The Jeliya catalogue uses isiZulu / Zulu. Glottolog indexes the corresponding language as Zulu (zulu1248). Its ISO 639-3 code is zul. [1]
Draft — awaiting native-speaker review
A Nguni language with a rich noun-class system and click consonants.
Opening retained from the existing catalogue; awaiting editorial and speaker review.The Jeliya catalogue uses isiZulu / Zulu. Glottolog indexes the corresponding language as Zulu (zulu1248). Its ISO 639-3 code is zul. [1]
Glottolog associates this record with the following country codes: BW, LS, MZ, SZ, ZA. Catalogue locations do not enumerate diaspora or second-language use. [1]
No dated, scope-checked speaker estimate has been approved for this page.
The catalogue classification follows this sequence: Atlantic-Congo → Volta-Congo → Benue-Congo → Bantoid → Southern Bantoid → Narrow Bantu → East Bantu → Southern Bantu → Nuclear Southern Bantu → Dimsuffix Southern Bantu → Nguni-Tsonga-Copi → Nguni (S.40) → Nuclear Nguni → Southern Ndebele-Lowland. [1]
The Glottolog bibliography includes a linguistic description attributed to Cooley, William Desborough 1833 and a more recent one attributed to van Eeden, Bernardus Izak Christiaan 1956. These are publication dates, not language origins. [1]
Latin orthography is conjunctive for complex verbs and normally omits tone. A click letter is not an English letter sound; learn whole recorded syllables.
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.PanSALB provides a national spelling and orthography resource collection. A language-specific rule, edition date and regional scope must be checked before it is applied to a learner’s answer. [2]
Five vowel qualities /i e a o u/. High/low tone patterns interact with depressor consonants and phrase structure. Three basic click places: c dental /ǀ/, q postalveolar /ǃ/, x lateral /ǁ/, with further accompaniment contrasts.
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.A PHOIBLE record links published sound-inventory descriptions for this language. Inventory analysis can differ by variety and study; example words, letter values and a learner-facing pronunciation table still require a checked reference and speaker recordings. [8]
A reviewed alphabet, sound-by-sound IPA guide and reference recordings are still needed.
Awaiting a cited, language-specific contribution and speaker review.
Subject–verb–object; extensive noun-class agreement, verbal extensions, augment vowels and conjoint/disjoint distinctions.
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.A language-specific Grambank record is linked for comparison of grammatical features and their underlying references. Feature coding is an analytical resource; it is not a beginner explanation, a complete grammar or a substitute for a teacher’s review. [4]
Standard isiZulu; annotate regional and urban forms
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.Named child varieties in this record include Ngoni of Malawi, Qwabe, Isindzundza, Manala, South Transvaal Ndebele. These labels do not select Jeliya’s teaching variety. [1]
An entry separates the headword, part of speech, senses and cited examples. A variant is another documented form; a synonym is a different word with a related meaning. Derived expressions can have their own entry. Follow source links and variety tags before using a form.
Search the everyday spelling and check tone-marked forms. ɛ, ɔ, ɲ and ŋ are letters, not removable accents. Search tolerance does not mean two spellings are the same word. Save an entry to keep its stable identity in your wordbook.
Open the dictionaryAwaiting a cited, language-specific contribution and speaker review.
Editorial adaptation: Jeliya
Language reviewer: awaiting appointment
Last revision: 10/12/2026
Harald Hammarström, Robert Forkel, Martin Haspelmath and Sebastian Bank
CC BY 4.0
Source checked: 10/12/2026Pan South African Language Board
Source checked: 10/12/2026van Eeden, Bernardus Izak Christiaan 1956
Source checked: 10/12/2026