Flashcards: Languages of Botswana

Taa /ˈtɑː/, also known as !Xóõ (ǃKhong, ǃXoon – pronounced /ǃ͡χɔ̃ː˦/, English /ˈkoʊ/), is a Khoisan language notable for its large number of phonemes, perhaps the largest in the world.

Lozi, also known as siLozi and Rozi, is a Bantu language of the Niger–Congo language family within the Sotho languages branch of Zone S (S.30), that is spoken by the Lozi people, primarily in southwestern Zambia and in surrounding countries.

!Kung /ˈkʊŋ/ (!Xuun), also known as Ju, is a dialect continuum (language complex) spoken in Namibia, Botswana, and Angola by the ǃKung people.

ǂ’Amkoe, formerly called by the dialectal name ǂHoan (ǂHȍã, ǂHûân, ǂHua, ǂHû, or in native orthography ǂHȍȁn), is a severely endangered Kx'a language of Botswana.

The Khoekhoe language /ˈkɔɪkɔɪ/, Khoekhoegowab, also known by the ethnic term Nama /ˈnɑːmə/ and formerly as Hottentot, is the most widespread of those non-Bantu languages of southern Africa that contain "click" sounds and have therefore been loosely classified as Khoisan.

Gǁana (pronounced /ˈɡɑːnə/ in English, and also spelled ǁGana, Gxana, Dxana, Xgana) is a Khoe dialect cluster of Botswana.

(Not to be confused with ǂ'Amkoe language.) ǂAakhoe (ǂĀkhoe) and Haiǁom are part of the Khoekhoe dialect continuum.

American Sign Language (ASL) is the predominant sign language of Deaf communities in the United States and most of anglophone Canada.

The Herero language (Helelo, Otjiherero) is a language of the Bantu subfamily of the Niger–Congo group.

The Zimbabwean Ndebele language, also called Northern Ndebele, isiNdebele, Sindebele, or Ndebele is an African language belonging to the Nguni group of Bantu languages, and spoken by the Ndebele or Matabele people of Zimbabwe.

Gciriku or Dciriku (Diriku) or Dirico (in Angola), also known as Manyo or Rumanyo, is a Bantu language spoken by 305,000 people along the Okavango River in Namibia, where it is a national language, in Botswana, and in Angola.

Gǀui or Gǀwi (pronounced /ˈɡwiː/ in English, and also spelled ǀGwi, Dcui, Gcwi, or Cgui) is a Khoe dialect of Botswana with 2,500 speakers (2004 Cook).

Juǀʼhoan (also rendered Zhuǀʼhõasi, Dzuǀʼoasi, Zû-ǀhoa, JuǀʼHoansi), or Southeastern ǃXuun (Southeastern Ju), is the southern variety of the !Kung dialect continuum spoken by about 30,000 people in the northeast of Namibia and by another 5,000 in the Northwest District of Botswana.

Naro /ˈnɑːroʊ/, also Nharo, is a Khoe language spoken in Ghanzi District of Botswana and in eastern Namibia.

ǂKxʼao-ǁʼae (ǂKxʼauǁʼein, Auen, Kaukau) is a southeastern variety of the !Xuun dialect continuum, spoken in Botswana (Grootelaagte, East Hanahai, Kanagas, and Ghanzi villages in Ghanzi District, and on the commercial farms) and in Namibia (Gobabis, and settlements along the C22 road to Otjinene as far as Eiseb (Omaheke District)) by about 7,000 people.

Khwe (also rendered Kxoe, Khoe; /ˈkweɪ/ or /ˈkɔɪ/) is a dialect continuum of the Khoe family of Namibia, Angola, Botswana, South Africa, and parts of Zambia, with some 8,000 speakers.

Mbukushu or Thimbukushu is a Bantu language spoken by 45,000 people along the Okavango River in Namibia, where it is a national language and in Botswana, Angola and Zambia.

Kuhane, or Subiya, also known as Kwahane, Chikuahane, Chikwahane, Ciikuhane, or Mbalang'we, is a Bantu language spoken by 35,000 people along the Okavango River in Namibia, Zambia, and Botswana.

Kgalagadi (Kalahari) is one of the Bantu languages spoken in Botswana, along the South African border and in Namibia.

Shua /ˈʃuːə/, or Shwakhwe, is a Khoe language of Botswana.

Tsoa or Tshwa, also known as Kua and Hiechware, is an East Kalahari Khoe dialect cluster spoken by several thousand people in Botswana and Zimbabwe.

ǂHaba (ǂHabá) is a variety of the Khoe languages spoken in Botswana.