Where does “kwela” come from?
kwela (English) comes from Zulu khwela, from Proto-Bantu *-kóɪda.
kwela (English): A style of music, first played in the townships,...
Definitions
- A style of music, first played in the townships,...
Ancestry of “kwela”, step by step
kwela traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Zulu khwela
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zulu | khwela | to ascend, to climb; to mount, to get onto, to... |
| 2 | Proto-Bantu | *-kóɪda | — |
via Proto-Zapotecan *kw-ella
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proto-Zapotecan | *kw-ella | fish |