REALLY AWFULLY MULTILINGUAL

My small grand-d – the one called G –

Learns Zulu from the nurse;

It slowed speech, true, til nearly two,

Before she could converse;

The trouble is that I’ve a biz

Recalling Zulu stuff,

So, comes from she, ‘Inja uphi?’

I am not wise enough

To know that it refers a bit

To whereabouts of dog;

‘Phuzamanzi’ she may larn me –

For water, drink, agog!

Looking sweetly, she says neatly,

‘Amaswidi thanda’,

This is to say some sweets today

She would like to ponder.

 

English speaking, she’s not freaking,

So all such Zulu terms

Are to bug me, ‘Ha-ha, heehee …

Just see how grampa squirms!’

 

I now want to sort this thing through,

And even out the deck

Nou sien hier maat; kan ook so praat –

Dus, meisie, hou jou bek!

 

 ZULU

Inja uphi?  (eenjah oopee)  Where is the dog?

‘Phuzamanzi’, (poozem-ahnzi) Drinking water

‘Amaswidi thanda’, (Ahmahsweedi t-handa) Like sweets.  ‘I like’ would be ngithanda.

AFRIKAANS

Nou sien hier maat; kan ook so praat – 

Dus, meisie, hou jou bek!

Now, look here friend, (I) can also speak like that –

Therefore, girl, hold your mouth!

 © Colonialist April 2013 (WordPress)