Mzungu
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Mzungu (pronounced [m̩ˈzuŋɡu]) is the southern, central and eastern African term for a person of foreign descent. Literally translated it means "someone who roams around aimlessly" or "aimless wanderer" (from the Swahili words zungu, zunguzungu, zunguka, zungusha, mzungukaji, meaning to go round and round; from Ganda okuzunga which means to wander aimlessly). The term was first used by natives of East Africa to describe European explorers in the 18th century.[citation needed] It is now commonly used in most Bantu languages of East, Central and Southern Africa, especially in Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia.
In Swahili, the plural form of mzungu is wazungu.[1][2][3] The possessive kizungu (or chizungu) translated literally means "of the aimless wanderers". It has now come to mean "language of the aimless wanderers" and more commonly English, as it is the language most often used by Wazungu in East Africa. However it can be used generally for any European language. Wachizungu, Bachizungu, etc. – literally "things of the aimless wanderers" – have come to mean the Western culture, cuisine and lifestyle.
In Kinyarwanda and Kirundi, European people are also known as rutuku which means "red" (after their skin color). The word English has been loaned into Bantu languages as kiingereza in Swahili, chingeleshi in Bemba or lungereza in Ganda.
| Language | singular | plural | possessive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swahili in East Africa | Mzungu | Wazungu | Kizungu |
| Luganda in Uganda | Muzungu | Bazungu | Kizungu |
| Chichewa in Malawi | Muzungu | Azungu | Chizungu |
| Chinyanja in Zambia | Muzungu | Bazungu | Chizungu |
| Kinyarwanda in Rwanda / Kirundi in Burundi | Umuzungu | Abazungu | ikizungu |
| Bemba in Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo | Musungu | Basungu | Chisungu |
| Sena in Mozambique | Muzungu | Azungu | |
| Shona in Zimbabwe | Murungu | ||
| isiZulu in South Africa | Umlungu | Abelungu |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ H-Net Discussion Networks – Etymology of the term muzungu: reply. H-net.msu.edu (2002-09-19). Retrieved on 2011-05-28.
- ^ The Wandering Wazungu. Travelblog.org. Retrieved on 2011-05-28.
- ^ Notas. The Janissary Stomp. Retrieved on 2011-05-28.
[edit] External links
- "Mzungu! Mzungu! Mzungu! Give me my money" Ugandan experiences from Ian Anderson
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