It is sometimes argued that the use of Nguni as a generic label suggests a historical monolithic unity of the people in question, where in fact the situation may have been more complex.[1] The linguistic use of the label (referring to a subgrouping of Bantu) is relatively stable.
From an English editorial perspective, the articles "a" and "an" are both used with "Nguni", but "a Nguni" is more frequent and arguably more correct if "Nguni" is pronounced as it is suggested[by whom?][specify].
Proportion of the population that speaks a Nguni language at home in South Africa, not showing the areas in Lesotho, Eswatini and southern Mozambique here.
0–20%
20–40%
40–60%
60–80%
80–100%
Density of home-language speakers of Nguni languages in South Africa, not showing the areas in Lesotho, Eswatini and southern Mozambique here.
<1 /km²
1–3 /km²
3–10 /km²
10–30 /km²
30–100 /km²
100–300 /km²
300–1000 /km²
1000–3000 /km²
>3000 /km²
Within a subset of Southern Bantu, the label "Nguni" is used both genetically (in the linguistic sense) and typologically (quite apart from any historical significance).
The Nguni languages are closely related, and in many instances different languages are mutually intelligible; in this way, Nguni languages might better be construed as a dialect continuum than as a cluster of separate languages. On more than one occasion, proposals have been put forward to create a unified Nguni language.[2][3]
In scholarly literature on southern African languages, the linguistic classificatory category "Nguni" is traditionally considered to subsume two subgroups: "Zunda Nguni" and "Tekela Nguni".[4][5] This division is based principally on the salient phonological distinction between corresponding coronal consonants: Zunda /z/ and Tekela /t/ (thus the native form of the name Swati and the better-known Zulu form Swazi), but there is a host of additional linguistic variables that enables a relatively straightforward division into these two substreams of Nguni.
The following aspects of Nguni languages are typical:
A 5-vowel system, by merging the near-close and close series of Proto-Bantu. (Phuthi has re-acquired a new series of superclose vowels from Sotho)
Spreading of high tones to the antepenultimate syllable.
A distinction between high and low tones on noun prefixes, indicating different grammatical roles, accompanied in some cases by an overt pre-prefix called the augment.
Note: Xhosa ⟨tsh⟩ = Phuthi ⟨tjh⟩ = IPA [tʃʰ]; Phuthi ⟨tsh⟩ = [tsʰ]; Zulu ⟨sh⟩ = IPA [ʃ], but in the environment cited here /ʃ/ is "nasally permuted" to [tʃ]. Phuthi ⟨jh⟩ = breathy voiced [dʒʱ] = Xhosa, Zulu ⟨j⟩ (in the environment here following the nasal [n]). Zulu, Swazi, Hlubi ⟨ng⟩ = [ŋ].
Ngoni is the ethnonym and language name of a group living in Malawi, who are a geographically distant descendant of South African Nguni. Ngoni separated from all other Nguni languages subsequent to the massive political and social upheaval within southern Africa, the mfecane, lasting until the 1830s.
IsiNgqumo is an argot spoken by the homosexuals of South Africa who speak Bantu languages; as opposed to Gayle, the argot spoken by South African homosexuals who speak Germanic languages. IsiNgqumo is based on an Nguni lexicon.
Ownby, Caroline P. (1985). Early Nguni History: The Linguistic Evidence and Its Correlation with Archeology and Oral Tradition (Doctoral dissertation). University of California, Los Angeles.
Wright, J. (1987). "Politics, ideology, and the invention of the 'nguni'". In Tom Lodge (ed.). Resistance and ideology in settler societies. pp. 96–118.
Further readingEdit
Shaw, E. M. and Davison, P. (1973) The Southern Nguni (series: Man in Southern Africa) South African Museum, Cape Town
Ndlovu, Sambulo. 'Comparative Reconstruction of Proto-Nguni Phonology'
August 30, 2023
nguni, languages, group, closely, related, bantu, languages, spoken, southern, africa, mainly, south, africa, zimbabwe, kingdom, eswatini, nguni, people, include, xhosa, hlubi, zulu, ndebele, swati, appellation, nguni, derives, from, nguni, cattle, type, ngoni. The Nguni languages are a group of closely related Bantu languages spoken in southern Africa mainly South Africa Zimbabwe and Kingdom of eSwatini by the Nguni people Nguni languages include Xhosa Hlubi Zulu Ndebele and Swati The appellation Nguni derives from the Nguni cattle type Ngoni see below is an older or a shifted variant NguniEthnicityNguni peopleGeographicdistributionSouthern AfricaLinguistic classificationNiger Congo Atlantic CongoVolta CongoBenue CongoBantoidSouthern BantoidBantuSouthern BantuNguniProto languageProto NguniSubdivisionsZunda languages Tekela languagesGlottologngun1267It is sometimes argued that the use of Nguni as a generic label suggests a historical monolithic unity of the people in question where in fact the situation may have been more complex 1 The linguistic use of the label referring to a subgrouping of Bantu is relatively stable From an English editorial perspective the articles a and an are both used with Nguni but a Nguni is more frequent and arguably more correct if Nguni is pronounced as it is suggested by whom specify Contents 1 Classification 1 1 Tekela languages 1 2 Zunda languages 2 Characteristics 3 Comparative data 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Bibliography 6 Further readingClassification Edit Proportion of the population that speaks a Nguni language at home in South Africa not showing the areas in Lesotho Eswatini and southern Mozambique here 0 20 20 40 40 60 60 80 80 100 Density of home language speakers of Nguni languages in South Africa not showing the areas in Lesotho Eswatini and southern Mozambique here lt 1 km 1 3 km 3 10 km 10 30 km 30 100 km 100 300 km 300 1000 km 1000 3000 km gt 3000 km Within a subset of Southern Bantu the label Nguni is used both genetically in the linguistic sense and typologically quite apart from any historical significance The Nguni languages are closely related and in many instances different languages are mutually intelligible in this way Nguni languages might better be construed as a dialect continuum than as a cluster of separate languages On more than one occasion proposals have been put forward to create a unified Nguni language 2 3 In scholarly literature on southern African languages the linguistic classificatory category Nguni is traditionally considered to subsume two subgroups Zunda Nguni and Tekela Nguni 4 5 This division is based principally on the salient phonological distinction between corresponding coronal consonants Zunda z and Tekela t thus the native form of the name Swati and the better known Zulu form Swazi but there is a host of additional linguistic variables that enables a relatively straightforward division into these two substreams of Nguni Tekela languages Edit Bhaca 6 Hlubi 7 Lala Nhlangwini Northern Transvaal Ndebele Sumayela Ndebele Phuthi 8 SwaziZunda languages Edit Matabele Northern Ndebele or Zimbabwean Ndebele Southern Ndebele Xhosa ZuluNote Maho 2009 also lists S401 Old Mfengu Characteristics EditThe following aspects of Nguni languages are typical A 5 vowel system by merging the near close and close series of Proto Bantu Phuthi has re acquired a new series of superclose vowels from Sotho Spreading of high tones to the antepenultimate syllable A distinction between high and low tones on noun prefixes indicating different grammatical roles accompanied in some cases by an overt pre prefix called the augment Development of breathy voiced consonants acting as depressor consonants Development of aspirated consonants Development of click consonants Comparative data EditCompare the following sentences Language I like your new sticks Zulu Ngi ya zi thanda izi nduku z akho ezin tshaXhosa Ndi ya zi thanda ii ntonga z akho ezin tshaNorthern Ndebele Ngi ya zi thanda i ntonga z akho ezin tshaSouthern Ndebele Ngi ya zi thanda iin ntonga z akho ezi tjhaBhaca Ndi ya ti thsandza ii ntfonga t akho etin tshaHlubi Ng ya zi thanda iin duku z akho ezintshaSwazi Ngi ya ti tsandza ti ntfonga t akho letin shaMpapa Phuthi Gi ya ti tshadza ti tfoga t akho leti tjhaSigxodo Phuthi Gi ya ti tshadza ti tshoga t akho leti tjhaNote Xhosa tsh Phuthi tjh IPA tʃʰ Phuthi tsh tsʰ Zulu sh IPA ʃ but in the environment cited here ʃ is nasally permuted to tʃ Phuthi jh breathy voiced dʒʱ Xhosa Zulu j in the environment here following the nasal n Zulu Swazi Hlubi ng ŋ Language I understand only a little English Zulu Ngisi zwa ka ncane isi NgisiXhosa Ndisi qonda ka ncinci nje isi NgesiNorthern Ndebele Ngisi zwisisa ka ncane isiKhiwa 9 Southern Ndebele Ngisi zwisisa ka ncani nje isi NgisiHlubi Ng si visisisa ka ncani nje isi NgisiSwazi Ngisiva ka ncane nje si NgisiMpapa Phuthi Gisi visisa ka nci te jhe Si kguwaSigxodo Phuthi Gisi visisa ka ncinci te jhe Si kguwaNote Phuthi kg IPA x See also EditNgoni is the ethnonym and language name of a group living in Malawi who are a geographically distant descendant of South African Nguni Ngoni separated from all other Nguni languages subsequent to the massive political and social upheaval within southern Africa the mfecane lasting until the 1830s IsiNgqumo is an argot spoken by the homosexuals of South Africa who speak Bantu languages as opposed to Gayle the argot spoken by South African homosexuals who speak Germanic languages IsiNgqumo is based on an Nguni lexicon References Edit Wright 1987 Eric P Louw 1992 Language and National Unity in a Post Apartheid South Africa Critical Arts Neville Alexander 1989 Language Policy and National Unity in South Africa Azania Doke 1954 Ownby 1985 Jordan 1942 Isizwe SamaHlubi Submission to the Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims Draft 1 PDF July 2004 Retrieved 28 July 2011 Donnelly 2009 p 1 61 www northerndebele blogspot com permanent dead link Bibliography Edit Doke Clement Martyn 1954 The Southern Bantu Languages Handbook of African Languages Oxford Oxford University Press Donnelly Simon 2009 Aspects of Tone and Voice in Phuthi Doctoral dissertation University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Jordan Archibald C 1942 Some features of the phonetic and grammatical structure of Baca Masters dissertation University of Cape Town Ownby Caroline P 1985 Early Nguni History The Linguistic Evidence and Its Correlation with Archeology and Oral Tradition Doctoral dissertation University of California Los Angeles Wright J 1987 Politics ideology and the invention of the nguni In Tom Lodge ed Resistance and ideology in settler societies pp 96 118 Further reading EditShaw E M and Davison P 1973 The Southern Nguni series Man in Southern Africa South African Museum Cape Town Ndlovu Sambulo Comparative Reconstruction of Proto Nguni Phonology Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nguni languages amp oldid 1171599582, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
