A study of Zulu concepts, terms and expressions associated with Umuthi

Abstract

This dissertation explores the significance of the terms, and expressions associated with traditional medical practitioners towards the enrichment of the Zulu language. The term umuthi was chosen because it envelops semantically more than its English equivalency ·medicine·. Nkabinde (1 988:38) states that umuthi can mean a 'tree' or ·medicine·. Abathakathi 'sorcerers'; izangoma 'diviners'; iziguli 'patients' and izinyanga tradit ional healers· use the language in such a way that new terms are coined for example ukweqa 'to walk/step over' > umeqo 'disease caught after stepping over medicine·. some of the terms pertaining to diseases, medicines and the practice of medicine are borrowed from other languages and have contributed to the expansion of the Zulu vocabulary. compare for instance the following examples: imfiva < 'fever' imfuluwenza < 'influenza' Certain terms are compounds such as umdumakhanda < ukuduma + ikhanda 'insanity'; umankabeni < ubuhlungu obuzungeze inkaba 'sharp pains·. The shrubs and trees used by the makers, users and abusers of medicines when mixing, all have names. Each and every mixture of medicine has its own name, for example: intando 'love charm· udukanezwe ·medicine to cause a person to wander away'. Although the above medicines have a variety of ingredients they are nevertheless referred to as intando or udukanezwe. These terms, inter alia, contribute to the expansion and the enrichment of the Zulu language. semantics plays a vital role in this study, since the labels used to refer to umuthi and the practice thereof are organised in semantic networks of synonymy, antonymy, homonymy and the like. The use of 'hlonipha' (the warp and woof of Zu lu anthropology) in the pract ice of umut hi is also investigated in this study, however, this is done with the emphasis on the linguistic aspects of this phenomenon. The expressions used by the makers, users and abusers of medicines are investigated. This includes a study of idioms and proverbs which refer to medicine and the practice thereof.