Khoekhoe
Also Known As:
Khoekhoegowap, Khoekhoegowab, Khoe, Bergdama, Nama, Dama, Naman, Namakwa, Namaqua, Maqua, Tama, Tamma, Tamakwa, Berdama, Bergdamara, Damara, Damaqua, Khoi, Khiri, Grikwa, Griqua, Xrikwa, Xirikwa, Gry, Gri, "Kakuya Bushman Nasie", "Rooi Nasie", "Cape Hottentot", "Hottentot"
Dialects & Varieties
  • ǂAkhoe
  • Hai||om
  • Gaub Damara
  • Sesfontein
  • Namidama
  • Central Nama
  • Gobabis
  • Bondelswarts
Khoekhoe
Khoekhoe
Khoekhoe
Khoekhoe

Language Information by Source

Language vitality among the Nama of Tshabong

Batibo, Herman M. and Joseph Tsonope. 2000. "Language Vitality Among the Nama of Tshabong." In The state of Khoesan languages in Botswana, edited by Herman M. Batibo and Joseph Tsonope. 47-56. Tasalls Publ. & Books; Basarwa Languages Project, Univ. of Botswana & Univ. of Tromsø.

Vulnerable
100 percent certain, based on the evidence available
175,000
Native Speakers Worldwide
Speaker Number Trends

Speaker Number Trend 1

Most members of the community or ethnic group speak the language. Speaker numbers may be decreasing, but very slowly.

1
Domains of Use

Domain Of Use 1

Used in most domains except for official ones such as government, mass media, education etc.

1
Transmission

Transmission 1

Most adults in the community, and some children, are speakers.

1

Speakers

Native or fluent speakers:
No results found.
Second-language speakers and learners
Yes
Semi-speakers or rememberers
No results found.
Children:
No results found.
Young adults
No results found.
Older adults
No results found.
Elders
No results found.
Ethnic or community population
No results found.
Year information was gathered
No results found.
Comments on speakers
"In Namibia, where it is also known as known as Khoekhoegowab, it is recognized as one of the national languages... most minority languages in Botswana are fast shifting to Setswana as the speakers of urban Tshabong as the speakers want to be part of the mainstream national development and to identify themselves with modern life, wider communication, flow of information, education and job opportunities which are not available through minority languages... The Khosean language speakers are even more prone to shifting to Setswana, as their languages have traditionally been associated with low esteem, serfdom stigma and low socio-economic status... Setswana is also used extensively, especially in inter-ethnic communication in the Tshabong Village. There's also considerable code-switching and code-mixing between Nama and Setswana. Other languages are also used, but to a lesser extent... Setswana was, by far, the second best known language, learnt either through peer groups or at school... Nama... the language in which the respondents had most confidence, followed by Setswana. The other languages could only be used by some of the respondents in certain situations... Most Nama people in Tshabong were very positive towards their language and its transmission to the younger generation. Nearly half of them wanted their children to learn Nama exclusively. However, several wanted also Setswana, and some even English... Several respondents reported that they would prefer that their children learn and speak Nama at home and that they could learn other languages at school. In fact, some of them would have preferred to send their children to Nama medium schools if they were established... The majority of the respondents did not wish that all people in Tshabong village speak Setswana, the national language exclusively, for the reason that people should be free to speak their own languages... Nama... by far, the most dominant language of the Nama people in Tshabong. Setswana was used only in the wider circles as well as in areas where written mode was needed, such as in schools and public places. In terms of attitudes, the Nama people were very positive about their language. They were considerably conservative in its use and were keen to to transmit it to the younger generation... although the majority of the Nama wanted to integrate into the mainstream of Batswana, they wished to preserve their ethnic identity as Nama... there is a reasonably stable diglossic use of the minority an majority languages, in that the minority language (Nama) is used in intra-ethnic communication, while the majority language (Setswana) is used in inter-ethnic interaction... in recent years, the pressures of the majority language has began to infringe upon the intra-ethnic domains... there is substantial emotional attachment to Nama by its speakers, particularly among the older generation... Many people resent the current trend towards code-switching, code-mixing and massive borrowing from Setswana... The people are proud of their speech and have great esteem of its form, including the several clicks and other peculiarities... The speakers have great attachment to the language and would like to see it transmitted to the younger generation."

Location and Context

Countries
Namibia, Botswana
Location Description

"It is spoken mainly in Namibia where it commands 175,000 speakers, hence making it demographically the most important Khoesan language... Nama is also spoken in Botswana. The speakers of Nama in Botswana are said to have settled in what is now south-western Botswana... after being forced to migrate from Namibia during the Namibian War... The Nama who came to Tshabong village were settled mainly in Matlhatlaganyane Ward, in the northern part of the village. The Ward is now popularly known as the Nama Ward."

Government Support
Yes
Institutional Support
No results found.
Speakers' Attitude
Mixed
Other Languages Used By The Community
Setswana, English, Sekgalagadi, Afrikaans
Number of Other Language Speakers:
85.8%% (Setswana)
Domains of Other Languages:
Setswana (School)

Writing Systems

Standard orthography:
No results found.
Writing system:
Yes
Other writing systems used:
No results text.
Comments on writing systems:
"...a standard orthography and substantial documentation. It is also used in education, mass media and literacy activities... More than 20%% of the informants confirmed they could read in Nama. Most of the materials they had in their possession were church documents prepared by the Church Missionary Society and the Lutheran Church. Both churches preferred literacy in indigenous languages. The most common of these documents were the Bible, prayer books, hymn books and some educational texts... However only 7.7%% of the respondents could write. This lower percentage was presumably a result of lack of opportunities for those who could read or write in Nama, given that the most written correspondences were in Setswana or English... the Matlhatlaganyane Nama have a tradition of a written mode. Several adults and old people can read and, to a lesser extent, write in Nama. This tradition has given a symbolic status and a great esteem to Nama language by its speakers... Unfortunately, it has not been possible to reinforce the tradition through formal education and literacy activities."

Recent Resources

Community Members