Ling 102/WI Introduction to the Study of Language
Module 4 Activity 3: Zulu Morpheme Identification
This activity is in the quiz tool. You have just one chance to submit your answers in the quiz tool,
so use this worksheet to prepare your answers first.
Consider the following nouns in Zulu, a language spoken in South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, and
Zimbabwe. Notice that the ordering of morphemes is not identical for all languages. Thus, what is
a prefix in one language may be a suffix or an infix in another language. Then answer the
questions based on the data (1 point each = 15 points)
Zulu
umfazi
umfani
umzali
umfundisi
umbazi
umlimi
umdlali
umfundi
Gloss
married woman
boy
parent
teacher
carver
farmer
player
reader
Zulu
abafazi
abafani
abazali
abafundisi
ababazi
adalimi
abadlali
abafundi
Gloss
married woman
boys
parents
teachers
carvers
farmers
players
readers
1. What is the morpheme meaning “singular” in Zulu?
a. aba
b. um
c. li
2. What is the morpheme meaning “plural” in Zulu?
a. aba
b. um
c. li
Questions 3 – 10 ask you to identify the Zulu stem words to which the singular and plural
morphemes are attached.
3. What is the Zulu stem meaning “boy”?
a. afani
b. mani
c. fani
4. What is the Zulu stem meaning “parent”?
a. abaz
b. zali
c. ali
5. What is the Zulu stem meaning “teacher”?
a. fun
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Ling 102/WI Introduction to the Study of Language
b. fundisi
c. isi
6. What is the Zulu stem meaning “carver”?
a. bazi
b. abzi
c. zizi
7. What is the Zulu stem meaning “player”?
a. lali
b. baladli
c. dlali
8. What is the Zulu stem meaning “reader”?
a. mfund
b. fundi
c. undi
9. What is the Zulu stem meaning “married woman”?
a. mfaz
b. baf
c. fazi
10. What is the Zulu stem meaning “farmer”?
a. limi
b. dali
c. mlali
Questions 11 – 15 give you additional Zulu words in the singular. Give the probable plural forms
of each. Important: when the plural morpheme is added to a stem that begins with a vowel
sound, that vowel in the stem is deleted so that you never have two vowels together. (Hint: Three
of the following will apply this rule.)
11. What is the plural word for umpendi “painter”?
a. abumpende
b. apendi
c. abapendi
12. What is the plural word for umthengisi “seller”?
a. umabathengisi
b. abathengisi
c. abagisi
13. What is the plural word for umipheki “cook”?
a. abaipheki
b. abapheki
c. ubapheki
14. What is the plural word for umakhi “builder”?
a. abakhi
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Ling 102/WI Introduction to the Study of Language
b. abaakhi
c. abamakhi
15. What is the plural word for umama “mother”?
a. abamama
b. abama
c. abaama
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