NDEBELE: a language of Zimbabwe

The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.

SIL code: NDF

ISO 639-1: nd

ISO 639-2: nde

Population	1,485,000 (1993 Johnstone). Population total both countries 1,502,000.
Region	Matabeleland, around Bulawayo. Also spoken in Botswana.
Alternate names	TABELE, TEBELE, ISINDE'BELE, SINDEBELE, NORTHERN NDEBELE
Classification	Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Nguni (S.40).
Comments	Close to Zulu. One of the main languages of Zimbabwe. Different from Ndebele of Transvaal, South Africa, which is related to Northern Sotho. Dictionary. Literacy rate in second language: 55%. Bible 1978.

Also spoken in:

Botswana

Language name	NDEBELE
Population	10,000 (1998 S. Hasselbring).
Alternate names	TABELE, TEBELE, ISINDE'BELE, SINDEBELE, NORTHERN NDEBELE
Comments	Close to Zulu. Different from Ndebele of Transvaal, South Africa, which is related to Northern Sotho. Dictionary. Bible 1978. See main entry under Zimbabwe.