16th edition

US$ 100.00

Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Africa > Botswana > Tswana

Tswana

A language of Botswana

ISO 639-3: tsn

Population	1,070,000 in Botswana (Johnstone 1993). Population total all countries: 4,521,700.
Region	Widespread as lingua franca; Southeast and Kgatleng districts; east Southern and Kweneng districts, Central District, Serowe-Palapye and Mahalapye subdistricts; Northwest District Maun village area. Also in Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe.
Language map	Botswana
Alternate names	Beetjuans, Chuana, Coana, Cuana, Sechuana, Setswana
Dialects	Tlahaping (Tlapi), Rolong, Kwena, Kgatla, Ngwatu (Ngwato), Tawana, Lete, Ngwaketse, Tlokwa, Sehurutshe. Southern Sotho [sot], Northern Sotho [nso], and Tswana largely inherently intelligible but have generally been considered separate languages. Standard Tswana is based on the Sehurutshe dialect and is nearly identical to it.
Classification	Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Sotho-Tswana (S.30), Tswana
Language use	National language. Vigorous. 150,000 L2 speakers. Used among the educated. More for spoken purposes than written. Official language of instruction grades 1 to 4 in all government primary schools. All ages.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 80%–90%. Taught in primary schools. Magazines. Newspapers. Radio programs. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1857–1993.
Writing system	Latin script.
Comments	90%–95% of children complete standard 7 in primary school. Agriculturalists; pastoralists: cattle. Christian, traditional religion.

Also spoken in:

Namibia

Language name	Tswana
Population	12,300 in Namibia (2006).
Region	East central; east Caprivi.
Language map	Namibia, reference number 18
Dialects	Tlharo, Tlhaping, Tawana.
Language use	National language. Used in education, administration.
Comments	Animal husbandry: cattle, agriculturalists.

South Africa

Language name	Tswana
Population	3,410,000 in South Africa (2006), increasing.
Language map	Lesotho, South Africa and Swaziland, reference number 11
Alternate names	Beetjuans, Chuana, Coana, Cuana, Sechuana, Tsiwaha
Dialects	Tawana, Hurutshe, Ngwaketse, Thlaro, Kwena, Ngwato, Tlokwa, Melete, Kgatla, Thlaping (Tlapi), Rolong.
Language use	Official language.
Language development	Taught in primary and secondary schools.
Comments	Christian, traditional religion.

Zimbabwe

Language name	Tswana
Population	29,400 in Zimbabwe (1969 census).
Language map	Zimbabwe
Alternate names	Beetjuans, Chuana, Chwana, Coana, Cuana, Sechuana, Tshwana
Dialects	Ngwatu (Mangwato), Tlhaping.
Comments	Spoken by the Bakaka.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

HASSELBRING, Sue, author. 2000. A sociolinguistic survey of the languages of Botswana.

HASSELBRING, Sue, author. 2003. Flexibility in literacy programs - keeping the learner in mind.  

HASSELBRING, Sue, author. 2004. "Flexibility in adult literacy programmes: lessons learnt from Botswana."