Ungqingili
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Also Unqingili.
Ungqingili is a Zulu language term of abuse towards homosexual people.
Van Huyssteen(2003) reports that:
...informants rendered the term ungqingili for both 'homosexual male' and 'lesbian'. Obviously this is also inaccurate [contrasted with the more neutral isitabani] since it is a generic term for 'homosexual' according to Nyembezi's (1992) monolingual Zulu dictionary which happens to be the only dictionary which lists this term.
She goes on to diferentiate ungqingili and isitabani from less common oral terms inkonkoni (lit. = 'Blue wild beast', for male homosexual) and uncukumbili (lit. = 'double-sexed being' for lesbian or bisexual or hermaphrodite). More respectful terms are suggested as isitabani sesilisa for homosexual male and isitabani sowesifazane for homosexual female / lesbian.
[edit] Sources
- "Zuma sparks outrage over anti-gay remarks", Reuters Wire Service, Wednesday September 27, 2006 11:31 AM.
- Linda Van Huyssteen: "A Practical Approach to the Standardization and Elaboration of Zulu as a Technical Language." Thesis for Doctorate of Literature and Philosophy in Linguistics: University of South Africa(2003). pp. 223, 231, 311-315.
http://etd.unisa.ac.za/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-04212005-145338/unrestricted/thesis.pdf
See Also: Term for gay in different languages Violence against gays lesbians bisexuals and the transgendered