# Southern Ndebele language > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Southern_Ndebele_language > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Southern_Ndebele_language.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Ndebele_language > Source revision: 1354955471 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Language belonging to the Nguni group Not to be confused with [Sumayela Ndebele language](/source/Sumayela_Ndebele_language). Southern Ndebele isiNdebele sakwaNdzundza noManala[citation needed] isiNdebele seSewula[citation needed] Native to South Africa Region Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng, North West Ethnicity amaNdebele Native speakers 1.1 million (2011 census)[1] 1.4 million L2 speakers (2002)[2] Language family Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Volta-Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Southern Bantoid Bantu Southern Bantu Nguni Zunda Southern Ndebele Writing system Latin (Ndebele alphabet) Ndebele Braille Signed forms Signed Ndebele Official status Official language in South Africa Language codes ISO 639-1 nr – South Ndebele ISO 639-2 nbl – South Ndebele ISO 639-3 nbl – South Ndebele Glottolog sout2808 Guthrie code S.407[3] Linguasphere + 99-AUT-fj 99-AUT-fi + 99-AUT-fj 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. Ndebele Person iNdebele People AmaNdebele Language IsiNdebele Country KwaNdebele Geographical distribution of Southern Ndebele in South Africa: proportion of the population that speaks Southern Ndebele at home. - 0–20% - 20–40% - 40–60% - 60–80% - 80–100% Geographical distribution of Southern Ndebele in South Africa: density of Southern Ndebele 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 Bilingual sign in [Afrikaans](/source/Afrikaans) and Southern Ndebele at the [Pretoria Art Museum](/source/Pretoria_Art_Museum) **Southern Ndebele**[1][4][5] (English: [/ɛndəˈbiːliː/](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/English)), also known by its native name **isiNdebele**, is an African language belonging to the [Mbo](/source/Nguni_languages) group of [Bantu languages](/source/Bantu_languages), spoken by the [Ndebele people](/source/Ndebele_people_(South_Africa)) of [South Africa](/source/South_Africa). [Northern Ndebele](/source/Northern_Ndebele_language) or Ndebele also known as isi[Ndebele](/source/Northern_Ndebele_language) is spoken in [Limpopo](/source/Zimbabwe) in areas such as [Polokwane](/source/Polokwane) (Bhulungwane), Ga-Rathoka (KaSondonga), Ga-Mashashane, [Ga Maraba / Kalkspruit](/source/Kalkspruit_A_(Ga-Maraba)), [Mokopane](/source/Mokopane) (Mghumbane), [Zebediela](/source/Zebediela) (Sebetiela), which is closer to Southern Ndebele.[6] ## Overview This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) The Ndebele (Southern and Northern) people's history has been traced back to King Ndebele, King Ndebele fathered King Mkhalangana, King Mkhalangana fathered King Mntungwa (not to be confused with the Khumalo Mntungwa, because he was fathered by Mbulazi), King Mntungwa fathered King Jonono, King Jonono fathered King Nanasi, King Nanasi fathered King Mafana, king Mafana fathered King Mhlanga and Chief Libhoko, King Mhlanga fathered King Musi and Chief Skhube. Ndebele – Some of his sons were left behind with the [Hlubi tribe](/source/Hlubi_people) Mkhalangana – Some of his sons branched north and formed the Kalanga tribe Mntungwa – Founder of the amaNtungwa clan Njonono – He died in Jononoskop near [Ladysmith](/source/Ladysmith%2C_KwaZulu-Natal) – Surname Jonono is in the Hlubi tribe Nanasi – He died in Jononoskop near Ladysmith – Surname Nanasi is in the Hlubi tribe Mafana – He died in [Randfontein](/source/Randfontein) (Emhlangeni) Mhlanga – He died in Randfontein (Emhlangeni) Musi – He died in kwaMnyamana (Pretoria) King Musi's kraal was based at eMhlangeni a place named after his father Mhlanga, the name of the place is currently known as Randfontein (Mohlakeng) and later moved to KwaMnyamana which is now called Emarula or [Bon Accord](/source/Bon_Accord_Dam) in Pretoria. King Musi was a polygamist and fathered the following sons, Skhosana (Masombuka), Manala (Mbuduma), Ndzundza (Hlungwana), Thombeni (Kekana or Gegana), Sibasa, Mhwaduba (Lekhuleni) and Mphafuli and others. Southern Ndebele is one of the twelve official languages in the Republic of South Africa. The language is a Nguni or Zunda classification (UN) spoken mostly in the Mpumalanga Province, Gauteng, Limpopo and the Northwest. The expression *isikhethu* can be loosely translated to mean 'the Southern Ndebele way of doing or saying'. *Isikhethu* means Southern Ndebele in the same way that *sikitsi* will mean Swazi and *se harona* will mean Sotho. The language has been severely marginalised over the years. Until the formation of the apartheid Southern Ndebele [homeland](/source/Bantustan) ([KwaNdebele](/source/KwaNdebele)), speaking the language publicly was discouraged. Most Southern Ndebele speakers preferred Zulu especially because the latter was learned at school. Today the Southern Ndebele speakers, mostly those who are educated still prefer to use Southern Ndebele as home language for their children and will use Southern Ndebele as a language to communicate with other Southern Ndebele speakers. ## Phonology ### Vowels Southern Ndebele vowels Front Back Close i [i] u [u] Mid e [e~ɛ] o [o~ɔ] Open a [a] ### Consonants Southern Ndebele consonants Labial Alveolar Post-alv./ Palatal Velar Glottal central lateral Plosive ejective p [pʼ] t [tʼ] k [kʼ] aspirated ph [pʰ] th [tʰ] kh [kʰ] devoiced bh [b̥] d [d̥] ɡ [ɡ̊] prenasal mp [ᵐp] nt [ⁿt] nk [ᵑk] prenasal (vd.) mb [ᵐb] nd [ⁿd] ng [ᵑɡ] implosive b [ɓ] Affricate ejective ts [tsʼ] tl [tɬʼ] tj [tʃʼ] kg [kxʼ] aspirated tsh [tsʰ] tlh [tɬʰ] tjh [tʃʰ] kgh [kxʰ] plain dz [dz] devoiced j [d̥ʒ] prenasal nj [ᶮdʒ] Fricative plain f [f] s [s] hl [ɬ] rh [x] voiced v [v] z [z] dl [ɮ] h [ɦ] prenasal mf [ᶬf] prenasal (vd.) mv [ᶬv] aspirated dlh [ɮʰ] Nasal m [m] n [n] ny [ɲ] ngh [ŋ] Liquid r [r] l [l] Semivowel w [w] y [j] Consonant sounds *nt*, *nd*, *k*, *mf*, and *mv* often result in allophones of [d̥r dr k̬ ɱp̪fʼ ɱb̪v].[7] ### Click consonants Southern Ndebele clicks Dental Post- alveolar Lateral voiceless plain c [ᵏǀ] q [ᵏ!] x [ᵏǁ] aspirated ch [ᵏǀʰ] qh [ᵏ!ʰ] voiced plain gc [ᶢǀ] gq [ᶢ!] nasalized nc [ᵑǀ] nq [ᵑ!] nx [ᵑǁ] ## Grammar ### Nouns The Southern Ndebele noun consists of two essential parts, the prefix and the stem. Using the prefixes, nouns can be grouped into noun classes, which are numbered consecutively, to ease comparison with other [Bantu languages](/source/Bantu_languages). The following table gives an overview of Southern Ndebele noun classes, arranged according to singular-plural pairs. Class Singular Plural 1/2 um(u)-1 aba-, abe- 1a/2a u- abo- 3/4 um(u)-1 imi- 5/6 i-, ili-, ilu- ama- 7/8 is(i)- iz(i)-, iiN- 9/10 iN- iiN- 14 ubu-, ub-, utj- 15 uku- 17 uku- 1 **umu-** replaces **um-** before monosyllabic stems, e. g. **umuntu** (person). ### Verbs Verbs use the following affixes for the subject and the object: Person/ Class Prefix Infix 1st sing. ngi- -ngi- 2nd sing. u- -wu- 1st plur. si- -si- 2nd plur. ni- -ni- 1 u- -m(u)- 2 ba- -ba- 3 u- -m(u)- 4 i- -yi- 5 li- -li- 6 a- -wa- 7 si- -si- 8 zi- -zi- 9 i- -yi- 10 zi- -zi- 14 bu- -bu- 15 ku- -ku- 17 ku- -ku- reflexive -zi- ## Examples **Months in Southern Ndebele** English Northern Ndebele (Zimbabwe) Southern Ndebele (South Africa) Zulu (South Africa) January uZibandlela uTjhirhweni uMasingane February uNhlolanja uMhlolanja uNhlolanja March uMbimbitho uNtaka uNdasa April uMabasa uSihlabantangana UMbasa May uNkwekwezi uMrhayili UNhlaba June uNhlangula uMgwengweni UNhlangulana July uNtulikazi uVelabahlinze uNtulikazi August uNcwabakazi uRhoboyi UNcwaba September uMpandula uKhukhulamungu uMandulo October uMfumfu uSewula uMfumfu November uLwezi uSinyikhaba uLwezi December uMpalakazi uNobayeni uZibandlela ## AmaNdebele in Zimbabwe Zimbabwean Ndebele is part of the Nguni cluster and is therefore very similar to other Nguni languages (such as Zulu, Xhosa and Swati) with which it shares a high level of mutual intelligibility. Southern Ndebele, while maintaining its Nguni roots, has been influenced by the Sotho languages.[7] ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-e18_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-e18_1-1) [Ndebele](https://www.ethnologue.com/18/language/nbl/) at *[Ethnologue](/source/Ethnologue)* (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** 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 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Guthrie_3-0)** Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. [New Updated Guthrie List Online](https://web.archive.org/web/20180203191542/http://goto.glocalnet.net/mahopapers/nuglonline.pdf) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-ISO_639-2/RA_4-0)** ["Documentation for ISO 639 identifier: nbl"](https://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/langcodes_name.php?code_ID=318). ISO 639-2 Registration Authority - Library of Congress. Retrieved 4 July 2017. Name: South Ndebele 1. **[^](#cite_ref-ISO_639-3/RA_5-0)** ["Documentation for ISO 639 identifier: nbl"](http://www-01.sil.org/iso639-3/documentation.asp?id=nbl). ISO 639-3 Registration Authority - SIL International. Retrieved 4 July 2017. Name: South Ndebele 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Skhosana, Philemon (2010). ["The (ama)Ndebele of Africa and their name '(ama)Ndebele'"](http://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/17089). *University of Pretoria – Department of Library Services*. University of Pretoria. [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[2263/17089](https://hdl.handle.net/2263%2F17089). Retrieved 24 March 2016. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_7-1) Skhosana, P.B. (2010) The Linguistic Relationship between Southern and Northern Ndebele, University of Pretoria, DLitt Thesis ## External links ***[South Ndebele edition](https://nr.wikipedia.org/wiki/)*** of [Wikipedia](/source/Wikipedia), the free encyclopedia - [List links to Ndebele language resources](http://www.mongabay.com/indigenous_ethnicities/languages/languages/Ndebele.html) ### Software - [Spell checker for OpenOffice.org and Mozilla](https://web.archive.org/web/20070114015602/http://translate.org.za/content/view/1610/54/), [OpenOffice.org](https://web.archive.org/web/20070324112647/http://translate.org.za/content/view/17/32/), [Mozilla Firefox web-browser](https://web.archive.org/web/20070210160756/http://translate.org.za/content/view/1611/54/), and [Mozilla Thunderbird email program](https://web.archive.org/web/20070324203655/http://translate.org.za/content/view/1612/54/) in Ndebele - [Project to translate Free and Open Source Software into Ndebele](http://translate.org.za/) v t e Languages of South Africa Pan South African Language Board Commission for Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Community Rights Department of Arts and Culture Official West Germanic Afrikaans English Southern Bantu Sotho–Tswana Northern Sotho (Sesotho sa Leboa) Southern Sotho (Sesotho) Tswana (Setswana) Nguni Southern Ndebele (isiNdebele) Swazi (siSwati) Xhosa (isiXhosa) Zulu (isiZulu) Tswa–Ronga Tsonga (Xitsonga) Venda Venda (Tshivenḓa) North West European Sign Language British Sign Language (BSL) family SA Sign Language Recognised unofficial languages mentioned in the 1996 constitution Indigenous Bhaca Khoe Khoisan Lala Lozi Nama Nhlangwini Northern Ndebele Phuthi Tuu Foreign German Greek Gujarati Hindi Portuguese Malay (historical) Tamil Telugu Urdu Religious Arabic Hebrew Sanskrit Other LGBTQ slang Gayle IsiNgqumo Other Tsotsitaal and Camtho Oorlams Creole Fanagalo Pretoria Sotho Scamto Angloromani Kaaps v t e Narrow Bantu languages (Zones N–S) (by Guthrie classification) Zone N N10 N11 Manda N12 Ngoni N13 Matengo N14 Mpoto N15 Tonga [N101 Ndendeule N102 Nindi N121 Ngoni of Malawi N20 N21 Tumbuka [N201 Mwera of Mbamba Bay N30 N31a Nyanja N31b Cewa N31c Manganja N40 N41 Nsenga N42 Kunda N43 Nyungwe N44 Sena N45[44] Rue N46[44] Podzo [N441 Sena-Malawi Zone P P10 P11 Ndengereko P12 Ruihi P13 Matumbi P14 Ngindo P15 Mbunga P20 P21 Yao P22 Mwera P23 Makonde P24 Ndonde P25 Mabiha P30 P31 Makua P32 Lomwe P33 Ngulu P34 Cuabo [P311 Koti P312 Sakati P331 Lomwe of Malawi P341 Moniga Zone R R10 R11 Umbundu R12 Ndombe R13 Nyaneka R14 Khumbi [R101 Kuvale R102 Kwisi R103 Mbali R20 R21 Kwanyama R22 Ndonga R23 Kwambi R24 Ngandyera [R211 Kafima R212 Evale R213 Mbandja R214 Mbalanhu R215 Ndongwena R216 Kwankwa R217 Dombondola R218 Esinga R241 Kwaluudhi R242 Kolonkadhi-Eunda R30 R31 Herero [R311 North-West Herero R312 Botswana Herero R40 R41 Yei Zone S S10 S11 Korekore S12 Zezuru S13a Manyika S13b Tebe S14 Karanga S15 Ndau S16 Kalanga S20 S21 Venda S30 S31a Tswana S31b Kgatla S31c Ngwatu S31d[311] Khalaxadi S32a Pedi S32b Lobedu S33 Sotho [S301 Phalaborwa S302 Kutswe S303 Pai S304 Pulana S40 S41 Xhosa S42 Zulu S43 Swati S44 (Northern) Ndebele [S401 Old Mfengu S402 Bhaca S403 Hlubi S404 Phuthi S405 Nhlangwini S406 Lala S407 South Ndebele S408 Sumayela Ndebele S50 S51 Tswa S52[53] Gwamba S53 Tsonga S54 Ronga [S511 Hlengwe S60 S61 Copi S62 Tonga [S611 Lenge Italics indicate extinct languages. Languages between parentheses are varieties of the language on their left. The Guthrie classification is geographic and its groupings do not imply a relationship between the languages within them. Narrow Bantu languages by Guthrie classification zone templates Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones A–B) Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones C–D) Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones E–H) Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones J–M) Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones N–S) Authority control databases International GND Other IdRef Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Southern Ndebele language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Ndebele_language) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Ndebele_language?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.