As the sun rises on the horizon of the South African landscape, millions of people greet each other with “Dumelang”. This happens in the North-west Province, the Waterberg district in Limpopo, parts of Gauteng, and the Northern Cape. It also happens in Botswana and some parts of Namibia and Zimbabwe. The indigenous people refer to Setswana as “ngwao boswa” a beacon of heritage and future hope, the language which unites the tribes of Batswana. Let us learn some more about the language of Setswana:
Interesting facts about Setswana
The language has been spoken for generations by the Batswana or Tswana people. During the 16th century, missionaries helped develop the written form of Setswana, especially through the translation of the Bible and religious texts. This ensured that the language was preserved. One such missionary was Robert Moffat who also wrote a Setswana dictionary and grammar book. This helped to formalise the language and Setswana became one of the first African languages in South Africa to have a written form.
(Picture compiled by Maite Raphasha, 2024)
- After South Africa became a democratic country in 1994, Setswana was officially recognised as one of the 11 official languages. This was a big moment for the language, as it meant that Setswana speakers could use their language in government, schools, and media.
- In schools and universities, Setswana is taught as a subject, and there are radio stations, television programs, and newspapers promoting Setswana.
- The special features make Setswana unique among other languages in South Africa, for example:
a) Noun classes: One of the most interesting features of Setswana is its system of noun classes. Setswana has 18 noun classes each of which has its own prefix. Some of these classes have singular-marking prefixes while others have plural-marking prefixes. For example, class 1a is the singular form of class 2a. Class 1 & 2 is a class of all common nouns that identifies people, whereas 1a & 1b is for the “titles” and proper nouns.
Eg: (1&2… Mo-Ba) 1. Motswana (Tswana, person) 2. Batswana (Tswanas. persons)
(1a &2a…_ -Bo) 1. a. (Maite) 2a. (BoMaite) 1a. (rakgadi) 2a. (borakgadi)
b) Letters of the alphabet and the sounds: The current Setswana alphabet has got 25 letters (this excludes letters “V, X & Z” and includes “š”) The vowel system consists of 7 sounds, and this includes the circumflexed (ê and ô). Setswana only uses short vowels and does not have r-controlled, long vowel, diphthongs. The consonants can be combined to form aspirated, nasal and voiceless sounds (digraphs & trigraphs) or blends. Eg: (ph)-phakela: meaning (early in the morning) the (ph)- is pronounced like p- (pin, pay, Paul etc.) The Setswana letter/sound relationship is complex and rich but interesting.
c) Idioms and proverbs: Setswana is full of idioms and proverbs, which are used in everyday speech to give advice or teach lessons. These sayings are passed down from one generation to the next and reflect the wisdom of the Tswana culture. An example is the proverb, “Tau e iponela ka meso,” which means, “A lion hunts for itself in the early morning,” suggesting that hard work and initiative lead to success. Another popular idiom to highlight the importance of community “Motho ke motho ka batho”.
d) Oral tradition: Like many African languages, Setswana has a strong oral tradition. storytelling, songs, and poems are used to teach younger generations about their history, values, and culture. Even though the language is now written, oral storytelling remains an important part of Tswana life.
Taking Setswana into the future
Promoting and preserving Setswana is essential for maintaining the identity and cultural heritage of the Tswana people for future generations.
The future of Setswana looks hopeful, with many initiatives in place to keep the language alive for future generations. One such initiative was when SANTS decided to add it as a language choice to the curricula of the education qualifications.
Setswana is presented through 19 modules focused on both Setswana as Home and First Additional language. (1753) students across the programmes are registered for Setswana modules with the assistance of the lecturers namely Maite Raphasha, Tebogo Bopalamo and Mary Tshose who are passionate about their Setswana. Let us continue to grow our language in the classrooms of South Africa.
Authors
Maite Raphasha, Tebogo Bopalamo, Mary Tshose and Prof Ina Joubert