Where is Xhosa dominantly spoken?

There are 11 official languages in South Africa, of which Xhosa is one of the most widely spoken. Approximately 16 percent of South Africa’s population, or 8.3 million people, cite Xhosa as being their home language. Xhosa is characterised by a number of clicking sounds, which are formed by the tongue.

How many languages do they speak in South Africa?

There are eleven official languages in South Africa. These are Afrikaans, English, Ndebele (isiNdebele), Northern Sotho (Sepedi), Southern Sotho (Sesotho), Swati (siSwati), Tsonga (Xitsonga), Tswana (Setswana), Venda (Tshivenda), Xhosa (isiXhosa) and Zulu (isiZulu).

Is Swati a Nguni language?

The Nguni languages are a group of Bantu languages spoken in southern Africa by the Nguni peoples. Nguni languages include Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele (sometimes referred to as “Northern Ndebele”), Swati, Hlubi, Phuthi, Bhaca, Lala, Nhlangwini, Southern Transvaal Ndebele, and Sumayela Ndebele.

Where is Zulu spoken?

South Africa
Zulu language, a Bantu language spoken by more than nine million people mainly in South Africa, especially in the Zululand area of KwaZulu/Natal province. The Zulu language is a member of the Southeastern, or Nguni, subgroup of the Bantu group of the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo language family.

Is Zulu a tonal language?

Like almost all other Bantu and other African languages, Zulu is tonal.

Are Xhosa and Zulu related?

Both isiXhosa and isiZulu are Nguni languages that are widely spoken in southern Africa by Nguni people. The two languages are closely related and even mutually intelligible. Although these languages are quite similar, at times both Xhosa and Zulu use the same words, however with different meanings.

Which is the most common language in South Africa?

It is the most commonly-used language in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Afrikaans is the most common language that is spoken in Western Cape and Northern Cape. Xhosa is the most commonly spoken language in Eastern Cape. Sesotho is the most common language in Free State. In Limpopo province, the most commonly spoken language is Sesotho sa Leboa.

When did Afrikaans become the official language of South Africa?

Afrikaans came into its own with the growth of Afrikaner identity. It was declared an official language, together with English, of the Union of South Africa in 1925. Afrikaans is spoken mainly by white Afrikaners, coloured South Africans and sections of the black population.

Which is the most spoken language in the Western Cape?

Around half the people of the Western Cape and Northern Cape speak Afrikaans. In Gauteng and Mpumalanga, no single language dominates. The main languages of each province are: Eastern Cape – isiXhosa (78.8%), Afrikaans (10.6%) Free State – Sesotho (64.2%), Afrikaans (12.7%)

How many people in South Africa speak English?

English is an urban language of public life, widely used in the media, business and government. Out of the 4.9-million South Africans who speak English as a first language, a third (33%) are white, a quarter (24%) are black, 22% are Indian and 19% are coloured South Africans.