Xhosa Fundis Language School CC

25/01/2016

This is the last post from this particular page before it is deleted. Please access future posts from our 'Xhosa Fundis' page. Thank you for your support! The Xhosa Fundis team

15/12/2015

A friendly reminder that this page will operate from the 'Xhosa Fundis' page as of 2016. We resume our Facebook posts on the 11th of January and our office reopens on the 18th of January.

15/12/2015

14/12/2015

Hello everyone! Importantly, please note that this page that you are on now, titled 'Xhosa Fundis Language School CC', is being phased out, so please follow us on the 'Xhosa Fundis' page to which we will be consolidating our service. Please do this now as we would hate to lose you! Also, please note that we are closing for the December holidays and will resume with our posts on Monday the 11th of January 2016 via the 'Xhosa Fundis' page. We hope you have enjoyed our posts this year and please send us your feedback and requests so that we can implement them in the new year. You can also email this to us using [email protected]. We wish you all a wonderful and safe festive season! 'Nibe neKrisimesi emnandi!' - Merry Christmas!

11/12/2015

Ngale njika-langa siyanibulisa singuXhosa Fundis, sithi makudede ubumnyama kuvele ukukhanya. Camagu.

Ngale (this) njika-langa (afternoon - literally 'when the sun turns') siyanibulisa (we greeting you) singuXhosa Fundis (as Xhosa Fundis). Sithi (we are saying) makudede ubumnyama kuvele ukukhanya (a proverb meaning 'all the best', but literally, it translates as 'may darkness make way for brightness' or 'may light prevail and darkness be abolished'. Camagu (ancestral greeting equivalent to Amen in Christianity).

07/12/2015

The Use of Sisi in the Xhosa culture

1. You say Sisi to your older sister (your parent's daughter or your paternal uncle's daughter).

2. You say Sisi to your husband's sisters who are the same age as you or older.

3. You say Sisi to your mkhuluwakazi (the wife of your husband's older brother).

4. You say Sisi to your brother's wife if she is older than you.

5. You say Sisi to another man's wife even if you are the same age. You show respect by calling her Sisi (especially if you are a young man).

6. You say Sisi to any female that is older than you - this is mandatory.

7. You can also say Sisi to a female younger than you to show admiration and affection - this is not mandatory.

8. For wives of the same man, the younger ones would call the older one Sisi.

9. Some people say Sisi to their mother, if they were born out of wedlock, meaning that they now belong to the parents of the mother (i.e. not the biological parents, but the maternal grandparents).

10. Sisi means sister in English and is such a useful word. In slang, it is Sis'teri.

04/12/2015

The use of Bhuti in the Xhosa culture:

1. This word is used mainly by boys when referring to a young man that has just come from initiation school. Previously, he was referred to by his name, but now he is a man so those younger than him must show respect by calling him 'Bhuti' instead of his name.

2. Bhuti is also used to refer to your older brother. Remember that for the amaXhosa, 'brother' is not defined in the same terms as in Western culture. Your brothers are the sons of a man related to your father through paternal kinship (e.g. your father's brother, cousin, a man who shares your father's clan, etc.).

3. The wives in the family refer to their husbands' older brothers as Bhuti. They use the word for all men related to the family that are the same age or older than their husbands.

4. Bhuti is also a term for showing respect and affection. In this instance it can be used to refer to a male younger than you are.

5. Bhuti can also be used by men when referring to another man that went to initiation school long before they did (about 5 years earlier). You may not call a person who became a man before you by name. You use Bhuti to show respect. Urban youth use different slang versions of bhuti instead, such as Bhuda, Bra (bro), Grootmaan, Grootie, Tar, etc.

04/12/2015

isiXhosa is one of the eleven official language of South Africa, spoken by about 7.6 million people (18% of the population). It is a member of the Nguni languages family, alongside Zulu, Swati and Ndebele, and is well-known for its use of click consonants. Here are five reasons why you should learn this language:

1. It’s cool for showing off.
2. You get to understand when Xhosa people gossip about you and get to see their reaction when you reply with “Ndiyaniva” (I can understand you).
3. You can interact with Xhosa people on a deeper, more personal level.
4. It is a sign of respect to speak with another person in their own language.
5. If you learn Xhosa, you will be speaking the language of world icons like Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and Trevor Noah.

You sold? Then funda isiXhosa uthethe nabahlobo bakho.
Salani Kakuhle.

03/12/2015

Answer these questions according to the examples.
Phendula le mibuzo ngokulandela le mizekelo.

Examples:
1. Are there traffic lights in this town?
Zikhona iirobhothi kule dolophu?

2. Is there a hotel in this town?
Ikhona ihotele kule dolophu?

Exercises:
1. Is there a post office (iposi) kule dolophu?
2. Is there a doctor (ugqirha) kule dolophu?
3. Are the schools (izikolo) kule dolophu?
4. Is there a supermarket (isuphamakethi)?
5. Is there a hospital (isibhedlele)?

Now try to do the five on your own.
Ngoku zama ukwenza ezi zintlanu ngokwakho.

02/12/2015

Vocabulary Exercise

Isigama - Vocabulary
1. intombi (girl / meisie)
2. khohlo (left / links)
3. dala (old / oud)
4. futshane (short / kort)
5. photheneyo (curly / krullerig)
6. ubusika (winter / winter)
7. umfana (boy / seun) (mostly refer to young man)
8. kunene (right / regs)
9. ncinane (young / jonk)
10. mde (long / lank)
11. ngokuthetse (straight / reguit)
12. uhlobo (summer / somer)

Read the following parahraph and answer the following questions below:

Funda lo mhlathi ulandelayo uze uphendule imibuzo esezantsi:

UNomsa uneminyaka elishumi. Uthanda imibala ebomvu nemthubi. Ibe ngoyena omde kubo bonke eklasini yakhe. Unemilenze emide. Inwele zakhe zimfutshane zaphinda zaphothana kakhulu. Zimnyama ebusika ziphinde zibebrawuni (mdaka). Elinye iliso likaNomsa liluhlaza (elisekunene) olunye liblowu (olusekhohlo).

1. Uneminyaka emingaphi uNomsa?
How old is Nomsa? - Hoe oud is Nomsa?

2. Uthanda eyiphi imibala?
What is her favourite colours? - Wat is haar gunsteling kleure?

3. Ibingakanani imilenze yakhe?

4. Unenwele ezinjani?
(What kind of hair does Nomsa have? - Watter soort hare het Nomsa?)

5. Anjani amehlo akhe?

01/12/2015

Iziduko

Xhosa clan names (isiduko (sing.), iziduko (pl.) in Xhosa) are family names which are considered more important than surnames among Xhosa people. Much like the clan system of Scotland, each Xhosa person can trace their family history back to a specific male ancestor or stock. Mentioning the clan name of someone you wish to thank is the highest form of respect, and it is considered polite to enquire after someone's clan name when you meet them. The clan name is also sometimes used as an exclamation by members of that clan.

When a woman marries she may take her husband's surname, but she always keeps her own clan name, adding the prefix Ma- to it. A man and a woman who have the same clan name may not marry, as they are considered to be related.

Here is the clan name of some famous Xhosa people:
1. Nelson Mandela - Dlomo, Madiba, Yem-Yem
2. Brenda Fassie - MaDlomo, Madiba Yem-Yem
3. Winnie Mandela - MaNgutyana, Msuthu, Msengeshe
4. Bantu Steve Biko - MGcina, Xhamela, Nokwindla
5. Ringo Madlingozi - Rhadebe, Bhungane, Ngelengele
6. Thabo Mbeki - Dlamini, Z**i, Fakade, Jama kaSijadu
7. Walter Sisulu - MGcina, Xhamela, Nokwindla
8. Chris Hani - Chungwa, Dikiza, Sawu, Tota, Simke, Khwane
9. Miriam Makeba - Gqwashu, Gxiya, Njenje, Lawu, Manzini

30/11/2015

Observe how a noun change into an adverb:

Noun - Adverb
1. ikhitshi - ekhitshini (Kitchen - in the kitchen)
2. indlu - endlwini (house - in the house)
3. ikhaya - ekhayeni (home - at home)
4. umzi - emzini (homestead - in the homestead)
5. igumbi lokulala - egumbini lokulala (bedroom)
6. igumbi lokuhlamba - egumbini lokuhlamba
7. igumbi lokuhlala - egumbini lokuhlala
8. igaraji - egaraji (garage - at the garage)
9. ucango - ecangweni (door)
10. idonga - edongeni (wall)
11. igadi - egadini (garden)
12. istupu - estupini (stoep/sidewalk)
13. itafile - etafileni (table/ at the table)
14. isitulo - esitulweni (chair)
15. isitya - esityeni (bowl)