Herero (Otjiherero) is a Bantu language spoken by the Herero and Mbanderu peoples in Namibia and Botswana, as well as by small communities of people in southwestern Angola. There were 250,000 speakers in these countries between 2015 and 2018.[1]
The disparate distribution of the Herero language in Namibia, showing the concentration of Herero speakers on the Kalahari boundary in the east, as well as the outlying Herero-speaking Himba people of the Kaokoveld in the far north-west.
Its linguistic distribution covers a zone called Hereroland, which is constituted of the region of Omaheke along with the Otjozondjupa and Kunene Regions. The Himba people, who are related to the Herero and Mbanderu, speak a dialect very close to Otjiherero. Many Herero-speakers live in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.
Because of the translation of missionary Gottlieb Viehe (1839–1901) of the Bible into Herero, at the end of the 19th century, the spoken language was transcribed to an alphabet based on the Latin script. Father Peter Heinrich Brincker (1836–1904) translated several theological works and songs.
Otjiherero is taught in Namibian schools both as a native tongue and as a secondary language. It is included as a principal material at the University of Namibia. Otjiherero is also one of the six minority languages that are used by the Namibian State Radio (NBC). Gamsberg Macmillan, as of 2008[update], has published the only dictionary in Otjiherero.
Varietiesedit
The Hakaona variety is now considered a separate Bantu language, as sometimes is Zemba (Otjizemba).[5] Maho (200) also removes Kuvale to Bantu Zone R.10, while differentiating North-West Herero (Kaokoland Herero, including Zemba and presumably Himba and Hakaona), R.311, and Botswana Herero (including Mahalapye Herero), R.312, as distinct from but closely related to Herero proper. Within Herero proper, he recognizes two dialects: Central Herero and Mbandero (East Herero).
Northwest/Zemba is found on either side of the Namibian–Angolan border. Central Herero covers a large area in central Namibia, with East Herero and a few islands to the east but still in Namibia. Botswana Herero consists of a few scattered islands in Botswana, with about 15% of the population of Herero proper.[2]
Ethnologue separates Zimba as a distinct language but retains Himba, East Herero, and Botswana Herero within the Herero language. However, it no longer recognizes Kuvale as a dialect but as a separate language.[6]
Sourcesedit
Brincker, Peter Heinrich (1886, 1964). Wörterbuch und kurzgefasste Grammatik des Otji-Herero. Leipzig (reprint 1964 Ridgwood, NJ: The Gregg Press).
Hahn, C. Hugo (1857). Grundzüge einer Grammatik des Hereró. Berlin: Verlag von Wilhelm Hertz.
Lutz, Marten (2006). "Locative inversion in Otjiherero: more on morpho-syntactic variation in Bantu." In: Laura Downing, Lutz Marten & Sabine Zerbian (eds.), Papers in Bantu Grammar, ZAS Papers in Linguistics 43, 97—122.
Marten, Lutz & Nancy C. Kula (2007). "Morphosyntactic co-variation in Bantu: two case studies." SOAS Working Papers in Linguistics 15.227-238.
Möhlig, Wilhelm, Lutz Marten & Jekura U. Kavari (2002). A Grammatical Sketch of Herero (Otjiherero). Köln: Köppe (Grammatische Analysen afrikanischer Sprachen; v.19).
Herero language test of Wikipedia at Wikimedia Incubator
May 11, 2024
herero, language, also, otjiherero, grammar, herero, otjiherero, bantu, language, spoken, herero, mbanderu, peoples, namibia, botswana, well, small, communities, people, southwestern, angola, there, were, speakers, these, countries, between, 2015, 2018, herero. See also Otjiherero grammar Herero Otjiherero is a Bantu language spoken by the Herero and Mbanderu peoples in Namibia and Botswana as well as by small communities of people in southwestern Angola There were 250 000 speakers in these countries between 2015 and 2018 1 HereroOtjihereroNative toNamibia Botswana AngolaRegionKunene Omaheke Region and Otjozondjupa Region in Namibia Ghanzi in Botswana Namibe Huila and Cunene in AngolaEthnicityHerero Himba Mbanderu Tjimba Kwisi TwaNative speakers250 000 2015 2018 1 Language familyNiger Congo Atlantic CongoVolta CongoBenue CongoBantoidSouthern BantoidBantuKavango Southwest BantuSouthwest BantuHerero R 30 HereroDialectsHimba Kuvale Zemba Thimba Otjizemba Hakawona Otjihakawona Botswana HereroWriting systemLatin Herero alphabet Herero BrailleLanguage codesISO 639 1 span class plainlinks hz span HereroISO 639 2 span class plainlinks her span HereroISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code her class extiw title iso639 3 her her a HereroGlottologhere1253 HereroGuthrie codeR 30 R31 311 312 span class nowrap R 101 Kuvale span 2 ELPHereroThe disparate distribution of the Herero language in Namibia showing the concentration of Herero speakers on the Kalahari boundary in the east as well as the outlying Herero speaking Himba people of the Kaokoveld in the far north west This article contains IPA phonetic symbols Without proper rendering support you may see question marks boxes or other symbols instead of Unicode characters For an introductory guide on IPA symbols see Help IPA PersonOmu OmuHerero OmuHimba OmuMbanderuPeopleOva OvaHerero OvaHimba OvaMbanderuLanguageOtji OtjiHerero OtjiHimba OtjiMbanderu source source source source source source A Herero speaker recorded in Namibia Contents 1 Distribution 2 Phonology 2 1 Consonants 2 2 Vowels 3 Script 3 1 Orthography 4 Grammar 5 Education 6 Varieties 7 Sources 8 References 9 External linksDistribution editIts linguistic distribution covers a zone called Hereroland which is constituted of the region of Omaheke along with the Otjozondjupa and Kunene Regions The Himba people who are related to the Herero and Mbanderu speak a dialect very close to Otjiherero Many Herero speakers live in Windhoek the capital of Namibia Phonology editConsonants edit Labial Dental Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal Nasal m n n ɲ Plosive Affricate plain p t t tʃ k prenasal ᵐb ⁿd ⁿd ⁿdʒ ᵑɡ Fricative voiceless f 8 s h voiced v d Trill r Approximant w l j The sounds f s l are found in loanwords 3 Vowels edit Front Central Back Close i iː u uː Mid ɛ ɛː ɔ ɔː Open ɑ ɑːScript editBecause of the translation of missionary Gottlieb Viehe 1839 1901 of the Bible into Herero at the end of the 19th century the spoken language was transcribed to an alphabet based on the Latin script Father Peter Heinrich Brincker 1836 1904 translated several theological works and songs Orthography edit a ɑ b b d d ḓ d e ɛ f f g g h h i i j j k k l l m m mb ᵐb mw mʷ n n ndj ⁿdʒ ng ᵑɡ ngw ᵑɡʷ nj ɲ ṋ n o ɔ p p r r s s t t tj t ʃ ṱ t u u w v v w w y j z z 4 Long vowels are doubled f and l are only used in loanwords Grammar editMain article Otjiherero grammarEducation editOtjiherero is taught in Namibian schools both as a native tongue and as a secondary language It is included as a principal material at the University of Namibia Otjiherero is also one of the six minority languages that are used by the Namibian State Radio NBC Gamsberg Macmillan as of 2008 update has published the only dictionary in Otjiherero Varieties editThe Hakaona variety is now considered a separate Bantu language as sometimes is Zemba Otjizemba 5 Maho 200 also removes Kuvale to Bantu Zone R 10 while differentiating North West Herero Kaokoland Herero including Zemba and presumably Himba and Hakaona R 311 and Botswana Herero including Mahalapye Herero R 312 as distinct from but closely related to Herero proper Within Herero proper he recognizes two dialects Central Herero and Mbandero East Herero Northwest Zemba is found on either side of the Namibian Angolan border Central Herero covers a large area in central Namibia with East Herero and a few islands to the east but still in Namibia Botswana Herero consists of a few scattered islands in Botswana with about 15 of the population of Herero proper 2 Ethnologue separates Zimba as a distinct language but retains Himba East Herero and Botswana Herero within the Herero language However it no longer recognizes Kuvale as a dialect but as a separate language 6 Sources editBrincker Peter Heinrich 1886 1964 Worterbuch und kurzgefasste Grammatik des Otji Herero Leipzig reprint 1964 Ridgwood NJ The Gregg Press Hahn C Hugo 1857 Grundzuge einer Grammatik des Herero Berlin Verlag von Wilhelm Hertz Lutz Marten 2006 Locative inversion in Otjiherero more on morpho syntactic variation in Bantu In Laura Downing Lutz Marten amp Sabine Zerbian eds Papers in Bantu Grammar ZAS Papers in Linguistics 43 97 122 Marten Lutz amp Nancy C Kula 2007 Morphosyntactic co variation in Bantu two case studies SOAS Working Papers in Linguistics 15 227 238 Mohlig Wilhelm Lutz Marten amp Jekura U Kavari 2002 A Grammatical Sketch of Herero Otjiherero Koln Koppe Grammatische Analysen afrikanischer Sprachen v 19 References edit a b Herero at Ethnologue 25th ed 2022 nbsp a b Jouni Filip Maho 2009 New Updated Guthrie List Online Mohlig Marten Kavari Wilhelm J G Lutz Jekura 2002 A Grammatical Sketch of Herero Otjiherero Koln Germany Rudiger Koppe Verlag a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Herero alphabet pronunciation and language Omniglot Retrieved 31 August 2021 Bantu Classification Archived 2012 06 24 at the Wayback Machine Ehret 2009 Kuvale at Ethnologue 25th ed 2022 nbsp External links edit nbsp Herero language test of Wikipedia at Wikimedia Incubator Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Herero language amp oldid 1212319844, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
