For the purpose of this discussion, this language group encompasses three separate languages. Tswana or Setswana (S31) is spoken in Botswana, South Africa, and neighboring areas of Zimbabwe. Northern Sotho (S32), also known as Pedi or Transvaal Sotho, is spoken in northeastern South Africa (Transvaal). Southern Sotho (also known as Sotho proper), spoken farther to the south, is the predominant language of Lesotho.
|
Voegelins
(1977) |
UBS (1982)
|
Alexandre
|
Bastin
|
Grimes
(1996)
|
|
| Tswana |
852,000
|
3,083,000
|
-
|
-
|
3,932,000
|
| Northern Sotho |
800,000
|
1,800,000
|
-
|
800,000
|
3,851,000
|
| Southern Sotho |
3,000,000
|
1,217,000
|
-
|
3,000,000
|
4,197,000
|
| Total |
4,652,000
|
5,333,000
|
4,000,000
|
3,800,000
|
11,980,000
|
Tswana is, according to Heine (1970), "next to English the official language of Botswana." In 1985, these languages became mandatory subjects in South African junior and secondary schools. Botswana publishes a daily newspaper, Dikgang Tsa Gompieno, and a monthly newspaper, Kutlwana, in Tswana. The South African Broadcasting Company broadcasts radio and television programs in Tswana and Sotho. Radio Botswana also broadcasts in Sotho.
There is a separate standardized orthography for each language.
Three separate sets of learning materials are required for the teaching of the languages under this heading.
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