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{{breadcrumb | link1=[[Lesotho Genealogy|Lesotho]] | link2= | link3= | link4= | link5=[[Lesotho Languages|Languages]] }} ==Description== The official languages of the Kingdom of Lesotho are '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sotho_language Sesotho]''' and '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language English]'''. <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Lesotho," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', The official languages are Sesotho and English., accessed 23 Feb 2022.</ref><br> Sotho or Sesotho is spoken primarily by the Basotho in Lesotho, where it is the national and official language. <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Sotho language," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', spoken primarily by the Basotho in Lesotho, accessed 23 Feb 2022.</ref><br> Lesotho, a country in Southern Africa, is home to several languages, including * '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phuthi_language Phuthi]''' * '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sotho_language Sesotho]''' - Official language - Sesotho is the first language of more than 90 percent of the population and is "used widely as a medium of communication" in day-to-day speech. <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Lesotho," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Lesotho#:~:text=Sesotho%20is%20the%20first%20language%20of%20more,a%20medium%20of%20communication%22%20in%20day-to-day%20speech, accessed 23 Feb 2022.</ref> * '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xhosa_language Xhosa]''' * '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zulu_language Zulu]''' * '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language English]''' - Official language - English is reserved for official interactions, such as "government and administration". <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Lesotho," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Lesotho#:~:text=English%20is%20reserved%20for%20official%20interactions%2C%5B8%5D%20such%20as%20%22government%20and%20administration%22, accessed 23 Feb 2022.</ref> All, except for English, belong to the Niger–Congo language family. <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Lesotho," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Lesotho, accessed 23 Feb 2022.</ref> ==Word List(s)== * [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phuthi_language#:~:text=Phrases Phuthi Phrases] - Wikipedia * [https://omniglot.com/language/phrases/sesotho.php#:~:text=Useful%20Sesotho%20phrases Useful Sesotho phrases] - Omniglot * [https://omniglot.com/language/phrases/northernsotho.htm#:~:text=Useful%20phrases%20in%20Northern%20Sotho Useful phrases in Northern Sotho] - Omniglot * [https://omniglot.com/language/phrases/xhosa.php#:~:text=Useful%20Xhosa%20phrases Useful Xhosa phrases] - Omniglot * [https://omniglot.com/language/phrases/zulu.php#:~:text=Useful%20Zulu%20phrases Useful Zulu phrases] - Omniglot * Motinyane-Masoko, Mantoa and Aquilina Mawadza. ''Xhosa dictionary & phrasebook.'' New York: Hippocrene Books, Inc, 2017. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/991795167 WorldCat]. ==Alphabet and Pronunciation== '''Alphabet''' * [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phuthi_language#:~:text=Alphabet Phuthi Alphabet] - Wikipedia * [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sotho_phonology Sotho Vowels & Consonants] - Wikipedia * [https://omniglot.com/writing/nsotho.htm Sotho Alphabet] - Omniglot * [https://omniglot.com/writing/xhosa.htm#:~:text=Xhosa%20alphabet Xhosa alphabet] - Omniglot * [https://omniglot.com/writing/zulu.htm#:~:text=Zulu%20alphabet Zulu alphabet] - Omniglot '''Pronunciation''' * [https://omniglot.com/writing/sesotho.htm#:~:text=Sotho%20pronunciation Sotho pronunciation] - Omniglot * [https://omniglot.com/writing/xhosa.htm#:~:text=Xhosa%20pronunciation Xhosa pronunciation] - Omniglot * [https://omniglot.com/writing/zulu.htm#:~:text=pronunciation Zulu pronunciation] - Omniglot ==Language Aids and Dictionaries== '''Dictionaries''' * Kriel, Theunis Johannes. ''The new English-Sesotho dictionary.'' Johannesburg: A.P.B, 1958. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/560821105 WorldCat]. * Hamel, L. ''English-Southern Sesotho dictionary.'' Mazenod, Basutoland (Lesotho): Catholic Centre, 1965. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/2225214 WorldCat]. * Fischer, A. ''English-Xhosa dictionary.'' Cape Town: Oxford University Press, 2012. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/828856535 WorldCat]. * Dent, G. R and C. L. Sibusiso Nyembezi. ''Scholar's Zulu dictionary : English-Zulu, Zulu-English.'' Pietermaritzburg: Shuter and Shooter, 2009. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/1017359389 WorldCat]. '''Online Dictionaries''' * [https://glosbe.com/en/st Dictionary English - Southern Sotho] - Glosbe * [https://glosbe.com/en/xh Dictionary English - Xhosa] - Glosbe * [https://glosbe.com/en/zu Dictionary English - Zulu] - Glosbe '''Language Aids''' * [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phuthi_language#:~:text=Grammar Phuthi Grammar] - Wikipeadia * [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesotho_grammar Sesotho grammar] - Wikipedia * [http://learn101.org/xhosa_grammar.php Xhosa Grammar] - Learn101 * [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zulu_grammar Zulu grammar] - Wikipedia * [http://learn101.org/zulu_grammar.php Zulu Grammar] - Learn101 ==Additional Resources== * Doke, Clement M. ''The phonetics of the Zulu language.'' Muenchen: LINCOM Europa, 2012. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/819379452 WorldCat]. * Ambrose, David. ''Sesotho language.'' National University of Lesotho, Lesotho: House 9 Publications, 2006. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/162508628 WorldCat]. * Donnelly, Simon Scurr. ''Aspects of Tone and Voice in Phuthi.'' Urbana, Ill: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/931575253 WorldCat]. == References == {{reflist}} [[Category:Lesotho]] [[Category:Language and Handwriting]]