So a follow-on to the Luangwa valley language question - I have been trying for quite some time to locate resources to learn to speak the Northern Ndebele language spoken in Zim with no luck. Any ideas?

If you want to learn a language that everyone there understands, you would do better learning some Afrikans.

Have you tried Rosetta Stone, they are pretty extensive.

If not maybe google University of Zimbabwe, they have published several books.

Maybe also try isiNdebele which is the correct way to say it - just as kiSwahili is the correct way to talk of Swahili.

Hamba kuhle

Dr. C I hate to correct you but you are dead wrong. I am a native Zim and speak isindebele fluently. The only Afrikaans I can understand is a few words of rugby commentary. The same goes for 90% of my white countrymen and 99.9% of black Zimbabweans.

Afrikaans is spoken in South Africa and Namibia only.

I would have to agree with JTHunt. I have never even heard the word Afrikans anywhere outside of SA or Namibia.

Probably should have said if you want to learn a language that everyone there understands, learn some Afrikans.......as long as you are only going to visit SA or Namibia....


I believe you would do better learning some Zulu. Zulu shares quite a bit with many of the languages up into Botswana, Zim over to Mozambique, and of course SA

Interesting JT, my mistake I apologize.
I just returned from Zim and my PH, my camerman and my trackers all understood Afrikans.
Therefore I assumed, and you know what happens when you assume.

Rock:

While Ndebele is spoken more in No. Zim, Shona is probably more prevelant throughout the country.

Check out www.worldlanguage.com for Shona tapes, etc. Type in Zim for the country and then click on Shona for the available resources.

I bought the Foreign Service Institute series of Shona tapes and a digial tape player from them. About $225 for the tapes (10) and $40 or so for the player.

I tried to get through them but I guess I just don't have the aptitude for this language.

I will sell them to you or anyone else on AR for $125 including shipping in the CONUS. Postal money order preferred.

Thanks,

RCG

quote:

Originally posted by Dr.C:
If you want to learn a language that everyone there understands, you would do better learning some Afrikans.

I know one language: English. Second language is a handful of $20 bills and you will get what you want.
As long as I'm paying the bills- speak my language. It works out pretty well actually.
You'd be surprised how well English is spoken when it needs to be.
Kinda like a cue ball. The harder you hit it, the more English you get.

LOL.
Trophyman

Cheers to the 20.00 bill thing, In Zambia ALL the kids learn english to some extent in school no matter how remote the village. They can understand my Jackson note just fine and enough english is understood. For me to learn some tribal dialect that serves me some purpose for 2 or 3 safaris makes no sense. Your PH would prefer you keep conversation with the staff to a minimun anyway.

I've been to 22 countries and found someone always understands English. However, learning a few words of the native tongue has resulted in a lot more assistance. Of course, there are places that a handful of $20 bills gets you a steel pipe...bent over your skull. Washington, D.C., being the most prominent.

Tell me when Cape Buffalo are on Quota in DC and I'm in

rock,

I applaud you efforts to learn the language in an area I assume you might be hunting in but it is not necessary. If you want to do it for fun that's fine but as others have said most of the hunting crews know quite a bit of English and can communicate with you as much as is necessary. Also a good PH will interpret anything of interest for you.

As far as navigating airports or speaking to vendors they will probably speak English as well as you do.

Mark

Well if your thought you were confused when you posted your question then you bound to be by now..We have suggested about 5 or 6 different languages you must learn and everyone has their own idea and the fact is Africa is a linguistic nightmare, hope I spelled that close enough for Government work! A mismash of about umteen hundred dialects and languages..

I think learning any new language is always a good idea. I speak a small smathering of several languages of Africa and not enough to get anything done or even carry on a conversation, but I can make them roll in the dirt laughing...

I am however fluent in Spanish or rather Tex-Mex, but I can get by well enough in Spain or Mexico City to carry on a conversation, about like I do in English I suppose..

Not what you are looking for but try this free site for Afrikans: http://www.sois.uwm.edu/afrikaans/

Robert

I was just there (Matabeleland).

Nobody speaks Afrikaans except the PH, who learned it in school as a foreign language.

The natives are actually Tonga, which is different from N'debele. However, everyone can speak Shona. I suggest you learn a few phrases of that.

What about fanagalo?

the language of shakespeare, Macbeth act 5 scene 5:

Kusasa, na kusasa, na kusasa,
Zintsuku zonke hambake gantsani,
Galesoskati, skati zo pelile;
Mazolo kanyisile masituta
Lapa ndlela file. Cima, kandlela!
Tina fana mtunzi yena
Hamba; mbongo yena kala munye
Ntsuku, mbaimbai tulisa.

Seriousely, is it widely used at all? Kitchen kaffir?

Try this link...


http://africa.msu.edu/afrlang/hiermenu.html

Fanagolo will get you by pretty much throughout Southern Africa.