Botswana Travel Guide
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Khoisan languages
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Botswana Travel Guide

Khoisan languages



!Xoo
Classification: Khoisan,southern Africa, Southern, Hua. There are between 3,000 and 4,000 speakers of this Khoisan language, and its related dialects, living in Botswana.

=/Hua
Classification: Khoisan,southern Africa, Southern, Hua. Around 1,000–1,500 speakers, living mainly in the Southern Kalahari Desert and the Kweneng District.

//Gana
Classification: Khoisan, southern Africa, Central Tshu-Khwe, Northwest. Around 1,000 speakers living around the Ghanzi District, in villages and farms, and in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Speakers are also found in the Central District (Boteti Sub-district) and the cattle-posts south and west of Rakops.

/Anda
Classification: Khoisan, southern Africa, Central Tshu-Khwe, Northwest. About 1,000 speakers live in the Northwest District, mostly around the Khwai River and Mababe Village areas.

Ksoe
Classification: Khoisan, southern Africa, Central Tshu-Khwe, Northwest. People speaking this language are also often known as the 'River Bushmen'. Speakers of this language number around 1,700–2,000, and live in and around the Northwest District, mainly in the villages: Gan, Cadikarauwe, Mohembo, Shakawe, Kaputura, /Ao-Kyao, Sikonkomboro, Ngarange, Sekanduko, Xongoa, Cauwe, Moxatce, Dungu, Seronga, Beyetca, Gudigoa, Sikokora, Geixa, /Qom-ca, Tobere, 0/Umbexa, Djaxo, Kangwara villages.

Deti
Classification: Khoisan, southern Africa, Central Tshu-Khwe, Central. Spoken in the Central District, Boteti Sub-district, and in the villages which are strung out along the Boteti River.

Nama
Classification: Khoisan, southern Africa, Central Tshu-Khwe, Central. In Botswana there are about 200–1,000 Nama speakers, mostly in the Kgalagadi Disrict, around Tsabong, Makopong, Omaweneno, Tshane villages, and in the Ghanzi District, in the villages along the Ghanzi-Mamuno road. It's also spoken by a much larger population in Namibia.

Ganadi
Classification: Khoisan, southern Africa, Central Tshu-Khwe, North Central. Spoken in the Northeastern area.

Shua
Classification: Khoisan, southern Africa, Central Tshu-Khwe, North Central. There are around 19,000 Shua speakers in Botswana, counted together with the Tshwa group. Located in Central District and Tutumi Sub-district.

//Gwi
There are around 800 speakers in villages in the Kweneng District and the Ghanzi District.

Naro
Classification: Khoisan, southern Africa, Central Tshu-Khwe, Southwest. Botswana has an estimated 8,000 speakers of Naro.

Ju/'Hoansi
Classification: Khoisan, southern Africa, Northern. This is one of the larger Khoisan languages, with 4,000–8,000 speakers in Botswana, and many more in Namibia – around the Tsumkwe area.

=/Kx'au//'ein
Classification: Khoisan, southern Africa, Northern. There are about 3,000 speakers in Botswana, mostly in the Ghanzi District, in the villages and working on commercial farms.


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