Love it or hate it, the Vuvuzela has become the breakout star of the 2010 World Cup.

So, what is a vuvuzela?

It is plastic horn, brightly coloured, and seen in abundance at sporting events in South Africa. The first vuvuzelas seen at sporting events in the early 90s were made from a sheet of metal. A standard vuvuzela is 65cm long but some can be up to a metre long.

Where do they come from?

It is not known with certainty.  The most popular belief is that it a descendant of the kudu horn that was blown to summon African villagers to meetings.
 
However, the Nazareth Baptist Church respectfully disagrees. The group claimed the vuvuzela as its a tool for pilgrimages, and threatened legal action to stop them being used at the World Cup.

What does “vuvuzela” mean?

This is also uncertain. One belief says it comes from the Zulu word for “making noise”. Others say it is township slang for “shower” because it “showers people with music”. Many believe it means “pump up”.  

What is the sound of a vuvuzela like?

The typical pitch of a vuvuzela is B flat below middle C.

When there is a football terrace full of the instruments, the sound has been likened to a swarm of angry wasps.

Some have described this as annoying, but is it also harmful to ears?

A vuvuzela, at full volume and when pressed against your ear, equates to 127 decibels.

This is louder than a drum at 122 decibels, a chainsaw at 100 decibels and a referee’s whistle at 121.8 decibels.

The Hear the World Foundation has warned that extended exposure to such noise risks permanent hearing loss, and have been urging fans to use protection, such as ear plugs and ear muffs.

Neil van Schalkwyk of Masincedane Sport , South African manufacturer of vuvuzela’s says his firm has now produced an instrument that is 20 decibels lower than the older version.

Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk has banned them from his team’s training sessions, and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo admitted this week: “It is difficult for anyone on the pitch to concentrate.”

Even some fans watching matches on their television have reported having to put the sound on mute to escape the symphony of sound.

How have they been received by FIFA?

They’ve had a ringing endorsement from Fifa President Sepp Blatter who says they will not be banned.

He said on Twitter that “Africa has a different rhythm, a different sound” and it is an important tradition among South African fans that should be celebrated.

Has the controversy affected sales?

No, in fact, just the opposite. Neil van Schalkwyk says his firm has sold 1.5m vuvuzelas in Europe since October and expects sales of up to 20 million rand ($2.6m; £1.7m) over the course of the tournament.

Brandon Bernardo of the vuvuzela.co.za website told Reuters news agency they could churn out at least 10,000 instruments a day. “We’re completely sold out,” he said.

Even without the World Cup, South Africa’s vuvuzela industry is said to be worth around 50 million rand ($6.45m; £4.4m).

*info compiled by the BBC

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