Sotho–Tswana languages

{{Short description|Bantu language group of southern Africa}} {{Infobox language family | name = Sotho–Tswana | ethnicity = [[Sotho-Tswana peoples]] | region = Southern Africa, mainly in [[South Africa]], [[Lesotho]], [[Botswana]], and south-western [[Zambia]], | familycolor = Niger-Congo | fam2 = [[Atlantic–Congo languages|Atlantic–Congo]] | fam3 = [[Volta-Congo]] | fam4 = [[Benue–Congo languages|Benue–Congo]] | fam5 = [[Bantoid]] | fam6 = [[Southern Bantoid languages|Southern Bantoid]] | fam7 = [[Bantu languages|Bantu]] | fam8 = [[Southern Bantu]] | glotto = soth1248 | glottorefname = Sotho-Tswana (S.30) | ancestor = | glottoname = | notes = | child1 = [[Setswana]] | child2 = [[Northern Sotho]] | child3 = [[Southern Sotho]] | child5 = [[lozi language|Lozi]] }}

The '''Sotho-Tswana languages''' are a group of closely related [[Bantu languages]] spoken in [[Southern Africa]]. The Sotho-Tswana group corresponds to the S.30 label in [[Malcolm Guthrie|Guthrie's]] 1967–71 [[Guthrie classification of Bantu languages|classification]]<ref>Guthrie, Malcolm (1967-1971). ''Comparative Bantu: An Introduction to the Comparative Linguistics and Prehistory of the Bantu Languages''. (Volumes 1-4). Farnborough: Gregg International, cf. [http://www.cbold.ddl.ish-lyon.cnrs.fr/Lgs/LgsbyGN.html the CBOLD Guthrie name list] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061130051056/http://www.cbold.ddl.ish-lyon.cnrs.fr/Lgs/LgsbyGN.html |date=2006-11-30 }}</ref> of languages in the [[Bantu languages|Bantu family]].

The various dialects of [[Tswana language|Tswana]], [[Sotho language|Southern Sotho]] and [[Northern Sotho language|Northern Sotho]] are highly mutually intelligible. On more than one occasion, proposals have been put forward to create a unified [[Standard language|standardisation]] and declare a Sotho-Tswana language.

== Languages ==

The group is divided into four main branches:<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ethnologue.com/subgroup/350/ | title=S | Ethnologue Free }}</ref>

{{tree list}} * '''Sotho-Tswana''' **S.31 ***[[Tswana language|Tswana]] (''Setswana''), with dialects: Fokeng, Hurutshe, Kgatla, Kwena, Lete, Ngwaketse, Ngwato, Rolong, Tawana, Tlhaping, Tlharo, and [[Tlokwa]] **S.311 ***[[Kgalagadi language|Kgalagadi]], with dialects: Nuclear Kgalagadi (Kgalagadi proper), Balaongwe, Kenyi, Khakhae, Koma, Ngologa, Pedi, Phaleng, Rhiti, Shaga, and Siwane **S.32 ***Birwa ***Tswapong ***[[Northern Sotho language|Northern Sotho]] (''Sesotho sa Leboa''), with dialects including Masemola (Masemula, Tau), Kgaga (Khaga, Kxaxa), Koni (Kone), Tswene (Tsweni), Gananwa (Hananwa, Xananwa), Pulana, Phalaborwa (Phalaburwa, Thephalaborwa), Khutswe (Khutswi, Kutswe), Lobedu (Khelobedu, Lovedu, Lubedu), Tlokwa (Dogwa, Tlokoa, Tokwa), Pai, Dzwabo (Thabine-Roka-Nareng), Kopa (Ndebele-Sotho), Matlala-Moletshi. **S.33 ***Southern Sotho or [[Sotho language|Sotho]] (''SeSotho''): Phuthi, Taung {{tree list/end}}

Northern Sotho, which appears largely to be a taxonomic holding category for what is Sotho-Tswana but neither identifiably Southern Sotho nor Tswana,<ref>See Doke, Clement M. (1954). ''The Southern Bantu Languages. Handbook of African Languages''. Oxford: Oxford University Press</ref> subsumes highly varied [[dialect]]s including Pedi (''Sepedi''), Tswapo (''Setswapo''), Lovedu (''Khilobedu''), Pai and Pulana. Maho (2002) leaves the "East Sotho" varieties of Kutswe, Pai, and Pulana unclassified within Sotho-Tswana.

==Sample==

The Lord's Prayer in the various Sotho-Tswana languages.

English: ''Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.''

*'''[[Pedi language|Pedi]]''': {{lang|nso|Tatewešo wa magodimong, leina la gago a le kgethwe, mmušo wa gago a o tle, thato ya gago a e dirwe mo lefaseng bjalo ka ge e dirwa legodimong.}} *'''[[Southern Sotho|Sotho]]''': {{lang|st|Ntata rona ya mahodimong, lebitso la hao le halaletswe, ho tle muso wa hao, thato ya hao e etswe lefatseng, jwalo ka ha e etswa lehodimong.}} *'''[[Tswana language|Tswana]]''': {{lang|tn|Rara wa rona yo o kwa legodimong, leina la gago a le itshepisiwe, puso ya gago a e tle, thato ya gago a e dirwe mo lefatsheng jaaka kwa legodimong.}} *'''[[Lozi language|Lozi]]''': {{lang|loz|Ndat’a luna ya kwa lihalimu, libizo la hao li be le li kenile. Ku tahe mubuso wa hao. Se si latwa ki wena si ezwe mwa lifasi, sina mo si ezezwa mwa lihalimu.}}

== References == {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sotho-Tswana languages}} [[Category:Sotho-Tswana languages| ]] [[Category:Languages of Botswana]] [[Category:Languages of Lesotho]] [[Category:Languages of South Africa]]