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Zulu/All Tribes Universal Sign Language In 1879 ?
Colin
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I�ve asked this before I think on one of the FB Pages, but don�t recall the replies, though were likely that it didn�t exist in Africa.

I�ve bought books and looked the net for English to Zulu words, but the language is too difficult to learn, but I seemed to recall a British officer (likely Col Durnford ?) managed to communicate with some sign language at a Kraal.

This fascinated me, as I know the American Indians used a universal sign language that allowed all of the tribes to communicate with each other, as they all spoke differently.

I�ve spent ages trying to discover if there was a Zulu or all African tribes sign language in 1879, that they used to communicate if their spoken languages differed, or even to communicate with Europeans, but so far with no luck.

I feel it did exist but was left sadly unrecorded, only finding in my searches a modern South African sign language, so would very much appreciate any assistance at all to finding sources from around the time of the Zulu War 1879, of a sign language used by the Zulus or all African tribes.

I would like to make a record of it, if indeed it was used, but over time lost or forgotten.

Many thanks in advance for any info
Alan
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Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 1530
Location: Wales
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Coll, this is available for simple English - Zulu translation for the written form.

https://translate.google.com/

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Colin
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Alan

I hope you don�t mind me adding this link, but it will show what I�d like to attempt regarding any sign language used by the Zulus, etc., around 1879, or even earlier in the 19th Century, if indeed it did exist.

I�ve been really interested in Hugh Lenox Scott, who studied the sign language of the Plains Indians (it seems he served in the 7th Cavalry) and wanted to teach or as seen in the video he made, make a record of it in case it was lost forever -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfT2a5SGDFA&t=200s

It was this video that reminded me of Durnford�s meeting at a kraal, mentioned in one of his letters I think, where he managed to communicate using sign language, albeit likely a rough version of it, rather than universally used by the tribes.
Alan
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Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 1530
Location: Wales
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No problem.

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Zulu/All Tribes Universal Sign Language In 1879 ?
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