Chosi Ndabazomhloba

Sharing stories about the South African geological record in isiXhosa

Glossary

isiXhosaEnglishSource / notes
*Amacilikishe-angamagongqongqoTerrible lizards (dinosaurs)F Magqashela, X Tshongolo
*igongqongqoDragonThis term is taken from the story of Kholumolumo of the Basotho nation.  It was written about a mythological dragon/dinosaur that lived in the Drakensberg mountains destroying everything and was killed by Moshanyana Sankatana.

The igongqongqo is a term used in Xhosa for dragon.
*Iincam zehlabathiEarth’s polesT Matomela
ImfeyeseleMoss
*ImpindoRiver bedF Magqashela, AC Jordan’s book titled Kwezo mpindo zeTsitsa (Along the Bends of the Tsitsa- Lovedale Press, 1974)
*IntabamkhenkceGlacierT Matomela
IntabamliloVolcano
*Isigingqiluntlitheko-litye lesibhakabhakaImpact craterF Magqashela, X Tshongolo & B Stofile 
IsiqinaFossil
IsithabaziStretched water
Mbindi-mdaEquator
OonokrweceSea shell
*Udaka olutshisa bhee   LavaT Matomela
UkutshitshizaHissing
UmchizaChemical
Umgangatho wolwandleSea floor
Ungcangcazelomhlabashock wave
UvulindlelaPioneer
* indicates that the term is recently coined. Others are taken from existing usage in the isiXhosa literature, but have been defined here as their usage is rare.