you from?''
|-
| Hamba kahle / Sala kahle || ''Go well / Stay well'' (used as goodbye)
|-
| Hambani kahle / Salani kahle || ''Go well / Stay well'', to a group of people
|-
| Eish! || ''Wow!'' 
|-
| Hhayibo || ''No! / Stop! / No way!''
|-
| Yebo  || ''Yes''
|-
| Cha || ''No''
|-
| Angazi || ''I don't know''
|-
| Ukhuluma isiNgisi na? || ''Do you speak English?''
|-
| Ngisaqala ukufunda isiZulu || ''I've just started learning Zulu''
|-
|}

==Common place names in Zulu==
Zulu place names occur in the ''[[locative]]'' form most of the time. A place name is both a [[preposition]] and a name. Changing the [[prefix]] of the place name changes the preposition.

For example, the Zulu name for [[Johannesburg]] is ''iGoli.'' The word ''eGoli'' means to/at/in/from Johannesburg. The [[root word]] ''Goli'' means "Johannesburg," but doesn't mean anything by itself in Zulu.

Most of the time, changing the ''i-'' or ''u-'' prefix to the ''e-'' prefix changes the meaning like this. In some cases, like with [[Durban]], the name changes too.

{|border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" class="wikitable"
|-
! English place
! Zulu place name<br />(Locative)
! to/at/in/from Zulu place name
|-
| Durban
| iTheku
| [[eThekwini]]
|-
| Johannesburg
| iGoli
| [[eGoli]]
|-
| [[Cape Town]]
| iKapa 
| eKapa
|-
| [[Pretoria]] 
| iPitoli
| ePitoli
|-
| [[Pietermaritzburg]] 
| uMgungundlovu
| eMgungundlovu
|-
| [[Ladysmith]] 
| uMnambithi
| eMnambithi
|}

== 'Zulu' or 'isiZulu'? ==
The Zulu name for the language is ''isiZulu''. The ''isi-'' prefix means "language." (It also means other things, but here it means language.) For example, ''isiNgisi'' means English, ''isiXhosa'' means Xhosa, ''isiBhunu'' means [[Afrikaans]], and ''isiJalimane'' means [[German language|German]].

When the word Zulu has a prefix that is ''not'' "isi-", it means a lot of different things. This is a table that shows how the meanings of the word changes:

{|border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" class="wikitable"
! Prefix !! Word !! Meaning
|-
| '''um(u)''' || ''umZulu'' || a Zulu person
|-
| '''ama, aba''' || ''amaZulu'' || Zulu people
|-
| '''isi''' || ''isiZulu'' || the Zulu language
|-
| '''kwa''' || ''kwaZulu'' || place of the Zulu people
|-
| '''i(li)''' || ''izulu'' || the weather/sky/heaven
|-
| '''pha''' || ''phezulu'' || on top
|-
| '''e''' || ''ezulwini'' || in/at/to/from heaven
|-
|}

==Zulu words in South African English==
Many Zulu words are used in South African English. Some words, like the names of local animals, are used in standard English. ''[[Impala]]'' and ''[[mamba]]'', for example, are zulu words. Some Zulu words used in South African English are:

* '''Muti''' (from ''umuthi'') - medicine
* '''[[Donga (ditch)|Donga]]''' (from ''udonga'') - ditch (udonga actually means 'wall' in Zulu)
* '''Indaba''' - conference (it means 'an item of news' in Zulu)
* '''[[inDuna]]''' - chief or leader
* '''Shongololo''' (from ''ishongololo'') - millipede
* [[ubuntu (ideology)|'''Ubuntu''']] - compassion/humanity.

== Sources ==
* [http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/ UCLA Language Materials Project] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060720065425/http://www.pavelicpapers.com/documents/odpor/index.html |date=2006-07-20 }} - [http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?LangID=23&menu=004 Zulu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605044145/http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?LangID=23&menu=004 |date=2011-06-05 }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Other websites==
{{interwiki|code=zu}}
{{Wikibooks|Zulu}}
*[http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=zul Ethnologue report on Zulu]
*[http://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Zulu_phrasebook Zulu phrasebook on Wikivoyage]
*[http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Zulu_Swadesh_list Zulu Swadesh list of basic vocabulary words] (from Wiktionary's [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Swadesh_lists Swadesh list appendix])

{{Languages of South Africa}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zulu Language}}
[[Category:Bantu languages]]
[[Category:Languages of South Africa]]
[[Category:Languages of Lesotho]]
[[Category:Eswatini]]