Zulu nouns
Download as DOCX, PDF
1 like85 views
The document summarizes the noun class system in the Zulu language. It outlines the singular and plural prefixes used for different classes, provides examples of how prefixes change depending on the syllable count of the noun stem, and describes how verbs and descriptions must agree with the noun class. It concludes by listing the Zulu possessive prefixes and providing examples of how they are used with nouns.
Zulu nouns
- 1. Zulu Nouns Singular Prefixes~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Plural Prefixes Class 1 um(u)-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Class 2 aba- Class 1a u-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Class 2a o- Class 3 um(u)-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Class 4 imi- Class 5 i(li)-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Class 6 aba- Class 7 isi-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Class 8 izi- Class 9 im/in-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Class 10 izim/izin- Class 11 u(lu)- Class 14 ubu- Class 15 uku- Class 16 uku- Class 17 uku- If a noun stem has only one syllable, then it will take the longer prefix. If it has more than one syllable, it will take the shorter prefix. Eg: umuntu (person) umlungu (white person) Class 1 and 3 both look the same for singular nouns, but 1 is for people. Ie the plural of umuntu is abantu (person, people) but of umuthi is imithi (tree, trees) class 3 So to get the noun and verb to agree is easy: Inja iphuza amanzi (the dog drinks water) Izinja ziphuza amanzi (the dogs drink water) But it also means descriptions need to agree with the noun prefix. The ZULU POSSESSIVES are as follows: My: -ami Your: -akho His/her: -akhe Our: -ethu Your(pl): -enu Their: -abo So, 'my dogs' would be: izinja zami My dogs are eating: izinja zami ziyadla Our home: ikhaya yethu (i + e = ye) Her child: umntwana wakhe (u + a = wa)