Semantic variation and change in the Greater Durban Area

Abstract

The main objective of this article is to investigate the extent of the phenomenon of semantic variation in Zulu, especially in the Greater Durban Area. The article also explores the notion of semantic change as a dimension of semantic variation. It is shown that the semantic changes involved are not confined to loan words, but extend to many indigenous words. This often results in the occurrence of polysemy, that is a lexical item may have meanings varying according to social contexts.