Yeyi

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A language of Botswana

ISO 639-3
yey
Alternate Names
Ciyei, “Koba” (pej.), “Kuba” (pej.), “Sekoba” (pej.), Seyeyi, Shiyeyi, Yeei, Yei
Population

20,000 in Botswana (2001 LBT). Population total all countries: 55,000. Ethnic population: 47,000 in Botswana.

Location

North West District, Maun, Shorobe up to Mababe, Sankoyo, Daunara, Nokaneng, Gumare, Sepopo, Ikoga, Shakawe, and Seronga; Central District, Letihakane, Xumu, Rakops, Motopi. Also in Namibia.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, R, Yeye (R.41)
Dialects

Shirwanga. Not closely related to other languages. Lexical similarity: 47% with Luyana [lyn], 30% with Herero [her].

Typology

SVO; postpositions; articles, adjectives, numerals after noun heads; relatives before or after; question word initial; 4 prefixes, one suffix; word order distinguishes subjects, objects, indirect objects; noun affixes indicate case; verb affixes mark person, number, gender; CVC; nontonal

Language Use

43% who learned Yeyi from their parents said they speak Yeyi best, 57% said they speak Tswana [tsn] best. Few speak Yeyi as L2. 12% of respondents said they speak only Yeyi to their children, 9% speak Yeyi and Tswana to their children. In some villages, children speak Yeyi, including Seronga, Sepopa, Ikoga, Jau. In many villages used only by those over 40. All also use Tswana [tsn]; 73% said they use Tswana well. Youth who have attended secondary school also use English [eng].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: Age 15–29: 95% Tswana, 68% English; age 30–54: 33% Tswana, 20% English; age 55 and older: 33% Tswana, 6% English. High motivation for literacy. Dictionary.
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Christian.

Also spoken in:

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