Ndebele language
Encyclopedia
There are at least two languages commonly called Ndebele:
Ndebele is related to the Nguni language of Zulu spoken in South Africa. When Mzilikazi
and his people separated from the Zulu, they took the Zulu language with them. Part of them remained in the region of modern Pretoria. They are now the South Ndebele. Their language combines Zulu and Sotho–Tswana elements taken over from the neighbouring peoples. The major part of the Ndebele went northward into present-day Zimbabwe
. Therefore their language is Nguni without Sotho–Tswana elements.
Northern Ndebele is also spoken in the Limpopo province. It is not an official language, but recognised by PANSLAB as there are a significant number of people speaking it as a first language. Areas where the language is spoken as a first language includes Mokopane, which was previously known as Potgietersrus and Polokwane which was known as Pietersburg. Furthermore, Northern Ndebele is spoken in Gauteng in areas such as Hammanskraal and Soshanguvhe in Pretoria.
- The Northern Ndebele languageNorthern Ndebele languageThe Northern Ndebele language, isiNdebele, or Ndebele is an African language belonging to the Nguni group of Bantu languages, and spoken by the Ndebele or Matabele people of Zimbabwe. It is commonly known as Sindebele....
, a Nguni language spoken in ZimbabweZimbabweZimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
- The Southern Ndebele languageSouthern Ndebele languageThe Southern Ndebele language is an African language belonging to the Nguni group of Bantu languages, and spoken by the amaNdebele . There are two dialects of Southern Ndebele in South Africa:* the Northern Transvaal Ndebele or Nrebele...
, classified as Nguni language or Sotho–Tswana language, spoken in South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, heavily influenced by surrounding Sotho–Tswana languages and therefore mostly classified as one of them.
Ndebele is related to the Nguni language of Zulu spoken in South Africa. When Mzilikazi
Mzilikazi
Mzilikazi , also sometimes called Mosilikatze, was a Southern African king who founded the Matabele kingdom , Matabeleland, in what became Rhodesia and is now Zimbabwe. He was born the son of Matshobana near Mkuze, Zululand and died at Ingama, Matabeleland...
and his people separated from the Zulu, they took the Zulu language with them. Part of them remained in the region of modern Pretoria. They are now the South Ndebele. Their language combines Zulu and Sotho–Tswana elements taken over from the neighbouring peoples. The major part of the Ndebele went northward into present-day Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
. Therefore their language is Nguni without Sotho–Tswana elements.
Northern Ndebele is also spoken in the Limpopo province. It is not an official language, but recognised by PANSLAB as there are a significant number of people speaking it as a first language. Areas where the language is spoken as a first language includes Mokopane, which was previously known as Potgietersrus and Polokwane which was known as Pietersburg. Furthermore, Northern Ndebele is spoken in Gauteng in areas such as Hammanskraal and Soshanguvhe in Pretoria.