ubuntu

English

Etymology

Loanword from Zulu ubuntu (humanity) and Xhosa ubuntu (humaneness, solidarity).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʊˈbʊntuː/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

ubuntu (uncountable)

  1. (South Africa) A Nguni Bantu ideology focusing on people's allegiances and relations with each other.
    • 2006 October 26, “South Africa: LGBT Groups Respond To CONTRALESA’s Stance On Same Sex Marriage”, in OutRight Action International[1], archived from the original on 26 October 2015:
      Through Ubuntu the worth of all individuals are recognized and respected. As such, homophobia is an unAfrican[sic] because it denies people the opportunity to express their full humanity.
    (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought:)

Translations

Portuguese

Noun

ubuntu m (uncountable)

  1. (politics) ubuntu (ideology focusing on people’s allegiances and relations)

Xhosa

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *bʊ̀ntʊ̀.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [úɓúːⁿtu]

Noun

úbúntu class 14

  1. humaneness, solidarity

Inflection

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Zulu

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *bʊ̀ntʊ̀.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /uɓúːntu/

Noun

ubúntu class 14

  1. humanity, the human race
  2. humanity, human nature
  3. humaneness, solidarity
  4. ubuntu

Inflection

Class 14 (locative ebuntwini)
singular plural
full form ubuntu
simple form buntu
locative ebuntwini
copulative ngubuntu
Possessive forms
singular plural
modifier substantive modifier substantive
class 1 wobuntu owobuntu
class 2 bobuntu abobuntu
class 3 wobuntu owobuntu
class 4 yobuntu eyobuntu
class 5 lobuntu elobuntu
class 6 obuntu awobuntu
class 7 sobuntu esobuntu
class 8 zobuntu ezobuntu
class 9 yobuntu eyobuntu
class 10 zobuntu ezobuntu
class 11 lobuntu olobuntu
class 14 bobuntu obobuntu
class 15 kobuntu okobuntu
class 17 kobuntu okobuntu

References