Eswatini Languages

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Eswatini Wiki Topics
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Eswatini Beginning Research
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Eswatini Background
Eswatini Genealogical Word Lists
Local Research Resources

Description

Eswatini is home to several languages. Native languages are Swazi, Zulu, Tsonga, Afrikaans, and English. Recent immigrant languages include Chichewa and Southern Sotho. [1]

  • Swazi - also known as Swati, SiSwati or Siswati. It has 2.5 million speakers and is taught in schools. It is an official language of Eswatini, along with English.
  • Zulu - also known as isiZulu. About 76,000 people in the country speak Zulu. [2]
  • Tsonga - also known as Xitsonga. Tsonga is spoken by about 19,000 people in Eswatini. [3]
  • Afrikaans - Afrikaans is spoken by 13,000 people in Eswatini. [4]
  • English - the medium of communication in schools and in conducting business including the press. [5]
  • Portuguese - has been introduced as a third language in the schools. [6]

Word List(s)

Alphabet and Pronunciation

Alphabet

Pronunciation

Language Aids and Dictionaries

Dictionaries

  • Whelton, M J. SiSwati-English dictionary. Swaziland, Centurion, South Africa: RedOystor Media (Pty) Ltd, 2016. Available at: WorldCat.
  • Rycroft, D K. Concise siSwati dictionary : siSwati-English/English-siSwati. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik, 1995. Available at: WorldCat.
  • Dent, G R and C L Sibusiso Nyembezi. Scholar's Zulu dictionary : English-Zulu, Zulu-English. Pietermaritzburg: Shuter and Shooter, 2009. Available at: WorldCat.
  • Perrin, James. Perrins' English-Zulu dictionary. Natal: P. Davis & Sons, 1917. Available at: WorldCat.
  • Cuenod, R. Tsonga-English dictionary. Braamfontein: Sasavona Publishers & Booksellers, 1991. Available at: WorldCat.
  • Chatelain, Ch W. Pocket dictionary : English-Tsonga, Tsonga-English. Johannesburg, S.A.: Swiss Mission in South Africa, 1960. Available at: WorldCat.
  • Coetzee, Abel. Dictionary Afrikaans-English, English-Afrikaans. Johannesburg u.a.: Collins, 1981. Available at: WorldCat.

Online Dictionaries

Language Aids

Additional Resources

References

  1. Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Eswatini," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Eswatini, accessed 7 Sep 2021.
  2. Wikipedia contributors, "Eswatini," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eswatini#Languages#:~:text=About%2076%2C000%C2%A0people%20in%20the%20country%20speak%20Zulu., accessed 7 Sep 2021.
  3. Wikipedia contributors, "Eswatini," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eswatini#Languages#:~:text=spoken%20by%20about%2019%2C000%C2%A0people%20in%20Eswatini, accessed 7 Sep 2021.
  4. Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Eswatini," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Eswatini#:~:text=Afrikaans%2C%20another%20official%20language%20of%20South%20Africa,Dutch%2C%20is%20spoken%20by%2013%2C000%C2%A0people%20in%20Eswatini., accessed 7 Sep 2021.
  5. Wikipedia contributors, "Eswatini," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eswatini#Languages#:~:text=English%20is%20the%20medium%20of%20communication%20in,and%20in%20conducting%20business%20including%20the%20press., accessed 7 Sep 2021.
  6. Wikipedia contributors, "Eswatini," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eswatini#Languages#:~:text=Portuguese%20has%20been%20introduced%20as%20a%20third%20language%20in%20the%20schools, accessed 7 Sep 2021.