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Southern Ndebele language

{{Short description|Language belonging to the Nguni group}}

{{EngvarB|date=July 2016}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}

{{About|the Ndebele language spoken in South Africa|the Ndebele language spoken in Zimbabwe|Northern Ndebele language|the Northern Ndebele language spoken in Limpopo Province, South Africa|SiNdebele (disambiguation){{!}}Ndebele language}}

{{Infobox language

| name = Southern Ndebele

| altname = isiNdebele sakwaNdzundza noManala{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

| nativename = isiNdebele seSewula{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

| states = South Africa

| region = Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng, North West

| speakers = 1.1 million

| date = 2011 census

| ref = e18

| refname = Ndebele

| speakers2 = 1.4 million L2 speakers (2002)Webb, Vic. 2002. "Language in South Africa: the role of language in national transformation, reconstruction and development." Impact: Studies in language and society, 14:78

| familycolor = Niger-Congo

| fam2 = Atlantic–Congo

| fam3 = Volta-Congo

| fam4 = Benue–Congo

| fam5 = Bantoid

| fam6 = Southern Bantoid

| fam7 = Bantu

| fam8 = Southern Bantu

| fam9 = Nguni

| fam10 = Zunda

| script = Latin (Ndebele alphabet)
Ndebele Braille

| nation = {{RSA}}

| iso1 = nr

| iso1comment = – South Ndebele

| iso2 = nbl

| iso2comment = – South Ndebele

| iso3 = nbl

| iso3comment = – South Ndebele

| lingua = 99-AUT-fi + 99-AUT-fj

| guthrie = S.407

| sign = Signed Ndebele

| glotto = sout2808

| glottorefname = Sumayela Ndebele

| notice = IPA

| ethnicity = amaNdebele

}}

{{Infobox ethnonym|root=Ndebele|person=iNdebele|people=AmaNdebele|language=IsiNdebele|country= KwaNdebele}}

[[File:South Africa Ndebele speakers proportion map.svg|thumb|Geographical distribution of isiNdebele in South Africa: proportion of the population that speaks isiNdebele at home.

{{legend-col

|{{legend|#EDF8E9|0–20%}}

|{{legend|#BAE4B3|20–40%}}

|{{legend|#74C476|40–60%}}

|{{legend|#31A354|60–80%}}

|{{legend|#006D2C|80–100%}}

}}]]

[[File:South Africa Ndebele speakers density map.svg|thumb|Geographical distribution of isiNdebele in South Africa: density of isiNdebele home-language speakers.

{{legend-col

|{{legend|#ffffcc|<1 /km²}}

|{{legend|#ffeda0|1–3 /km²}}

|{{legend|#fed976|3–10 /km²}}

|{{legend|#feb24c|10–30 /km²}}

|{{legend|#fd8d3c|30–100 /km²}}

|{{legend|#fc4e2a|100–300 /km²}}

|{{legend|#e31a1c|300–1000 /km²}}

|{{legend|#bc0026|1000–3000 /km²}}

|{{legend|#800026|>3000 /km²}}

}}]]

File:Pretoriase kunsmuseum 1.jpg and Transvaal Ndebele at the Pretoria Art Museum]]

isiNdebele ({{IPAc-en|lang|pron|ɛ|n|d|ə|'|b|iː|l|iː}}), also known as Southern Ndebele{{cite web |url=https://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/langcodes_name.php?code_ID=318 |title=Documentation for ISO 639 identifier: nbl |publisher=ISO 639-2 Registration Authority - Library of Congress |access-date=2017-07-04 |quote=Name: South Ndebele}}{{cite web |url=http://www-01.sil.org/iso639-3/documentation.asp?id=nbl |title=Documentation for ISO 639 identifier: nbl |publisher=ISO 639-3 Registration Authority - SIL International |access-date=2017-07-04 |quote=Name: South Ndebele}} is an African language belonging to the Mbo group of Bantu languages, spoken by the Ndebele people of South Africa.

Northern Ndebele or Ndebele also known as isiNdebele is spoken in Limpopo in areas such as Polokwane (Bhulungwane), Ga-Rathoka (KaSondonga), Ga-Mashashane, Ga Maraba / Kalkspruit, Mokopane (Mghumbane), Zebediela (Sebetiela), which is closer to Southern Ndebele.{{cite journal |last1=Skhosana |first1=Philemon |title=The (ama)Ndebele of Africa and their name '(ama)Ndebele' |url=http://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/17089 |website=University of Pretoria – Department of Library Services |year=2010 |publisher=University of Pretoria |hdl=2263/17089 |access-date=24 March 2016}}

Overview

{{unsourced section|date=September 2021}}

The Ndebele (Southern and Northern) people's history has been traced back to King Ndebele, King Ndebele fathered King Mkhalangana, King Mkhalangana fathered King Mntungwa (not to be confused with the Khumalo Mntungwa, because he was fathered by Mbulazi), King Mntungwa fathered King Jonono, King Jonono fathered King Nanasi, King Nanasi fathered King Mafana, king Mafana fathered King Mhlanga and Chief Libhoko, King Mhlanga fathered King Musi and Chief Skhube.

Ndebele – Some of his sons were left behind with the Hlubi tribe

Mkhalangana – Some of his sons branched north and formed the Kalanga tribe

Mntungwa – Founder of the amaNtungwa clan

Njonono – He died in Jononoskop near Ladysmith – Surname Jonono is in the Hlubi tribe

Nanasi – He died in Jononoskop near Ladysmith – Surname Nanasi is in the Hlubi tribe

Mafana – He died in Randfontein (Emhlangeni)

Mhlanga – He died in Randfontein (Emhlangeni)

Musi – He died in kwaMnyamana (Pretoria)

King Musi's kraal was based at eMhlangeni a place named after his father Mhlanga, the name of the place is currently known as Randfontein (Mohlakeng) and later moved to KwaMnyamana which is now called Emarula or Bon Accord in Pretoria. King Musi was a polygamist and fathered the following sons, Skhosana (Masombuka), Manala (Mbuduma), Ndzundza (Hlungwana), Thombeni (Kekana or Gegana), Sibasa, Mhwaduba (Lekhuleni) and Mphafuli and others.

Southern Transvaal Ndebele is one of the eleven official languages in the Republic of South Africa. The language is a Nguni or Zunda classification (UN) spoken mostly in the Mpumalanga Province, Gauteng, Limpopo and the Northwest.

The expression isikhethu can be loosely translated to mean 'the Southern Ndebele way of doing or saying'. Isikhethu means Southern Ndebele in the same way that sikitsi will mean Swazi and se harona will mean Sotho.

The language has been severely marginalised over the years. Until the formation of the apartheid Southern Ndebele homeland (KwaNdebele), speaking the language publicly was discouraged. Most Southern Transvaal Ndebele speakers preferred Zulu especially because the latter was learned at school. Today the Southern Ndebele speakers, mostly those who are educated still prefer to use Southern Ndebele as home language for their children and will use Southern Ndebele as a language to communicate with other Southern Ndebele speakers.

Phonology

=Vowels=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+Southern Ndebele vowels

! Front

! Back

style="text-align:center;"

! Close

| i {{IPAblink|i}}

| u {{IPAblink|u}}

style="text-align:center;"

!Mid

| e [{{IPAlink|e}}~{{IPAlink|ɛ}}]

| o [{{IPAlink|o}}~{{IPAlink|ɔ}}]

style="text-align:center;"

! Open

| colspan="2" | a {{IPAblink|a}}

= Consonants =

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Southern Ndebele consonants

! rowspan="2" colspan="2" |

! rowspan="2" | Labial

! colspan="2" | Alveolar

! rowspan="2" | Post-alv./
Palatal

! rowspan="2" | Velar

! rowspan="2" | Glottal

{{small|central}}

! {{small|lateral}}

rowspan="6" | Plosive

! {{small|ejective}}

| p {{IPAblink|pʼ}}

| t {{IPAblink|tʼ}}

|

|

| k {{IPAblink|kʼ}}

|

{{small|aspirated}}

| ph {{IPAblink|pʰ}}

| th {{IPAblink|tʰ}}

|

|

| kh {{IPAblink|kʰ}}

|

{{small|devoiced}}

| bh {{IPAblink|b̥}}

| d {{IPAblink|d̥}}

|

|

| ɡ {{IPAblink|ɡ̊}}

|

{{small|prenasal}}

| mp {{IPAblink|ᵐp}}

| nt {{IPAblink|ⁿt}}

|

|

| nk {{IPAblink|ᵑk}}

|

{{small|prenasal (vd.)}}

| mb {{IPAblink|ᵐb}}

| nd {{IPAblink|ⁿd}}

|

|

| ng {{IPAblink|ᵑɡ}}

|

{{small|implosive}}

| b {{IPAblink|ɓ}}

|

|

|

|

|

rowspan="5" | Affricate

! {{small|ejective}}

|

| ts {{IPAblink|tsʼ}}

| tl {{IPAblink|tɬʼ}}

| tj {{IPAblink|tʃʼ}}

| kg {{IPAblink|kxʼ}}

|

{{small|aspirated}}

|

| tsh {{IPAblink|tsʰ}}

| tlh {{IPAblink|tɬʰ}}

| tjh {{IPAblink|tʃʰ}}

| kgh {{IPAblink|kxʰ}}

|

{{small|plain}}

|

| dz {{IPAblink|dz}}

|

|

|

|

{{small|devoiced}}

|

|

|

| j {{IPAblink|d̥ʒ}}

|

|

{{small|prenasal}}

|

|

|

| nj {{IPAblink|ᶮdʒ}}

|

|

rowspan="5" | Fricative

! {{small|plain}}

| f {{IPAblink|f}}

| s {{IPAblink|s}}

| hl {{IPAblink|ɬ}}

|

| rh {{IPAblink|x}}

|

{{small|voiced}}

| v {{IPAblink|v}}

| z {{IPAblink|z}}

| dl {{IPAblink|ɮ}}

|

|

| h {{IPAblink|ɦ}}

{{small|prenasal}}

| mf {{IPAblink|ᶬf}}

|

|

|

|

|

{{small|prenasal (vd.)}}

| mv {{IPAblink|ᶬv}}

|

|

|

|

|

{{small|aspirated}}

|

|

| dlh {{IPAblink|ɮʰ}}

|

|

|

colspan="2" | Nasal

| m {{IPAblink|m}}

| n {{IPAblink|n}}

|

| ny {{IPAblink|ɲ}}

| ngh {{IPAblink|ŋ}}

|

colspan="2" | Liquid

|

| r {{IPAblink|r}}

| l {{IPAblink|l}}

|

|

|

colspan="2" | Semivowel

| w {{IPAblink|w}}

|

|

| y {{IPAblink|j}}

|

|

Consonant sounds nt, nd, k, mf, and mv often result in allophones of {{IPA|[d̥r dr k̬ ɱp̪fʼ ɱb̪v]}}.

=Click consonants=

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

|+Southern Ndebele clicks

! colspan="2" |

!Dental

!Post-
alveolar

!Lateral

rowspan="2" |voiceless

!plain

|c {{IPAblink|ᵏǀ}}

|q {{IPAblink|ᵏ!}}

|x {{IPAblink|ᵏǁ}}

aspirated

|ch {{IPAblink|ᵏǀʰ}}

|qh {{IPAblink|ᵏ!ʰ}}

|

rowspan="2" |voiced

!plain

|gc {{IPAblink|ᶢǀ}}

|gq {{IPAblink|ᶢ!}}

|

nasalized

|nc {{IPAblink|ᵑǀ}}

|nq {{IPAblink|ᵑ!}}

|nx {{IPAblink|ᵑǁ}}

Grammar

=Nouns=

The Southern Ndebele noun consists of two essential parts, the prefix and the stem. Using the prefixes, nouns can be grouped into noun classes, which are numbered consecutively, to ease comparison with other Bantu languages.

The following table gives an overview of Southern Ndebele noun classes, arranged according to singular-plural pairs.

class="wikitable"
Class

!Singular

!Plural

1/2

|um(u)-1

|aba-, abe-

1a/2a

|u-

|abo-

3/4

|um(u)-1

|imi-

5/6

|i-, ili-, ilu-

|ama-

7/8

|is(i)-

|iz(i)-, iiN-

9/10

|iN-

|iiN-

14

|ubu-, ub-, utj-

|

15

|uku-

|

17

|uku-

|

1 umu- replaces um- before monosyllabic stems, e. g. umuntu (person).

=Verbs=

Verbs use the following affixes for the subject and the object:

class="wikitable"
Person/
Class

! Prefix

! Infix

1st sing.

| ngi-

| -ngi-

2nd sing.

| u-

| -wu-

1st plur.

| si-

| -si-

2nd plur.

| ni-

| -ni-

1

| u-

| -m(u)-

2

| ba-

| -ba-

3

| u-

| -m(u)-

4

| i-

| -yi-

5

| li-

| -li-

6

| a-

| -wa-

7

| si-

| -si-

8

| zi-

| -zi-

9

| i-

| -yi-

10

| zi-

| -zi-

14

| bu-

| -bu-

15

| ku-

| -ku-

17

| ku-

| -ku-

reflexive

|

| -zi-

Examples

Months in Southern Ndebele

class="wikitable"
EnglishNorthern Ndebele (Zimbabwe)Southern Ndebele (South Africa)Zulu (South Africa)
JanuaryuZibandlelauTjhirhweniuMasingane
FebruaryuNhlolanjauMhlolanjauNhlolanja
MarchuMbimbithouNtakauNdasa
ApriluMabasauSihlabantanganaUMbasa
MayuNkwekweziuMrhayiliUNhlaba
JuneuNhlangulauMgwengweniUNhlangulana
JulyuNtulikaziuVelabahlinzeuNtulikazi
AugustuNcwabakaziuRhoboyiUNcwaba
SeptemberuMpandulauKhukhulamunguuMandulo
OctoberuMfumfuuSewulauMfumfu
NovemberuLweziuSinyikhabauLwezi
DecemberuMpalakaziuNobayeniuZibandlela

AmaNdebele in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean Ndebele is part of the Nguni cluster and is therefore very similar to other Nguni languages (such as Zulu, Xhosa and Swati) with which it shares a high level of mutual intelligibility. The South African (or Southern Transvaal Ndebele), while maintaining its Nguni roots, has been influenced by the Sotho languages.Skhosana, P.B. (2010) The Linguistic Relationship between Southern and Northern Ndebele, University of Pretoria, DLitt Thesis

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{InterWiki|code=nr}}

  • [http://www.mongabay.com/indigenous_ethnicities/languages/languages/Ndebele.html List links to Ndebele language resources]

=Software=

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20070114015602/http://translate.org.za/content/view/1610/54/ Spell checker for OpenOffice.org and Mozilla], [https://web.archive.org/web/20070324112647/http://translate.org.za/content/view/17/32/ OpenOffice.org], [https://web.archive.org/web/20070210160756/http://translate.org.za/content/view/1611/54/ Mozilla Firefox web-browser], and [https://web.archive.org/web/20070324203655/http://translate.org.za/content/view/1612/54/ Mozilla Thunderbird email program] in Ndebele
  • [http://translate.org.za/ Project to translate Free and Open Source Software into Ndebele]

{{Languages of South Africa}}

{{Narrow Bantu languages (Zones N–S)}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transvaal Ndebele Language}}

Category:Nguni languages

Category:Languages of South Africa