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It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005).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.
| Population | 6,858,000 in South Africa (1995), 17.5% of the population (1995 The Economist). Population total all countries 6,876,000. |
| Region | Southwest Cape Province and Transkei. Also spoken in Botswana, Lesotho. |
| Alternate names | ISIXHOSA, XOSA, KOOSA, 'KAFFER', 'KAFFIR', 'CAFFRE', 'CAFRE', 'CAUZUH' |
| Dialects | GEALEKA, NDLAMBE, GAIKA (NCQIKA), THEMBU, BOMVANA, MPONDOMSE (MPONDOMISI), MPONDO, XESIBE. |
| Classification | Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Nguni (S.40). |
| Comments | 15% of the vocabulary is estimated to be of Khoekhoe (Khoisan) origin. Many understand Zulu, Swati, Southern Sotho. 'Cauzuh' is an obsolete name. Somewhat acculturated. National language. Clicks. Literacy rate in second language: Fair rate. Newspapers, radio programs. Bible 1859, in press (1997). |
