khoisan

Language of Afrikaans and Khoisan Two of 24 Spoken in South Africa

Not many people know that 24 living languages are spoken in South Africa today. Of these, according to some estimates, Afrikaans is spoken by around 23 million people, or 46% of the population of nearly 50 million people.

At the other end of the scale, an almost extinct Khoisan language known by various names, including Ng’uki, is spoken by just 12 known individuals. These rare Ng’uki speakers are scattered about South Africa in isolated ‘ones’ and ‘two’s’.

Khoisan engraving in a riverbed on a farm in the Kalahari

The next smallest group numbers just 87 persons. They speak a marginal Khoisan language called Xiri. Also known as Grikwa or Griqua, it will soon join the other now extinct Khoisan languages of Seroa, Korana and Xam. The Khoisan were the original inhabitants of Southern Africa. The Bantu migrations from Central and East Africa towards the south eventually reached the southern African region, replacing the Khoisan as the predominant population. Today the largest Khoisan language group numbers 50 900 (2006) and speaks a language called Nama.

After 1994, legislation was introduced to proclaim 11 Official languages: Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans,  English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa and isiZulu. However, in practice English is the language of business, government and education.


official languages of South Africa graph 2003
Languages of South Africa (click to enlarge)

The vast majority of South Africans speak two or more languages.  One of these is likely to be either Afrikaans or English.

Nearly all South Africans have at least a rudimentary knowledge of Afrikaans. The origin and development of the Afrikaans language is in itself a fascinating story.

In the 1600s Afrikaans was born at the Cape of Good Hope as a derivative of the West Germanic, Dutch language. In the dungeons of the Cape it was shaped by English, French, Portuguese,  Malay, Khoisan, Xhosa and Zulu influences. Over a span of four centuries Afrikaans has continued to evolve to the present day.


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13 responses to “Language of Afrikaans and Khoisan Two of 24 Spoken in South Africa”

  1. Rapple Avatar
    Rapple

    please I was asked to write out the pronouns under Khoisan languages but I found nothing on net…can you be of help

    1. John Avatar

      Hi Rapple
      Sorry, this is not my area of speciality. Information on the San languages is very hard to come by. Good luck.

  2. Khoisanlove Avatar
    Khoisanlove

    Im a colored south african and would like to know why we are called coloreds and not khoisan. Why is the nama not an official language what is govern doing to preserve the khoisan heritage seeing that the khoi is the orignal occupiers of sa why why why?

    1. John Avatar

      Hi Khoisanlove,

      Thanks for your comments.

      I’m with you. The history of the Khoisan people has never been adequately told. Surely there are unwritten chapters of their story that are still to be written one day. Perhaps when we are governed by people who respect the rights of minorities, as in the days of Mandela, then it will happen.

  3. Angry Birds online Avatar
    Angry Birds online

    Regards for all your efforts that you have put in this. very interesting info .

  4. Leviticus Avatar

    Thanks, great post. I enjoyed reading this.

    1. John Avatar

      Great, glad you enjoyed it.

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