How Many Languages Are Spoken In South Africa?
South Africa is a desirable travel destination due to the richness of its natural resources and cultural heritage. Given that South Africa has a geographical mass of more than 100 million square meters, its diverse range of languages and dialects should not come as a surprise.
In South Africa, how many languages are spoken?
South Africa has eleven (11) official languages, however there are over 35 more languages spoken there. The most popular languages in South Africa will be covered in this article.
English-speaking Africans speak it well!
Although English is frequently used for daily or casual contact, many South African homes still speak their native tongues. For the record, South Africa was formerly a British colonial nation. Because of this, English is still utilized in a variety of contexts, including common discourse, government papers, the media, and schools.
In South Africa, there are 11 official indigenous languages.
Zulu
One of the Zulu language’s most widely spoken dialects in South Africa is isiZulu. Like many regional African languages, isiZulu is extremely dynamic. The language switches between English and local African words.
South Africa is home to the IsiXhosa language.
Like the Zulu language, IsiXhosa is a Nguni language. With the exception of some sounds and words, both IsiZulu and Zulu are Nguni languages. Like many other African languages, it also uses clicking.
IsiNdebele dialect
isi Ndebele is a minority language that has frequently been labeled as “unknown” due to the small number of speakers. People in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Polokwane, and Mokopane speak Ndebele. Family lines continue to teach it because it is not taught in schools.
Sepedi
The Sepedi language can also be heard amongst people in Gauteng, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga, similar to the IsiNdebele. It and the Sesotho language are quite close.
Setswana
Like the majority of the languages spoken in South Africa, Setswana is a Nganu-Bantu language. Its sound is primarily comparable to that of the Sotho languages. It’s widely spoken as a second language and utilized as a lingua franca in addition to being an official language.
SiSwati
The Nguni languages include the Swati language as well. One of the indigenous South African languages which is part of the academic curriculum. Many individuals can thus speak this.
Tshivenda
The majority of its speakers are from Limpopo. Tshivenda is connected to interesting traditions, just like Sepedi. In addition, families with royal blood mostly speak it.
Xitsonga
It shares a close relationship with the Tswa and Ronga tongues. The majority of its native speakers are concentrated in Chiredzi, Gaza, Maputo, Limpopo, and Gauteng. One of South Africa’s oldest languages is Xitsonga.
