Madimikira| Exploring idiomatic expressions in ‘Imbwa Nyoro’
In a previous post, I shared the similes (fananidzo) and metaphors (enzaniso) that I encountered while reading the Shona novel Imbwa Nyoro, a 1982 novel … Read more
Language
Fananidzo neEnzaniso| A look at the 1982 novel ‘Imbwa Nyoro’
There’s something I love about reading Shona novels from decades past — stories written before I was even born. These works offer a richer experience … Read more
Why Shona learning matters, and how to make it easy
Ever since I took on my first learner back in 2019, Shona learning has become a subject dear to me. I believe proficiency in more … Read more
Nyaudzosingwi| Many Shona words for 101 English verbs
This post was last updated on 12 January 2025. Adverbs Adverbs are words that modify or describe words such as verbs, adjectives, clauses, sentences, and … Read more
Madimikira| 28 idioms from the 1968 novel ‘Tambaoga Mwanangu’
After reading China manenji hachifambisi I wrote on idioms (madimikira) that the writer, Mordikai A. Hamutyinei, used in the story. I decided to do the … Read more
Tsumo| 20 Shona proverbs to inspire good work habits
Tsumo on work tell a story of a hard-working society, and give the picture that agriculture was the mainstay of the economy of the Shona … Read more
Nyaudzosingwi| Breaking down 70 ideophones of breaking
In lay terms, ideophones are words that stand out (are ‘marked’) and whose form betrays something of (is depictive of) their meaning. The following 70 … Read more
My 5 ingredients for helping children with Shona language learning
Culture and language are inextricably intertwined. Over the past year or so, I have done a lot of research and writing on Shona culture and … Read more
63 Shona words you didn’t know were borrowed from Afrikaans
It is common knowledge that a few Shona words have an Afrikaans influence. I recently came across one that I found surprising, leading me to … Read more
Tsumo| 6 things I have learned through analysing over 200 Shona proverbs
Over the past few months, I have taken time to analyse over 200 Shona proverbs, just out of interest. Some of them have motivated me … Read more