ABSTRACT
Zulu belongs to the South-Eastern group of Bantu languages (the Nguni group). It is spoken in Natal (into which the Zulu kingdom was incorporated in 1897) and in Transvaal, with some spread into Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Tanzania. Four main dialects are distinguished: Kwabe, Lala, Ndebele, and Nguni. The latter is characteristic of Malawi and Tanzania; Ndebele (‘Matabele’) is found in the Transvaal and Zimbabwe. Zulu in its original forms is spoken today by about 3 V2 million people.
