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Xhosa language Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.
Xhosa | ||||
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isiXhosa | ||||
Native to | South Africa, Lesotho | |||
Region | Eastern Cape, Western Cape | |||
Ethnicity | amaXhosa, amaBhaca | |||
Native speakers | 7.6 million (2007) | |||
Language family |
Niger–Congo
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Official status | ||||
Official language in | ![]() |
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Guthrie code | S.41 | |||
Linguasphere | 99-AUT-fa incl. varieties 99-AUT-faa to 99-AUT-faj + 99-AUT-fb (isiHlubi) |
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![]() Proportion of the South African population that speaks Xhosa at home
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Xhosa is one of the official languages of South Africa. Xhosa is spoken by 7.6 million people, or about 18% of the South African population. Xhosa is written using a Latin alphabet. Henry Hare Dugmore helped translate the entire Bible in Xhosa language. Xhosa has ten vowels.
Xhosa is well known for its set of three major clicks.
Trilingual government building sign in Afrikaans, English and Xhosa
Henry Hare Dugmore, an Englishman who became fluent in Xhosa, jointly produced the first translation of the Bible into the language in 1859
Nelson Mandela was a famous Xhosa speaker.