Northern Sotho

Pedi
Pedi
Person	Mopedi
People	Bapedi
Language	Sepedi

Northern Sotho
Northern Sotho
Sesotho sa Leboa
Native to	South Africa
Region	Gauteng, Limpopo, parts of Mpumalanga
Ethnicity	Pedi ; Lobedu ; Pulana ; Tlôkwa
Native speakers	4.7 million (2011 census); 9.1 million L2 speakers (2002)
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Volta-Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Southern Bantoid Bantu Southern Bantu Sotho–Tswana Northern Sotho; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Early forms	Tswaniac Hurutshe Kgatla ; ;
Standard forms	Pedi
Writing system	Latin (Northern Sotho alphabet); Sotho Braille; Ditema tsa Dinoko
Signed forms	Signed Northern Sotho
Official status
Official language in	South Africa
Regulated by	Pan South African Language Board
Language codes
ISO 639-2	nso
ISO 639-3	nso
Glottolog	pedi1238 Pedi
Guthrie code	S.32,301–304
Linguasphere	99-AUT-ed
	Geographical distribution of Northern Sotho in South Africa: proportion of the population that speaks a form of Northern Sotho at home. 0–20% 20–40% 40–60% 60–80% 80–100%
	Geographical distribution of Northern Sotho in South Africa: density of Northern Sotho home-language speakers. <1 /km² 1–3 /km² 3–10 /km² 10–30 /km² 30–100 /km² 100–300 /km² 300–1000 /km² 1000–3000 /km² >3000 /km²
	This article contains IPA phonetic symbols. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Unicode characters. For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA.

A speaker of the Northern Sotho language

Sesotho sa Leboa is a Sotho-Tswana language group spoken in the northeastern provinces of South Africa, most commonly in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the Limpopo provinces.^[4] It is also known by Pedi or Sepedi and holds the status of an official language in South Africa.^[5]^[6]

An official language for the Lebowa homeland during apartheid, it is the first language of over 4.6 million (9.1%) people according to the South African National Census of 2011, making it the 5th most spoken language in South Africa.

Official language status

Sepedi vs Northern Sotho

According to Chapter 1, Section 6 of the South African Constitution, Sepedi is one of South Africa's 12 official languages.^[7] There has been significant debate about whether Northern Sotho should be used instead of Pedi.^[8] The English version of the South African Constitution lists Sepedi as an official language, while the Sepedi or Northern Sotho version of the Constitution of South Africa lists Sesotho sa Lebowa as an official South African language.^[9]

South Africa's Official Language Policy

South Africa's English Language policy refers to the eleven official languages of South Africa (i.e., Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu and English), as specified in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. [1]

Name

The Northern Sotho written language was based largely on the Sepedi dialect. Missionaries studied this dialect the most closely and first developed the orthography in 1860 by Alexander Merensky, Grutzner, and Gerlachshoop.^[10] This subsequently provided a common writing system for 20 or more varieties of the Sotho-Tswana languages spoken in the former Transvaal, and also helped lead to "Sepedi" being used as the umbrella term for the entire language family. However, there are objections to this synecdoche by other Northern Sotho dialect speakers, such as speakers of Modjadji's Lobedu dialect.^{[citation needed]}

Other varieties of Northern Sotho

Northern Sotho can be subdivided into Highveld-Sotho, which consists of comparatively recent immigrants mostly from the west and southwest parts of South Africa, and Lowveld-Sotho, which consists of a combination of immigrants from the north of South Africa and Sotho inhabitants of longer standing. Like other Sotho-Tswana people, their languages are named after totemic animals and, sometimes, by alternating or combining these with the names of famous chiefs.^{[original research?]}

The Highveld-Sotho

The group consists of the following dialects:

Bapedi
- Bapedi Marota (in the narrower sense)
- Marota Mamone
- Marota Mohlaletsi
- Batau Bapedi (Matlebjane, Masemola, Marishane, Batau ba Manganeng - Nkadimeng, Kgaphola, Diphofa, Nchabeleng, Mogashoa, Phaahla, Sloane, Mashegoana, Mphanama)
Phokwane
Bakone
- Kone (Ga-Matlala)
- Dikgale
Baphuthi
Baroka
Bakgaga (Mphahlele, Maake, and Mothapo)
Chuene
Mathabatha
Maserumule
Tlou (Ga-Molepo)
Thobejane (Ga-Mafefe)
Batlokwa
- Batlokwa Ba Lethebe
Makgoba
Batlou
Bahananwa (Ga-Mmalebogo)
Moremi
Motlhatlhana
Babirwa
Batswapong
Mmamabolo
Bamongatane
Bakwena ba Moletjie (Moloto)
Batlhaloga
Bahwaduba, BaGaMagale, and many others

The Lowveld-Sotho

The group consists of Lobedu, Narene, Phalaborwa (Malatji), Mogoboya, Kone, Kgaga, Pulana, Pai, Ramafalo, Mohale and Kutswe.

Classification

Northern Sotho is one of the Sotho languages of the Bantu family. Although Northern Sotho shares the name Sotho with Southern Sotho, the two groups also have a great deal in common with their sister language Setswana.^{[citation needed]}^[11] Northern Sotho is also closely related to Setswana, sheKgalagari and siLozi. It is a standardized dialect, amalgamating several distinct varieties or dialects. Northern Sotho is also spoken by the Mohlala people.

Most Khelobedu speakers only learn to speak Sepedi at school, such that Sepedi is only their second or third language. Khelobedu is a written language. Lobedu is spoken by a majority of people in the Greater Tzaneen, Greater Letaba, and BaPhalaborwa municipalities, and a minority in Greater Giyani municipality, as well as in the Limpopo Province and Tembisa township in Gauteng. Its speakers are known as the Balobedu.

Sepulana (also sePulane) exists in unwritten form and forms part of the standard Northern Sotho. Sepulana is spoken in Bushbuckridge area by the MaPulana people.

Writing system

Sepedi is written in the Latin alphabet. The letter š is used to represent the sound [ʃ] ("sh" is used in the trigraph "tsh" to represent an aspirated ts sound). The circumflex accent can be added to the letters e and o to distinguish their different sounds, but it is mostly used in language reference books. Some word prefixes, especially in verbs, are written separately from the stem.^[12]

Phonology

Vowels

Northern Sotho vowels
	Front	Back
Close	i	u
Close-mid	e	o
Open-mid	ɛ	ɔ
Open	a

Consonants

Northern Sotho consonants
		Labial			Alveolar		Post- alveolar	Velar	Glottal
		plain	prepalatal	alveolar	plain	lateral	Post- alveolar	Velar	Glottal
Nasal		m			n		ɲ	ŋ
Plosive	ejective	pʼ	pʃʼ	psʼ	tʼ	tˡʼ		kʼ
Plosive	aspirated	pʰ	pʃʰ	psʰ	tʰ	tˡʰ		kʰ
Affricate	ejective				tsʼ		tʃʼ
Affricate	aspirated				tsʰ		tʃʰ	kxʰ
Fricative	voiceless	f	fʃ	fs	s	ɬ	ʃ		h~ɦ
Fricative	voiced	β	βʒ				ʒ	ɣ
Rhotic					r	ɺ
Approximant		w				l	j

Within nasal consonant compounds, the first nasal consonant sound is recognized as syllabic. Words such as nthuše "help me", are pronounced as [n̩tʰuʃe]. /n/ can also be pronounced as /ŋ/ following a velar consonant.^[13]

Urban varieties of Northern Sotho, such as Pretoria Sotho (actually a derivative of Tswana), have acquired clicks in an ongoing process of such sounds spreading from Nguni languages.^[14]

Vocabulary

Some examples of Northern Sotho words and phrases:

English	Northern Sotho
Welcome	Kamogelo (noun) / Amogela (verb)
Good day	Dumela (singular) / Dumelang (plural) / Thobela and Re a lotšha (to elders)
How are you?	O kae? (singular) Le kae? (plural, also used for elders)
I am fine	Ke gona.
I am fine too, thank you	Le nna ke gona, ke a leboga.
Thank you	Ke a leboga (I thank you) / Re a leboga (we thank you)
Good luck	Mahlatse
Have a safe journey	O be le leeto le le bolokegilego
Good bye!	Šala gabotse (singular)/ Šalang gabotse (plural, also used for elders)(keep well) / Sepela gabotse(singular)/Sepelang gabotse (plural, also used for elders)(go well)
I am looking for a job	Ke nyaka mošomô
No smoking	Ga go kgogwe (/folwe)
No entrance	Ga go tsenwe
Beware of the steps!	Hlokomela disetepese!
Beware!	Hlokomela!
Congratulations on your birthday	Mahlatse letšatšing la gago la matswalo
Seasons greetings	Ditumedišo tša Sehla sa Maikhutšo
Merry Christmas	Mahlogonolo a Keresemose
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year	Mahlogonolo a Keresemose le ngwaga wo moswa wo monate
Expression	Gontsha sa mafahleng
yes	ee/eya
no	aowa
please	hle
thank you	ke a leboga
help	thušang/thušo
danger	kotsi
emergency	tšhoganetšo
excuse me	ntshwarele
I am sorry	Ke maswabi
I love you	Ke a go rata
Questions / sentences	Dipotšišo / mafoko
Do you accept (money/credit cards/traveler's cheques)?	O amogela (singular) / Le amogela ( tshelete/.../...)?
How much is this?	Ke bokae e?
I want ...	Ke nyaka...
What are you doing?	O dira eng?
What is the time?	Ke nako mang?
Where are you going?	O ya kae?
Numbers	Dinomoro
1	tee
2	pedi
3	tharo
4	nne
5	hlano
6	tshela
7	šupa
8	seswai
9	senyane
10	lesome
11	lesometee
12	lesomepedi
13	lesometharo
14	lesomenne
15	lesomehlano
20	masomepedi
21	masomepedi-tee
22	masomepedi-pedi
50	masomehlano
100	lekgolo
1000	sekete
Days of the week	Matšatši a beke
Sunday	Lamorena
Monday	Mošupologo
Tuesday	Labobedi
Wednesday	Laboraro
Thursday	Labone
Friday	Labohlano
Saturday	Mokibelo
Months of the year	Dikgwedi tša ngwaga
January	Pherekgong
February	Dibokwane
March	Hlakola
April	Moranang
May	Mopitlo
June	Ngwatobosego
July	Phuphu
August	Phato
September	Lewedi
October	Diphalane
November	Dibatsela
December	Manthole
Computers and Internet terms	Didirishwa tsa khomphutha le Inthanete
computer	sebaledi / khomphutara
e-mail	imeile
e-mail address	aterese ya imeile
Internet	Inthanete
Internet café	khefi ya Inthanete
website	weposaete
website address	aterese ya weposaete
Rain	Pula
To understand	Go kwešiša
Reed Pipes	Dinaka
Drums	Meropa
Horn	Lenaka
Colours	Mebala
Red/Orange	Hubedu
Brown	Tsotho
Green	Talamorogo
Blue	Talalerata
Black	Ntsho
White	šweu
Yellow	Serolwana
Gold	Gauta
Grey	Pududu
Pale	Sehla or Tshehla
Silver	Silifere

Sample text

Universal Declaration of Human Rights^[15]

Temana 1
Batho ka moka ba belegwe ba lokologile le gona ba na le seriti sa go lekana le ditokelo. Ba filwe monagano le letswalo mme ba swanetše go swarana ka moya wa bana ba mpa.

Temana 2
Mang le mang o swanetše ke ditokelo le ditokologo ka moka tše go boletšwego ka tšona ka mo Boikanong bjo, ntle le kgethollo ya mohuta wo mongwe le wo mongwe bjalo ka morafe, mmala, bong, polelo, bodumedi, dipolitiki goba ka kgopolo, botšo go ya ka setšhaba goba maemo, diphahlo, matswalo goba maemo a mangwe le a mangwe.

Go feta fao, ga go kgethollo yeo e swanetšego go dirwa go ya ka maemo a dipolitiki, tokelo ya boahlodi, goba maemo a ditšhabatšhaba goba lefelo leo motho a dulago go lona, goba ke naga ye e ipušago, trasete, naga ya go se ipuše goba se sengwe le se sengwe seo se ka fokotšago maemo a go ikemela ga naga ya gabo.

Notes

^ Northern Sotho at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
^ 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
^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
^ "NORTHERN SOTHO - South African Language Sepedi". www.sa-venues.com. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
^ "The SA Constitution". www.justice.gov.za. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
^ "free online course". www.unisa.ac.za. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
^ "Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 - Chapter 1: Founding Provisions | South African Government". www.gov.za. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
^ "Pedi | South African History Online". www.sahistory.org.za. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
^ Rakgogo, Tebogo J.; Zungu, Evangeline B. (28 February 2022). "A blatant disregard of Section 6 (1) of the Constitution of South Africa by higher education institutions and language authorities: An onomastic discrepancy". Literator. 43 (1): 9. ISSN 2219-8237.
^ Rakgogo, Tebogo Jacob; van Huyssteen, Linda (3 July 2019). "A constitutional language name, lost in translation and its impact on the identity of the first language speakers". South African Journal of African Languages. 39 (2): 165–174. doi:10.1080/02572117.2019.1618015. ISSN 0257-2117. S2CID 199161866.
^ "Sepedi First Language". Career Times. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
^ Pukuntšu ya polelopedi ya sekolo: Sesotho sa Leboa/ Sepedi le Seisimane: e gatišitšwe ke Oxford = Oxford bilingual school dictionary: Northern Sotho and English. De Schryver, Gilles-Maurice. Cape Town: Oxford University Press Southern Africa. 2007. pp. S24–S26. ISBN 9780195765557. OCLC 259741811.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^ Louwrens, Kosch, Kotzé, Louis J., Ingeborg M., Albert E. (1995). Northern Sotho. München: Lincom. pp. 4–11.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ "Ethnologue.com: Languages of South Africa". Archived from the original on 10 April 2017.
^ "Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)", African American Studies Center, Oxford University Press, 30 September 2009, retrieved 18 September 2023