The role of idioms in moral instruction: A comparative study of IsiZulu and IsiXhosa

Onelisa Nomfundo Mbathu ORCID iD 

Issue: Vol. 7 No.3  2026 Article 7 pp.737 – 745
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2026737| Published online 15th April 2026

© 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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Idioms are a branch of Folklore. They are a figurative language found across all cultures, serving to educate and guide successive generations about the complexities of life. Idioms can be used to express different life complexities. In Zulu, they are often categorized according to their respective themes. This study presents a comparative analysis of the role that idioms play in instilling moral values and promoting humility within Zulu and Xhosa-speaking communities. As a rich component of figurative expression, idioms are deeply embedded in the cultural and communicative practices of the Zulu and Xhosa people, as well as many other African societies. They function as powerful tools for conveying meaning and reinforcing ethical principles. By exploring how idioms are used to nurture moral values from an early age, this research highlights their importance in the socialization process and their capacity to foster moral values. This study adopts Afrocentric theory as a grounding theoretical framework. The study reveals that idioms serve as essential pedagogical instruments through which African communities cultivate discipline and moral integrity in children. This study will contribute to the scholarship by illustrating how idioms foster moral behaviour in communities from one generation to the next.

Keywords: Idioms, Afrocentrism, Culture, Figurative Language, Folklore

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Onelisa Nomfundo Mbathu is a Lecturer in the Department of African Languages and Culture at the University of Zululand. She obtained her Bachelor of Humanities in 2015 from the University of Johannesburg. Onelisa enrolled for a Bachelor of Honours in African Languages in 2016 and for a Master’s degree (2018) in African Languages at the University of Johannesburg. She graduated in 2016 and 2019, respectively. In 2021, she enrolled for a Doctor of Philosophy in African Languages at the University of Johannesburg, which she completed in 2023. Onelisa also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), completed at the University of South Africa (UNISA) in 2022 and awarded with distinction. She is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society (UJ). She is a former beneficiary of the ZADNA and Duke scholarship. Her research interests are in literature, applied linguistics, language education, culture, and sociolinguistics.

Mbathu, Onelisa Nomfundo. “The role of idioms in moral instruction: A comparative study of IsiZulu and IsiXhosa,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 7, no.3 (2026): 737 – 745. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2026737

© 2026 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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