User:Jennifersanchez0410/Shua language

Jennifer Sanchez

1.    Name of Language

Shua language which is also known as Shwakhwe as natives refer to it as.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khoe_languages

2.    Name of its language family and a sub-branch. (e.g. for English "West Germanic, Indo-European")

This language belongs to the Khoisian Family, the Shua language falls under the branches Kalahari and another sub-branch East Kalahari.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khoe_languages


 * 1) Number of known dialects.  The known dialects for the Shua language are Shua-Khwe (Mashuakwe),     Nǀoo-Khwe (Nǀoo, Nǁookhwe), ǀOree-Khwe (ǀKoree-Khoe, ǀOree), ǁ’Aiye     (ǀAaye), ǀXaise (ǀAis, ǀHais, ǀHaise, ǀTaise), Tshidi-Khwe (Shete Tsere,     Sili, Tcaiti, Tsh’iti), Danisi (Danisa, Danisis, Demisa, Madenassa,     Madenasse, Madinnisane), Cara, Deti (Deti-Khwe, Kwaa-Khwe, Tete, Teti,     Tletle), Ganádi, Ts’ixa.

Source: https://www.ethnologue.com/language/shg

4.    Number of speakers. Clarify whether you are including second language speakers or not. ("L1" = first language speakers/native speakers. "L2" = second language speakers)

The most recent number I was able to find for the speakers is 6,000 speakers (Cook) and 2,000 of those 6,000 speakers are native speakers.

Source: https://www.ethnologue.com/language/shg

5.    Where the language is spoken

a) Include a map or drawing that makes clear at a glance the geographic area(s) that the language is primarily or historically spoken

b) Supplement the map with a brief prose description, especially if you cannot include all relevant areas in the image.

Source: Source: http://www.ikuska.com/Africa/Paises/botswana/idiomas.htm

The Shua language is primarily spoken in central Botswana, Central district: Boteti subdistrict, Letlhakane, Mmatshumu, Mokoboxane, Motopi, and Popipi; Tutume subdistrict, Gweta and Nata; North West district: small area southeast.

Source: https://www.ethnologue.com/language/shg

6.    Find a recording of the language and listen/watch to at least five minutes of the language. Paste the link to the recording. Describe your personal impressions of the language, its rhythm, intonation, sounds/signs, etc. Describe any click consonants that you notice.

source: https://globalrecordings.net/en/program/74634.

This recording of the Shua language was not easy to find. This recording is of the dialect Tshidi- Khwe closely related to the Shua language. My first impression of this language is the various click sounds heard through this bible lesson recording that contains pictures illustrating the story. There are a lot of glottal nasal sounds such as “ham”, there are “trumpet like” sounds in between the words. The rhythm is depicted very slow-paced and with a low tone.

7.    What variety of the language is spoken by the most speakers of this language?

I looked up the various dialects but there is not a lot information on how many speakers there are for each. Therefore, the one I was able to come across through the recording above was Tshidi-Khwe, so I would assume it is this dialect that consists of the most speakers.

8.    Is there another language(s) or variety/dialect that is commonly used by speakers of this language, for example a trade language (lingua franca) such as Modern Standard Arabic, Hausa, etc.? If so, what is that language or variety/dialect and why do people choose to use it? If not, based on your knowledge of the area's politics, history, and religion, explain why you think most speakers of this language are monolingual.

In Botswana, the speakers of Shua often speak various forms of this dialect cluster. However, the official languages of Botswana are English and Tswana as the lingua franca used for trade and for written communication. However, the use of the everyday national languages has caused the other smaller languages to become extinct.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Botswana

9.    Free-for-all: Choose one facet of the language's syntax, word-building strategy (morphology), or sound system (phonology), and describe that facet in one paragraph or more. Support your description with at least one example and one specific source (of course).g

The phonology of the Shua language consonants includes the manner of articulation for click sounds to be nasal voiceless and voiced all located in places of articulation: the dental, alveolar, lateral, post alveolar, and velar. There are also nasal consonants known as /m/n/ɲ/ŋ/. Furthermore, the use of plosives that are aspirated, voiceless, ejective, voiced, and prenasal. As well as, affricates that are voiceless, voiced, aspirated, and ejective. Lastly, the fricatives /s/x/h/ and an approximant /j/.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shua_language#:~:text=Shua%20%2F%CB%88%CA%83u%CB%90%C9%99,the%20salty%20area%20(shwa).

10. Tell one more fascinating thing about the language or its speakers and why you find it interesting.

One fascinating thing about this language is that it is considered an endangered language combined with the Tswha language. There are not a lot of facts about this language. I had a hard time finding interesting information.

source: https://www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/781/bibliography