Teach Yourself Complete Zulu

Book and 2 Audio CDs

Are you looking for a complete course in Zulu which takes you effortlessly from beginner to confident speaker? Whether you are starting from scratch, or are just out of practice, Complete Zulu will guarantee success!

Now fully updated to make your language learning experience fun and interactive. You can still rely on the benefits of a top language teacher and our years of teaching experience, but now with added learning features within the course and online.
The course is structured in thematic units and the emphasis is placed on communication, so that you effortlessly progress from introducing yourself and dealing with everyday situations, to using the phone and talking about work.

By the end of this course, you will be at Level B2 of the Common European Framework for Languages: Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.

Learn effortlessly with a new easy-to-read page design and interactive features:

NOT GOT MUCH TIME?
One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started.

AUTHOR INSIGHTS
Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the author's many years of experience.

GRAMMAR TIPS
Easy-to-follow building blocks to give you a clear understanding.

USEFUL VOCABULARY
Easy to find and learn, to build a solid foundation for speaking.

DIALOGUES
Read and listen to everyday dialogues to help you speak and understand fast.

PRONUNCIATION
Don't sound like a tourist! Perfect your pronunciation before you go.

TEST YOURSELF
Tests in the book and online to keep track of your progress.

EXTEND YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Extra online articles at: www.teachyourself.com to give you a richer understanding of the culture and history of Zulu speakers.

TRY THIS
Innovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.

Comprehensive - teaches all four language skills: listening and speaking, reading and writing
Cultural notes - to help you get the most out of your studies and any trip to South Africa.
Practice - there are exercises throughout and four revision units to help you remember what you have learnt.
Pronunciation - helps with the famous 'clicks' associated with the language.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Pronunciation guide
How are you?
Who are you?
Can you speak English?
Can I help you?
Revision
Fill up, please
Ncamsile celebrates her birthday
Do you have Stoney ginger beer?
What do you do for a living, James?
Revision
Pleased to meet you, Ron
Can we have the menu, please?
Can we order some wine, please?
Can you direct me to the post office, please?
Revision
Telephone conversation
Sibongile Vilakazi and his family are having dinner
Gavin goes to the doctor
Filling in forms
Revision
Making a hotel reservation
In the furniture store
I want to report a burglary
Mr Maphummulo at the post office
Revision
Key to the exercises

About the Author(s):
Arnett Wilkes is Professor of Zulu at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Nikolias Nkosi taught at the University of Pretoria.

About the Zulu language

Zulu is the language of the Zulu people with about 10 million speakers, the vast majority (over 95%) of whom live in South Africa. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa (24% of the population) as well as being understood by over 50% of the population (Ethnologue 2005). It became one of South Africa's eleven official languages in 1994. Like many other Bantu languages, it is written using the Latin alphabet.

Much like the Xhosa who had moved into South Africa during earlier waves of the Bantu migrations, the Zulu assimilated many sounds from the San and Khoi languages of the country's earliest inhabitants. This has resulted in the preservation of click consonants in Zulu and Xhosa, (the sounds are unique to Southern and Eastern Africa except for the Australian Aborigine Damin ceremonial language) despite the extinction of many San and Khoi languages.

Zulu, like all indigenous Southern African languages, was an oral language until contact with missionaries from Europe, who documented the language using the Latin alphabet. The first grammar book of the Zulu language was published in Norway in 1850 by the Norwegian missionary Hans Schreuder. The first written document in Zulu was a Bible translation that appeared in 1883. In 1901, John Dube (1871–1946), a Zulu from Natal, created the Ohlange Institute, the first native educational institution in South Africa. He was also the author of Insila kaShaka, the first novel written in isiZulu (1933). Another pioneering Zulu writer was Reginald Dhlomo, author of several historical novels of the 19th-century leaders of the Zulu nation: U-Dingane (1936), U-Shaka (1937), U-Mpande (1938), U-Cetshwayo (1952) and U-Dinizulu (1968). Other notable contributors to Zulu literature include Benedict Wallet Vilakazi and, more recently, Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali.

The written form of Zulu was controlled by the Zulu Language Board of KwaZulu-Natal. This board has now been disbanded and superseded by the Pan South African Language Board that promotes the use of all eleven official languages of South Africa.

Teach Yourself Complete Zulu