Role of the bible translation in the development of the Zulu language (Isizulu)

Khamatova Yulia Ivanovna

The paper describes a very significant role of the Bible translation in the development of the Zulu language (isiZulu). The Zulu Bibles in question are those of G. Champion and revised by N. Adams., published in 1848, and the final version, published by British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) in 1986 – once called the Central Zulu Bible. The Book of Matthew has been chosen in this undertaking because it was the first book of the Bible to be translated into Zulu and was thought to be the most apposite instrument for measuring the development of written Zulu. The article proposes explanations that the translation could have given the proper bases for developing and promoting one of the Bantu languages.

Keywords:Bible, development of language, the Zulu language (isiZulu), Bantu languages.