The languages of south africa

Elaine Carleto
Unifesp Letras- Português/ Inglês Noturno - 2º termo

The languages of South Africa

We're not called the rainbow nation for nothing. South Africa has 11 official languages, and scores of unofficial ones.Englishis the most commonly spoken language in official and commercial public life – but only the fifth most spoken home language.
The country's democratic Constitution, which came into effect on 4 February 1997, recognises 11 official languages, to which the state guarantees equal status.
• Introduction
• Languagedistribution
• Provincial variations
• Afrikaans
• English
• isiNdebele
• isiXhosa
• isiZulu
• SesothosaLeboa
• Sesotho
• Setswana
• siSwati
• Tshivenda
• Xitsonga
• Indigenouscreolesand pidgins
Introduction
Besides the 11 official languages, scores of others – African, European, Asian – are spoken in South Africa, as the country lies at the crossroads of southern Africa.
Languages spoken here, and mentioned in the Constitution, are the Khoi, Nama and San languages, sign language, Arabic, German, Greek, Gujarati, Hebrew, Hindi, Portuguese, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telegu and Urdu. There are also a few indigenous creoles and pidgins.
English is generally understood across the country, being the language of business, politics and the media, and is regarded as the country's lingua franca. But it only ranks a joint fifth (with Setswana) as a home language.
South Africa's linguistic diversity means all 11 languages have had a profound effect on each other. South African English, for example, is littered with words and phrases from Afrikaans, isiZulu, Nama, and other African languages.
And African-language speakers often pepper their speech with English and Afrikaans, as this isiZulu example recorded in Soweto by MJH Mfusi shows (English is in italics, and Afrikaans in bold):
"I-Chiefs isidlenge-referee'soptional time, otherwisengabeihambesleg.Maarwhybengastopithis systemye-injury time?"

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