Languages of Botswana

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Template:Short description Template:Languages of Template:Culture of Botswana

The official language of Botswana is English, while Setswana is considered to be a national language.[1] English, which was inherited from colonial rule, is the language of official business and most written communication. Most of the population speak Setswana, but over 20 smaller languages are also spoken. Some of the country's languages are in danger of becoming extinct.

Official and national languages

The official written language of Botswana is English.[1] Most written communication and official business texts are written in English. The language of the Tswana people—Setswana—is the country's national language, and is spoken by most of the population.Template:Sfn

Other languages

Aside from English and Setswana, other languages are spoken in the country. Over 90% of the population speak a Bantu language as their first language.Script error: No such module "Unsubst". According to the CIA's World Factbook, the most common Bantu languages spoken are Setswana (73.3% of the population), Kalanga (17.2%), Kgalagadi (2.4%), Shona (1%) Mbukushu (1.6%) and Ndebele (1%). 1.7% speak Tshwa (a Khoe language) and 0.1% speak !Xóõ, a Tuu language (both non-Bantu).[2] English is spoken by 2.8% as their first language, and a small number speak Afrikaans.

The number of individual languages listed for Botswana is 31.Template:Whose quote All are living languages. Of these, 26 are indigenous and 5 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 4 are institutional, 9 are developing, 8 are vigorous, 9 are in trouble, and 1 is dying.[3]

Languages spoken

File:The distribution of the three major language families in the Kalahari Basin area.jpg
The distribution of the three major language families in the Kalahari Basin area
Languages of Botswana
Languages Per cent
Setswana
 
 77.3%
Sekalanga
 
 7.4%
Shekgalagadi
 
 3.4%
English
 
 2.8%
Sesarwa
 
 1.7%
Sembukushu
 
 1.6%
Ndebele
 
 1.0%
Seherero
 
 1.0%
Afrikaans
 
 0.4%
Sesubiya
 
 0.3%
Seyeyi
 
 0.2%
Other Asian
 
 0.4%
Other European
 
 0.4%
Other African
 
 0.1%
Other
 
 0.1%
  1. Afrikaans
  2. Ani
  3. Birwa
  4. Chichewa
  5. English
  6. Gana
  7. Gciriku
  8. Gwi
  9. Hai||om
  10. Herero
  11. ‡Hua
  12. Ju|’hoansi
  13. Kalanga
  14. Kgalagadi
  15. Khoekhoe
  16. Khwedam
  17. Kua
  18. Kuhane
  19. Kung-Ekoka
  20. Lozi
  21. Mbukushu
  22. Nambya
  23. Naro
  24. Ndebele
  25. Setswana
  26. Shua
  27. Tshuwau
  28. Tswapong
  29. !Xóõ
  30. Yeyi
  31. Zezuru
  32. isiXhosa

References

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Sources

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Further reading

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See also

Khoisan languages

External links

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