Amazulu

/ˌæməˈzuːluː/ noun

Definition

The Zulu people of South Africa, or their language; alternatively, a member of this ethnic group.

Etymology

From Zulu 'amaZulu,' where 'ama-' is a Bantu prefix meaning 'the people of,' and 'Zulu' refers to the ethnic group. Borrowed into English during colonial contact.

Kelly Says

The word carries its grammar in it—'ama-' is a noun class prefix meaning 'people,' so 'amaZulu' literally means 'the Zulu people,' and when English speakers adopted it, they brought that linguistic structure along.

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