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

Kgalagadi

A language of Botswana

ISO 639-3: xkv

Population  40,000 in Botswana (2004 R. Cook). Population total all countries: 40,100.
Region  South and central, along South Africa border, north Kgalagadi District, west Kweneng and Southern districts; Ghanzi District, Ghanzi, Kanagas, Tsotsha, Kuke, Karakobis, Ncojane, Kule, Charles Hill, New Xade, Dekar, and Grootlaagte; Northwest District, Sehitwa and Maun. Also in Namibia.
Language map  Botswana
Alternate names   Kgalagarhi, Kgalagari, Khalagari, Khalakadi, Kxhalaxadi, Qhalaxarzi, Shekgalagadi, Shekgalagari
Dialects  Ngologa, Shaga, Kgalagadi (Kgalagari), Balaongwe (Boloongwe), Shelala, Pedi, Phaleng, Kenyi (Khena), Kgwatheng, Tjhauba, Khakhae, Koma, Rhiti, Siwane (Gyegwana). Ngologa is the largest dialect and may be a separate language. Different from Tswana [tsn].
Classification  Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Sotho-Tswana (S.30), Kgalagadi
Language use  Also use Tswana, English, or Afrikaans [afr].
Language development  Literacy rate in L2: Ages 15 to 29, 85% Tswana, 55% English; ages 30 to 54, 50% Tswana, 15% English; ages 55+, 20% Tswana, 2% English.
Comments  SVO; genitives, articles, adjectives, numerals, relatives after noun heads; question word final; word order distinguishes subject, object, indirect object; verb affixes mark person and number; passives formed by suffix -w; causatives formed by suffix -is; comparative locatives; CV; tonal. Pastoralists. Christian.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

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