Kuhlonishwa kabili - Respect is two ways
Zulu Proverb
If you are an IsiZulu tutor in South Africa, you need to note how to important it is to use Zulu proverbs to teach the language. Relying on some Zulu proverbs to teach the language means teaching the culture behind the language as well as advancing novel vocabulary words in the language itself.
Just like the Zulu proverb emphasises that respect is a two-way street in relationships, this Zulu proverb also emphasises that respecting Zulu proverbs when teaching the language is rather important. Since Zulu proverbs and idioms were passed down from older generations to younger generations, they should be included in Zulu language lessons. In South Africa, we should respect the various different Zulu proverbs that guide and provide a cultural purpose to the language learning process.
Every Zulu proverb states something figuratively and has its own literal meaning that seeks to teach a lesson. In understanding the literal meaning, we understand the life lesson that is part of the Zulu culture too and the life lesson part of the stories shared by older generations. It is important to look at some Zulu proverbs and their meanings when you begin to tutor Zulu.
Learning Some Zulu Proverbs and Idioms
If you encourage the students you tutor to listen to Zulu music, it will improve their skills in the language. You can also teach some Zulu proverbs and idioms to help them better their language skills and learn the click place tongue positions as they repeat these proverbs and idioms.
Iso liwela umfula ugcwele - The eye crosses the full river
Zulu proverb
The proverb means if someone is strong-willed, they will overcome any obstacle standing in their way.
When teaching the Zulu language, you need to make sure that you teach its rich proverbs and idioms that will not only teach your students language skills but also provide some valuable life lessons.
Ukwanda ngomlomo njengebhenge
Zulu idiom
This idiom states, you have a lot to say but you hardly take action.
Its all well and good to understand how valuable idioms and proverbs can be for your IsiZulu lessons, but it means very little if you are not taking action and including them into your lessons.
When it comes to Zulu lessons, they should not be taught according to one textbook or resource only. Zulu lessons can be taught in fun ways and in a way that makes learning the language a culturally rich experience, whilst still following the language learning process. The more Zulu resources and stories you use, the more enriching your lesson will be.
Once you introduce proverbs and idioms into your lessons, you can rope in tools such as Quizlet to test how well your students recall the Zulu idioms and proverbs that they have learnt during their fun IsiZulu course.
Other Ways of Learning IsiZulu Language
Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu - A person is a person because of other people.
Zulu proverb
While much of the article is focused on guiding Zulu tutors to incorporate IsiZulu proverbs when teaching the Zulu language, we also have some ideas for learners interested in learning this African language.
- Firstly, take a free lesson with one of our Superprof tutors The free lesson will allow you to get a taste of what to expect from either online or in-person lessons with one of the Superprof tutors offering Zulu lessons. Getting a taste of what the language is like is a great way to understand if you are comfortable with the Zulu language or not.
- Secondly, you can learn the isiZulu language through oral traditions. By listening to and understanding the stories passed down from the older generation to the newer generation, you can learn to speak the language better.
- Learn IsiZulu when you listen to Zulu music. Zulu songs are easy to catch onto and before you know it, you could be singing all the lyrics properly.
- You can even look at sounds represented by letters in the Zulu alphabet. Once you understand which sounds are represented by which clicks, you are on your way to becoming proficient and fluent in the language.
- Lastly, you need to ensure that you know the Zulu word and the English word translation as well.
Using proverbial and idiomatic expressions when learning Zulu is always a good idea.
In fact, an article in Sabinet Journal talks about the importance of teaching Ubuntu to IsiZulu home language learners. Despite the study focusing solely on home language learners, second language learners can also reap the benefit of learning the value of proverbs and idioms in that language. One of the biggest lessons can be learnt by the Zulu proverb, "Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu." This proverb teaches about the value of interdependence. Knowing how important interdependence is in the Zulu culture will mean understanding the value of learning the Zulu language not by yourself but with the help of native Zulu speakers.
IsiZulu is a beginner-friendly language, and a private Zulu tutor can be an essential resource for anyone wishing to learn it.
The Benefits of Taking Private Zulu Classes
As a native African language speaker knowing other African language like Sesotho or Setswana, you may think it will be easier to go down learn IsiZulu by yourself. However, there are many advantages to learning how to speak the language from others, especially from people who are native speakers.
Native speakers will be able to rectify grammatical mistakes from the very beginning so that they don't become entrenched. A native Zulu speaker will also know how to incorporate certain proverbs and idioms into each class of the beginner Zulu course.
Zulu classes should offer more than just conversational approaches to learning in the language, but should be structured to offer guidance on the language's rules and grammatical structure too. This is where a private IsiZulu tutor will step in and provide the much-needed assistance to guide you along the entire language learning process.
As a tutor, you can help your student overcome language barriers or obstacles, by incorporating cultural elements into lessons.
A private Zulu tutor will know when to advance from teaching the language by just focusing on new vocabulary and when to rely on other devices, like traditional proverbs and idioms. They will also know how to focus on interactive teaching methods to make learning fun and an adventure too.
When a native speaking Zulu instructor encourages conversation in the Zulu language from the very first lesson, it becomes much easier for second and third language Zulu speakers to pick up on Zulu vocabulary and the English meaning of certain Zulu words. For those who just started learning Zulu, having conversations in the language with a native speaker can be highly beneficial. If are able to put words and the sound for these words together in the language, you too will be able to grasp this melodic language in no time.
Of all the official languages spoken in South Africa, Zulu could be the one language that opens up the most doors for you.
Don't just learn IsiZulu, learn all about the Zulu proverbs and idioms and traditional songs which make learning this language a culturally enriching experience for home language speakers and for beginner speakers new to the Zulu language.
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