Sotho, Southern

Print

Primary tabs

A language of Lesotho

ISO 639-3
sot
Alternate Names
Sesotho, Sisutho, Souto, Suthu, Suto
Population

1,770,000 in Lesotho (Johnstone and Mandryk 2001). Population total all countries: 5,634,000.

Language Maps
Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1993, Constitution, Article 3(1)).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Sotho-Tswana (S.33)
Dialects

None known. Northern Sotho [nso] and Tswana [tsn] are inherently intelligible but have generally been considered separate languages.

Language Development
Magazines. Newspapers. Radio programs. TV. Bible: 1878–1989.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Sotho, Southern
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Christian, traditional religion.

Also spoken in:

Expand All Collapse All