The Khoisan Language Family

The Khoisan Language FamilyPresentation by Nicole Carpenter

What does Khoisan Sound like?

Where Khoisan is Currently Spoken?

• Namibia• Angola • South Africa• Botswana• Tanzania

Khoisan

Hatsa

Hadza

Sandawe

Sandawe

Southern Africa

Central: Hainum, Kwadi, Nama (Korana, Nama, Xiri) Tshu-khwe

(Shua, Kua, Tsoa, Khwe, Ani, Gana, Naro, Gwi)

Northern: !O!ung, Ju|’hoan, Kung-Ekoka, Maligo, Mangetti Dune !

Xung, Vasekela Bushman, ‡Kx’au||’ein

Southern: !Kwi (N|u, Seroa, |Xam, Xegwi), Hua (!Xóõ,

‡Hua)

• 28 Khoisan languages Currently spoken

• 13 with over 1,000 speakers• 3 Language branches• Of Africa’s smallest Language

Families

Adopters of Clicks

• Neighboring Bantu languages• Zulu, Xhosa, Tsonga

Origins and Evolution of Khoisan• Khoisan appeared 60,000 years ago• Among most ancient languages• Important until modern decline• Many languages extinct or endangered

Decline of Speakers• Cape Bushman extinguished 1750-1900• Khoekhoe and Europeans enslaved speakers• European colonization 1700s-1900s • Nama enjoys official language title

Why Clicks?• Early stage of human language• Onomatopoetic imitations of natural sounds• Could also be sound symbolism

Types of Clicks• Bilabial: ʘ• Dental: |• Alveolar: !• Lateral: ǁ• Palatal: ǂ

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