Zulu/Appendix B

Pronunciation Vowels LetterIPAExample (IPA)Example (Written)MeaningNotesi i'siːza -siza"help"Pronounced somewhat like ease in English.uuu'muːziumuzi"family"Somewhat like English vowel in the word pool.eeumgiˈɓeːli umgibeli"passenger" Somewhat like bed in English.ɛibʰubɛːsiibhubesi"lion" Pronounced somewhat like bay in English.oɔɔˈgɔːgoogogo"grandmothers"Somewhat like law in English.oumgoːdiumgodi"hole" Pronounced somewhat like boat in English.aaidaːdaidada"duck" Pronounced somewhat like ark in English. Note the table contains diphthongs and lengthened vowels. Semi-vowels LetterIPAExample (IPA)Example (Written)MeaningNotesyjujiːse uyise"his/her/their father"Pronounced as in yes in English.wwiːweleiwele"twin" Pronounced as in wall in English. Consonants LetterIPAExample (IPA)Example (Written)MeaningNotesmmujiːse umama"my/our mother"Pronounced as in English.nnuniːnaunina"his/her/their mother" Pronounced as in no in English.nyɲiːɲɔːniinyoni"bird" Pronounced as in vignette.ngŋiːŋɔaneingane"child" Pronounced as in finger.ppiːpiːpiipipi"pipe for smoking" This consonant is pronounced somewhat as in speech.phpʰpʰɛːɠa-pheka"cook" Pronounced as in pin never as in phonettiːtiːjeitiye"tea" Pronounced somewhat as in English.thtʰtʰaːtʰa-thatha"take" Pronounced somewhat as in English but more fully aspirated i.e. with more air escaping from the mouth.kkumakɔːtiumakoti"bride" Pronounced somewhat as in English.ɠuɠuzaukuza"to come" Pronounced somewhere between k and g in English.khkʰiːkʰaːndaikhanda"head" Pronounced somewhat like c in cat but more aspirated. ggugɔgɔugogo"granny" Pronounced somewhat like in go never as in gem.bɓubaːbaubaba"my/our father" Pronounced with implosion; the movement of the muscles approaches more or less that when smoking a pipe.bhbbala-bhala"write" Pronounced more or less as in English bed.ddiːdaːdaidada"duck" Pronounced more or less as in English duck.ffiːfuifu"cloud" Pronounced more or less as in English fun.vvvaːla-vala"close" Pronounced as in English van.ssiːsiːsuisisu"stomach" Pronounced as in English say.shʃiːʃuːmiishumi"ten" Pronounced as in English shall.hhhaːmba-hamba"go" Pronounced as in English hand.ɦiːɦaːʃiihashi"horse" Pronounced as in English behind.lllala-lala"sleep" Pronounced as in English laugh.hlɬɬaːla-hlala"sit" Pronounced as in Welsh Llanelli. An approximation is pronouncing l and h simultaneously.dlɮɮaːla-dla"eat" This consonant is voiced form of hl. This means the vocal cords are vibrating during articulation.tshtʃutʃaːniutshani"grass" Pronounced as the English chin.jʤuʤuuju"honey" This consonant is pronounced as the English jump.klkɬ' (*)kɬ'aːja-klaya"split" To produce this sound: Raise the back of the tongue against the soft palate. Keep the front part of the tongue down behind the lower teeth. Force air through the closure caused by raising the back of the tongue against the soft palate. (*) IPA transcription by G. Poulos & C.T. Msimang. A linguistic analysis of Zulu. Cape Town: Via Afrika, 1998. Clicks LetterIPAExample (IPA)Example (Written)MeaningNotescǀǀela-celarequest To produce this sound: Place the tip of the tongue against the upper front teeth and gum. Depress the centre of the tongue. Release the tip of the tongue drawing it slightly backwards.qǃǃala-qalabegin To produce this sound: Press the upper part of the tongue-tip against the part between the teeth ridge and the hard palate. Raise the back of the tongue so that it touches the soft palate. Depress the centre of the tongue. Release sharply downwards the tip of the tongue.xǁǁɔːǁɔː-xoxochat, converse To produce this sound: Place the upper part of the tongue-tip against the part between the teeth ridge and the hard palate. Raise the back of the tongue towards the soft palate. Withdraw one side of the tongue from the upper teeth. Note: c is often described as the sound in tut-tut while x is the sound used for encouraging horses. The click sounds can be aspirated, nasalised, voiced or voiced and nasalised together. This is shown in the below table. AspiratedNasalisedVoicedVoiced and Nasalised ch nc gc ngc qh nq gq ngq xh nx gx ngx