Zulu: Theme 4 - Question words, Quantities, Weather and Time
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greetings and courtesies | asking for help, emergencies | numbers, days, months, seasons | question words, quantities, weather and time | banks, taxis and restaurants | transportation and finding your way | touring and socializing | at the filling station | the human body and ailments | shopping and sport |  |
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Time in the olden times was measured by the sun (ilanga). The Zulu people observed the natural cycles of changes of the day and events which accompanied these changes. For example, the early dawn was described by the names of the stars which appeared at dawn. Morning again was marked by the activities of the day. For example, mid-morning (inhlazane) was marked by the return of the cattle from the fields for milking. The position of the sun played an important factor in naming time as well; e.g. noon was termed emini bakade, which means that the shadows of people are exactly of a similar height than that of the people themselves. This traditional concept of African time was changed by the Western concept of clock time.