Southern Ndebele language

Spoken in

• Niger - Congo languages Benue - Congo languages Bantoide languages Bantu languages Sotho - Tswana languages South Ndebele

Nr

Nbl

Nbl

South Ndebele language spoken by about 600,000 South Ndebele, who live mainly in the region, founded in 1984, former Homelands KwaNdebele in South Africa, Gauteng and Limpopo (formerly Transvaal ) in South Africa.

Another 1.4 million people in the region speak it as a second language.

There are significant differences for isiNdebele the Zimbabwean Ndebele. In addition to the classification presented here of the South Ndebele as Sotho - Tswana but there is also the view that there is a strong influence of Sotho - Tswana languages ​​Nguni language.

History of amaNdebele

In the early 19th century, the amaNdebele separated from the Zulu and moved westward, first in the area of ​​today's Pretoria, where the name came up as a foreign designation by neighboring peoples Ndebele. Part of the Ndebele stayed there. In their language to elements of Nguni and Sotho - Tswana languages ​​combined. The greater part moved on into what is now Zimbabwe and subjected the resident Shona. The language of the Zimbabwean Ndebele hardly contains elements of Sotho - Tswana languages.

Special linguistic features

Most African languages ​​know, either R or L; both Ndebele languages ​​are languages ​​with L. Some words which are spoken in other Bantu languages ​​with R, Ndebele have on an L and are otherwise similar. In addition, Ndebele characterized by clicking sounds.