Academic literature on the topic 'Zulu language – Grammar'

The Minimal Trees Hypothesis (Vainikka and Young-Scholten 1994; 1996a; 1996b) proposes that second language (L2) initial state grammars lack functional categories because functional categories are not subject to transfer effects. The aim of this article is to argue that, to some extent, functional categories instantiated in the learner's first language (L1) transfer to the initial state of L2 syntactic development. On the basis of Zulu interlanguage (IL) data on the acquisition of the obligatory declarative complementizer ukuthi(‘that’) by English native speakers, it is argued that Comp contains a null complementizer system which has sufficient syntactic content to generate subordination in the learners' initial Zulu IL grammar. Regarding transfer of functional categories, it is suggested that null Comp evident at the Zulu L2 initial state is transferred from English, the subjects' L1.

Scientific word identification and classification in Bantu languages with special reference to Zulu Despite the fact that Van Wyk’s word theory (1958) is the only scientifically justified word theory for Bantu languages, his work has not had the expected impact on the study of Bantu languages (especially the Nguni languages). This is partly due to the fact that his thesis was written in Afrikaans and is inaccessible to many Bantu language scholars. Secondly, this state of affairs is due to the fact that his treatise is highly theoretical and that the principles have not been applied exhaustively to Zulu or any of the other Nguni languages. Lombard et al.’s Northern Sotho grammar of 1985 is the only grammar written totally within the Van Wykian framework. The recognition of a word category “particle (word)” is probably the aspect that has had the most far-reaching consequences for a morphological and syntactical analysis of Bantu languages. The justification for distinguishing a word category “particle word” is examined in this article.

There are limited computational resources for Nguni languages and when improving availability for one of the languages, bootstrapping from a related language’s resources may be a cost-saving approach. This requires the ability to quantify similarity between any two closely related languages so as to make informed decisions, of which it is unclear how to measure it. We devised a method for quantifying similarity by adapting four extant similar measures, and present a method of quantifying the ratio of verbs that would need phonological conditioning due to consecutive vowels. The verbs selected are those relevant for weather forecasts for Xhosa and Zulu and newly specified as computational grammar rules. The 52 Xhosa and 49 Zulu rules share 42 rules, supporting informal impressions of their similarity. The morphosyntactic similarity reached 59.5% overall on the adapted Driver-Kroeber metric, with past tense rules only at 99.5%. This similarity score is a result of the variation in terminals mainly for the prefix of the verb.

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study deals with three interrelated types of information about sentences in Zulu, i.e. situation aspect or events, viewpoint aspect which includes i.a. the perfective and imperfective aspect and the contribution of the temporal location of a sentence focusing on the basic tenses. The semantic feature of temporal location has been integrated with the view of the two components in sentences i.e. aspectual situation type and viewpoint. Vendier's classification of aspectual classes formed a base from which the Zulu event structure has been discussed. The contribution of the two theories, i.e. the Two Component theory of Smith (1997) and the Event Structure of Pustejovsky (1995) which is situated within the Generative Lexicon theory of lexical semantics featured prominently in the analysis of events and states in Zulu. A conclusion has been reached that there are four situation types relevant to Zulu and distinguished from each other by different temporal features. These situation types feature basic-level and derived-level types (according to Smith (1997)). Three event types have been identified for Zulu, i.e. state, process and transition (according to Pustejovsky (1995)). Events are complex semantic objects resulting in an extended event structure. Event structure classification for Zulu is established with structured sub-event. These event structures are defined with respect to three different types of ordering relation between sub-event, i.e. temporally ordered subevents, simultaneous sub-event and temporal overlap. The event structure has been distinguished through event headedness which give rise to twelve possible constructions. The basic principles and the temporal structures underlying the Zulu tenses are viewed in relation to the moment of speech, time of the situation and the reference time in the structure of tenses as shown in the viewpoint of Reichenbach developed by Hornstein (1990). The role played by adverbs as modifiers of tense is highlighted. The behavior of bounded and unbounded sentences in relation to tense is mentioned. Regarding the expression of aspect in Zulu, a clear distinction has been established between perfective and imperfective in Zulu. The aspect appears as an inflectional category within syntax. These categories may have a maximal projection according to the X-bar theory.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie gee aandag aan drie onderling verbonde tipes inligting oor sinne in. Zulu, d.i. die situasie-aspek of die gebeure, gesigspunt-aspek wat, onder andere, die perfektiewe en imperfektiewe aspek insluit en die bydrae van die temporele lokasie van 'n sin, met die fokus op die basiese tye. Die semantiese verskynsel van temporele lokasie is geintegreer met die aanname van die twee komponente in sinne, d.i. aspektueie situasie tipe, en die gesigspunt. Vendier se klassifikasie van aspektueie klasse het die basis gevorm waarvan daan die Zulu gebeure struktuur bespreek is. Die bydrae van die twee teorië, d.i. die Twee Komponent teorie van Smith (1997) en die gebeurde struktuur van Pustejovsky (1995) wat binne die Generatiewe Leksikon teorie van leksikale semantiek geleis, is in die analise van gebeure en toestand gebruik. Daar is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat daar vier situasietipes relevant tot Zulu is, en daar word tussen hulle deur middel van temporele verskynsels onderskei. Hierdie situasietipes beeld die basiese-vlak en die afgeleide-vlak tipes uit (volgens Smith (1997)) Drie tipes gebeure is vir Zulu geidentifiseer, d.i. toestand, proses, en oorgang (volgens Pustejovsky (1995)). Gebeure is kompleks semantiese voorwerpe wat tot uitgebreide gebeurde struktuur lei. Die gebeurde-struktuur se klassifikasie in Zulu is met gestruktureerde sub-gebeure gevestig. Hierdie gebeure-strukture is met betrekking tot drie verskillende tipes van verhouding ordening tusen sub-gebeure omskryf, d.i. temporeel geordende sub-gebeure, gelyktydige sub-gebeure en temporele oorslag. Die gebeure-struktuur is deur kemgebeure onderskei, wat aanleiding tot twaalf moontlike konstruksies gee. Die basiese beginsels en die temporele strukture onderliggend aan die Zulu tye word met betrekking tot die spraakmoment, tyd van die situasie, en die verwysingstyd in die struktuur van tye soos in Reichenbach se gesigspunt wat deur Hornstein (1990) ontwikkel, is, beskou. Die rol wat bywoorde as modifiseerders van tye speel, word na vore gebring. Die gedrag van gebonde en ongebonde sinne in verband met tyd word genoem. Betreffende die uitdrukking van aspek in Zulu is 'n besondere onderskeiding tussen die perfektief en imperfektief in Zulu gevestig. Die aspek kom as 'n infleksionêre kategorie binne sintaksis voor. Hierdie kategorie mag 'n maksimale projeksie volgens die x-bar teorie hê.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The concept of exploring principles for designing a Zulu language learning course for business people stemmed from the need that there is not enough course material available for learners wanting to learn a second language. The preliminary component of the thesis is based on the theoretical framework for language learning theory advanced by Naam Chomsky, which is theory-driven and derives from an in-depth analysis of the properties of languages in an effort to determine the highly abstract principles of grammar. This study reviews the different definitions of second language learning and teaching employed by various linguists, for example, Cook, Odlin and Sharwood-Smith. It presents the different kinds of grammar explored in the analysis of a second language. Following the discussion of principles of grammar, a broad definition of the term 'universal grammar' (UG), is explored and how this UG model relates to views on teaching of Zulu, is identified. The thesis demonstrates the relation between second language learning and language teaching and the influence that UG has on language teaching. It will be argued that the theory of Chomsky and the knowledge of second language acquisition is suitable as a framework for language teaching because it incorporates the essence of second language learning that may be useful to a second language educator. Finally, this study will present the principles of task-based course design which will be followed by a discussion of the types of syllabuses required for the construction of communicative Zulu tasks. It is hoped that the conclusions arising from this study will assist in the development of research material and teaching aids for second language Zulu task-based courses, thus providing the field of second language teaching with efficient and successful language teachers and researchers.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die konsep van die ondersoek van beginsels vir die ontwerp van 'n Zulu taalvaardigheidskursus vir sakemense het ontstaan uit die behoefte aan gepaste onderrigmateriaal vir Zulu-tweedetaal onderrig aan die sakemense. Die aanvangskomponent van hierdie tesis is gegrond op die teoretiese raamwerk vir taalaanleer soos voorgestaan deur Chomsky. Die Chomskiaanse teorie van taalkennis is ontwikkel uit 'n in-diepte analise van die eienskappe van taalkennis ten einde die hoogsabstrakte beginsels van taal te bepaal. Die studie bied eers 'n oorsig van verskillende definisies van tweedetaalleer en -onderrig soos aangewend deur verskillende taalkundiges soos Cook, Odlin en Sharwood-Smith. Daar word 'n bespreking gegee van die verskillende sieninge van die aard van grammatika in tweedetaalonderrig. Na die bespreking van die beginsels van grammatika-onderrig in tweedetaalleer en -onderrig word die implikasies van die Chomsky se Universele Grammatika benadering beskou vir die tweedetaalonderrig van Zulu. Die tesis ondersoek ook die verband tussen tweedetaalleer en -onderrig en die invloed wat Universele Grammatika op taalonderrig het. Daar sal aangevoer word dat die UG teorie van Chomsky en die verband daarvan tot tweedetaalonderrig gepas is as 'n raamwerk vir tweedetaalonderrig omdat die essensiële beginsels van tweedetaalleer wat bruikbaar kan wees vir die taalonderrigpraktisyn. Die studie sal, laastens, die beginsels van taakgebaseerde kursusontwerp ondersoek, wat gevolg sal word deur 'n bespreking van die tipes sillabusse benodig vir die konstruksie van kommunikatiewe take in Zulu. Die gevolgtrekkings wat voortspruit uit hierdie studie kan bydra tot die navorsing van tweedetaalonderrig vir Zulu en die ontwerp van taalonderrigmateriale vir taakgebaseerde kursusse vir Zulu. Hierdeur kan 'n bydrae gemaak word tot die lewering van bekwame navorsers en taalonderrigpraktisyns vir Zulu tweedetaalonderrig.
IQOQA ZULU: Umqondo wokuhlela izifundo zesiZulu zomabhizinisi wavezwa isidingo esikhombisayo ukuthi akukho obekulotshiwe maqondana nabafundi bolimi Iwesibili. Ingxenye yokuqala yophando igxile esakhiweni senqubo Iwazi yokufunda nokufundisa ulimi Iwesibili eyaqhutshwa nguNoam Chomsky, eqhutshwa yinqubolwazi futhi isukela ocwanigweni olunzulu zezilimi emizameni yokuthola imigomo enzulu yohlelo lolimi. Lolu cwaningo luhlola izincazelo ezehlukene zokufunda nokufundisa ulimi Iwesibili ezisetshenziswa abahlaziyilulimi esingabala kubona, uVivian Cook, Terence Odlin kanye noSharwood Smith. Lwethula izinhlobo ezehlukene zohlelo lolimi ezihlolwa ekucwaningweni kolimi Iwesibili. Kulandela izingxoxo ngemigomo yohlelo lolimi, incazelo ebanzi yetemu 'Universal Grammar' (UG) iyahlolisiswa nokuthi lemodeli ye-UG isetshenziswa kanjani esiZulwini. Loluphando lukhombisa ubudlelwano phakathi kokufundwa nokufundiswa kolimi Iwesibili nomthelela omuhle kumbe omubi we-UG ekufundiseni ulimi. Kuzobhekisiswa ukuthi inqubolwazi kaChomsky nolwazi lokufunda ulimi Iwesibili kulungile yini ukuba yisakhiwo senqubo yokufundisa njengoba luhlanganisa ingqikithi yokufundisa ulimi Iwesibili okungenzeka ukuthi ayijwayelekile kumfundisi wolimi Iwesibili. Okukugcina, lolu cwaningo luzokwethula imigomo yezifundo ezihlelelwe phezu komsebenzi othile kuyolandelwa ukuxoxisana ngezinhlobo zamasilabhasi ezidingekayo ukuhlanganisa imisebenzi yesiZulu yokuxhumana. Kuyathembakala ukuthi iziphetho eziyovuka kulolucwaningo ziyosiza ekuthuthukisweni kwezinto eziwusizo ophandweni kanye nezinsiza kufundisa zolimi Iwesibili zezifundo ezihlelelwe phezu komsebenzi othile wesiZulu, kanjalo bese ziletha kulendima yokufundisa ulimi Iwesibili othisha nabacwaningi abawenza ngempumelelo umsebenzi wabo.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The subject of this study is Break and Bend verbs in isiZulu, which can be classified as verbs of change of state. This study examines the semantic as well as the syntactic analysis of these verbs of change of state in Zulu. Semantically Bend verbs are divided into verbs denoting the bending of body parts, e.g: thoba, khothema, qomfa, bhena, guqa, vosho, and verbs that denote the bending of body parts as well as physical objects, e.g. goba, qethuka/qethula as shown in the sentences below: Indoda igobe ucingo The man bent the wire. Indoda ithe qethu ikhanda The man bent the head backwards. Inkosikazi igobe amadolo The woman bent the knees. Uthe qethu isigxobo He made the pole bend backwards. The study will demonstrate that Break verbs are semantically divided into verbs denoting break or fracture, e.g. aphula/aphuka; those denoting "break off" e.g. nqamuka/nqamula; a verb denoting "to smash", e.g. fahlaza/fahlaka; those denoting " crack", e.g. chachamba, verbs meaning "to tear", e.g. dabula/dabuka; verbs denoting "to demolish", e.g. bhidliza/bhidlika and verbs denoting "to break open", e.g. havuka I havula. Syntactically, Break predicates may occur as ideophones, which are ergative with transitive/intransitive alternation, e.g. aphulaj aphuka, In addition, Break predicates may consist of ideophones with verbal suffixes: [-k-] is the suffix of intransitive ideophone [-I-] or [-z-] is the suffix of transitive ideophone Intransitive ideophone: Intambo ithe nqamu The rope broke Intransitive verb with [-k-]: Intambo inqamukile The rope broke Transitive ideophone: Indoda ithe nqamu intambo The man broke the rope Transitive verb with [-1-]: Indoda inqamule intambo. The man broke a rope Transitive verb with [-z-]: Indoda iphoqoze intambo. The man broke a bone The study demonstrates that with Bend verbs there are two ergative verbs, namely thoba and goba. -- The study further demonstrates that Bend verbs are mostly intransitive with a shadow argument; there is an ideophone qethu, which takes the transitive / intransitive alternation with the suffix [-k-] for the intransitive and [-1-] for the transitive alternation, respectively. The study provides evidence that Break and Bend verbs are characterised by specific selection restrictions as well as event structures. Some alternations were also investigated in the study, such as the Possessive alternation and Instrument-Subject alternation. Lastly, the Lexical conceptual paradigm and the Lexical Inheritance Structure of each verb were examined.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die onderwerp van hierdie studie is Breek en Buig werkwoorde in isiZulu, wat geklassifiseerword as werkwoorde van toestandverandering. Hierdie studie ondersoek die semantiese en die sintaktiese analise van die werkwoordtipe van toestandverandering in isizulu. Buigwerkwoorde word semanties ingedeel in werkwoorde wat die buig van liggaamsdeleaandui, byvoorbeeld: thoba, khothema, qomfa, bhena, guqa, vosho, en werkwoorde wat die buig van liggaamsdele sowel as die fisiese objekte aandui, byvoorbeeld: goba, qethuka/qethula, soos aangedui word in die sinne hieronder: Indoda igobe ucingo Die man het die draad gebuig Indoda ithe qethu ikhanda Die man het sy kop agteroor gebuig Inkosikazi igobe amadolo Die vrou het (haar) knieë gebuig Uthe qethu isigxobo Hy het die paal agtertoe gebuig. Hierdie studie toon aan dat Breek-werkwoorde semanties ingedeel kan word in werkwoorde wat "breek" aandui, bv. aphula/aphuka: werkwoorde wat "afbreek" aandui, bv. nqamuka/nqamula; werkwoorde wat "flenters breek" aandui, bv. fahlaza/fahlaka; werkwoorde wat "bars" aandui, bv. chachamba, werkwoorde wat "skeur" aandui, bv. dabula/dabuka; werkwoorde wat "ruineer" aandui, bv. bhidliza/bhidlika en werkwoorde wat "oopbreek" aandui, bv. havuka/havula. Breek-predikate kan sintakties as ideofone verskyn, wat ergatief (ergative) is met 'n transitief/intransitief alternasie, bv.. aphula/aphuka. Voorts kan Breek-predikate ook verskyn as ideofone met werkwoordagtervoegsels: [-k-] is die suffiks van die intransitiewe ideofoon [-1-] of [-z-] is die suffiks van die transitiewe ideofoon Intransitiewe ideofoon: Intambo ithe nqamu Die tou het gebreek Intransitiewe werkwoord met [-k-]: Intambo inqamukile Die tou het gebreek Transitiewe ideofoon: Indoda ithe nqamu intambo Die man het die tou gebreek Transitiewe werkwoord met [-1-]: Indoda inqamule intambo. Die man het die tou gebreek Transitiewe werkwoord met l-e-l: Indoda iphoqoze umlenze Die man het die been gebreek Die studie toon aan dat met Buigwerkwoorde, twee ergatiewe werkwoorde gevind is, naamlik thoba en goba. Die studie toon ook aan dat Buigwerkwoorde meestal intransitiewe werkwoorde is wat met 'n skadu-argument verskyn. Daar is 'n ideofoon qethu, wat die transitief/intransitief alternasie vertoon met die suffiks [-k-] vir die intransitief en [-I-] vir die transitief alternasie, respektiewelik Die studie bied bewys daarvoor dat Breek- en Buigwerkwoorde gekenmerk word deur seleksiebeperkings en gebeure ('event') strukture. Sommige alternasies is ook ondersoek in die studie, byvoorbeeld die Possessief alternasie en Instrument-Subjek alternasie. Laastens, is die leksikaal-konseptuele paradigma en die Leksikale-erwingstruktuur van elke werkwoord ondersoek.

Submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfilment of the requirements for Master of Arts in the Department of African Languages at the University of Zululand, 1990.
This study is a review of the Possessive in Zulu. Many grammarians that have dealt with the possessive in Zulu over—emphasised the structure of the possessive thus very often neglecting the meaning of the possessive in Zulu, and the so-called unmarked possessive. Different approaches to word identification have been discussed. The implications of the two approaches to word identification for the possessive in Zulu, namely, the conjunctive5^ and the semi- X conjunctive approach, have been discussed. The conjunctivists indicate that the possessive is one word made up of three parts, the agreement morpheme, the possessive norpheme and the possessor. e.g. i + a - urafana yomf sr. = ■' of the boy ! The semi-conjunctivists indicate that a possessive consists of two words, namely, a possessive particle and a complement- e.g. ya-umfana ' (of the boy) Possessives that are direct in manner have been distinguished by inter alia Dotee- These possessives are semantically and morphologically regular. e.g. ibhola lomfana (the ball of the boy) Some structures do not include the possessive particle and yet they do carry a possessive meaning. e.g. uyihlo (your father} There are possessives that are indirect in nature, having possessive particles, but which do not imply true possession. The noun-possessor, and the noun-possessee are thus not semantically in a true possessive relationship in an example such as the following. e.g. intalantala yomsebenzi (a lot of work) Possessives which are structurally irregular in that they contain no possessive particle, are also discussed in this study. The possessor and the posses see are in a part-whole relationship in this sentence. e.g. ngiphule umfana ingalo (I broke the boy * s arm)

M.A. (African Languages)
The main purpose of this study was to investigate morphological reduplication in the word class nouns, verbs and ideophones in Zulu, and to describe them according to their formal and semantic features. An outline is given in chapter 1 of the status of the morpheme within the word morphology according to general linguistic principles, theories concerning the morpheme as well as the character or nature of morphological reduplication. According to the literature on this subject it appears that morphological reduplication performs widely, even universally. In chapter 2 attention is given to reduplication in the most important languages and dialects in the Nguni language group apart from Zulu. These languages and dialects include the following: Swati, Bhaca, Phuthi, Northen Transvaal Ndebele, Lala, Xhosa, Southern Transvaal Ndebele and Mpondo. It is found that all these languages and dialects present a common character with regard to morphological reduplication. Zulu, as the main concern of study in respect of morphological reduplication, is studied in detail in chapter 3. The word classes of Zulu are looked at according to Van Wyk's word class grouping, whilst special attention is given to nouns. It is found that morphological reduplication in Zulu nouns shows an extention of the semantic features represented in the single noun. The reduplicated forms have the semantic features of especially abundance, numerousness and completeness. The formal features of the reduplicated noun in Zulu are studied with special reference to the monosyllabic noun, the disyllabic noun and the polisyllabic noun. Their possible combination (in their reduplicated form) with a suffix as well as the formal features of the reduplicated suffix, are studied at length. In chapter 4 the morphological reduplication of verbs (in this instance also monosyllabic, disyllabic and polisyllabic stems) is discussed. The verb can be reduplicated as a whole or only partially with the semantic features of, inter alia, intensity or thoroughness. The verb can also be reduplicated in combination with a suffix with the result that the semantic feature of the suffix acts complementary to the semantic features of the reduplicated verb. In chapter 5 the morphological reduplication of ideophones is discussed. The semantic features of reduplication are characterised as intense, complete, purposeful and final. The formal features show that only disyllabic ideophones represent morphological reduplication that may be fully or only partially reduplicated.

D.Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)
The change in function of word categories is a widespread phenomenon in Zulu and can be indicated across the whole spectrum of language elements. The dynamic developing nature of the language entails that units may shift upwards or downwards within the hierarchy, resulting in their assuming either a higher or lower rank. The so-called "class prefix" of class 2a is typified as a specialised and rank shifted variant of the emphatic pronoun bona on account of its syntactic and semantic characteristics. The class prefix of class 1a has not yet completely passed through the development process from Ur-Bantu *Ta and currently shows charateristics of both copula and class prefix. Various other affixes of the noun such as, inter alia, the diminutive suffix and prefixes such as {-50-} and {~nga-} originated from former nouns and verbal stems. A 1arge degree of interaction occurs between pronouns and other word categories. The (abbreviated) demonstrative pronoun a functions as relative pronoun in establishing relative constructions. The verbal suffix {-yo} which functions in verbal relative constructions as nominaliser and with an emphatic semantic value also originated from a pronoun. A few pronouns from the locative classes may function as (auxiliary) verb stems while others serve as "conjunct ions". The distance indicating suffixes of the demonstrative pronouns, with the retention of significance, are employed in other word categori es such as adverbs and interjective demonstratives. Category shifting, therefore, also occurs on the level of morphemes. A mutual underlying composition is disclosed for all relative constructions (verbal and nominal) as consisting of the relative pronoun a as introductory member followed by a complement in the relative mood. This postulation makes provision for the occurence of a underlying copulative verb stem *-(1)i in the relative and situative moods. In the indicative the negative auxiliary verb stem -si is regarded as (underlying) part of the copulative construction. Various particle words such as the connective na and the instrumental nga, the hortative particles (m)a and A(ke), certain "conjunctions" such as uma and qede, the particles be and se and certain enclitic particles find their origin in verbs. It has been indicated within the category 'verb' that the aspectual morphemes originated in former verb stems. Certain verbs can be lowered in rank with specific morphological and semantic changes and then function as auxiliary verb stems. In certain cases the auxiliary verb stems can shift upwards in rank by morphematic elision of the concordial morpheme and be employed as autonomous "conjunctions". Adverbs are mainly derived from other word categories in that noun class prefixes function as adverbial prefixes. The adverbial prefix {ka-} is reduced to the obsolete class 13 of Ur-Bantu which contained mainly diminutive words as well as words with an adverbial significance. The morpheme {-ka} whi ch occurs in words such as kangaka originated in the demonstrative pronoun of this class, namely lakha. Ideophones show formal, semantic and syntatic similarities with verbs and are typified in principle as the complement of the auxiliary verb stem -thi.

This chapter examines the ways that white appropriation gave Zulu its power and value relative to other African signifiers. It first provides an overview of the legacy of John William Colenso, who, as Church of England Bishop of Natal from 1855 until his death in 1883, made it his business to refine, correct, and amplify existing grammars and dictionaries in Zulu. It then considers the distinction between Zulu and Kitchen Kafr—or Fanagalo, as it was called later. It also reflects on what stands in the way of learning Zulu and how Fanagalo becomes a substitute not only for Zulu, but also for other African languages. The author concludes by charting his history of attempts at learning Zulu in South Africa by citing Sibusiso Nyembezi's 1970 language manual, Learn More Zulu.

This book examines how the idea of learning Zulu became intertwined with issues of property, proprietorship, and appropriation. Drawing on the author's experience in trying to learn Zulu, the book explains how, in South Africa, the signifier “Zulu” had come to have a unique and privileged status. In this introduction, the author reflects on the play Ngicela uxolo, by Nkosinathi I. Ngwane, and how he began to understand the secret history of language, and language learning more specifically. He shares how some black African migrants were forced, under threat of violence, to pronounce shibboleths in Zulu. He also narrates the colonial- and apartheid-era elevation of “Zulu” involving intensive white appropriation and translation and shows that when missionaries in mid-nineteenth-century Natal standardized the Zulu language by writing grammars and compiling dictionaries, they also made Zulu—in its “pure” or correct form—a yardstick for being good, both morally and politically.