Gǀui dialectGǀui or Gǀwi (pronounced in English, and also spelled ǀGwi, ǀ᪶Ui, Dcui, Gcwi, or Cgui) is a Khoe dialect of Botswana with 2,500 speakers (2004 Cook). It is part of the Gǁana dialect cluster, and is closely related to Naro. It has a number of loan words from ǂʼAmkoe. Gǀui, ǂʼAmkoe, and Taa form the core of the Kalahari Basinsprachbund, and share a number of characteristic features, including extremely large consonant inventories.
Taa languageTaa ( ), also known as ǃXóõ ( ; ǃXóõ pronunciation:, of which this latter name may also be spelled ǃKhong or ǃXoon), and formerly called by the dialect name ǂHoan (also known as Western ǂHoan, to distinguish from Eastern ǂHoan), is a Tuu language notable for its large number of phonemes, perhaps the largest in the world.
Kxʼa languagesThe Kxʼa ( ) languages, also called Ju–ǂHoan ( ), is a language family established in 2010 linking the ǂʼAmkoe (ǂHoan) language with the ǃKung (Juu) dialect cluster, a relationship that had been suspected for a decade. Along with the Tuu languages and Khoe languages, they are one of three language families indigenous to southern Africa, which are typologically similar due to areal effects.
First languageA first language (L1), native language, native tongue, or mother tongue is the first language a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the term native language or mother tongue refers to the language of one's ethnic group rather than the individual's actual first language. Generally, to state a language as a mother tongue, one must have full native fluency in that language.Breathy voiceBreathy voice (also called murmured voice, whispery voice, soughing and susurration) is a phonation in which the vocal folds vibrate, as they do in normal (modal) voicing, but are adjusted to let more air escape, which produces a sighing-like sound. A simple breathy phonation [ɦ] can sometimes be heard as an allophone of English /h/ between vowels, such as in the word behind, for some speakers.
ǃKung languagesǃKung (ǃXun), also known as Ju ( ), is a dialect continuum (language complex) spoken in Namibia, Botswana, and Angola by the ǃKung people, constituting two or three languages. Together with the ǂʼAmkoe language, ǃKung forms the Kxʼa language family. ǃKung is famous for its many clicks, such as the alveolar click ǃ in its name, and has some of the most complex inventories of both consonants and vowels in the world. It also has tone and nasalization.
SprachbundA sprachbund ( , from German: Sprachbund, lit. 'language union'; pl. sprachbünde or sprachbunds), also known as a linguistic area, area of linguistic convergence, or diffusion area, is a group of languages that share areal features resulting from geographical proximity and language contact. The languages may be genetically unrelated, or only distantly related, but the sprachbund characteristics might give a false appearance of relatedness.
Endangered languageAn endangered language or moribund language is a language that is at risk of disappearing as its speakers die out or shift to speaking other languages. Language loss occurs when the language has no more native speakers and becomes a "dead" or "extinct language". A dead language may still be studied through recordings or writings, but it is still considered dead or extinct once there are no more fluent speakers left.Depressor consonantA depressor consonant is a consonant that depresses (lowers) the tone of its or a neighboring syllable. This is a consequence of the phonation (type of voicing) of the consonant. The Nguni languages of South Africa are well known for the lowering effects of certain breathy consonants on tone, as are the Wu dialects of Chinese. Specific examples of languages with depressor consonants are Zulu and Shanghainese.
BotswanaBotswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70% of its territory being a part of the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north, Zambia to the north, and Zimbabwe to the northeast. Its total area is 581,730 square kilometres (224,610 sq mi).*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.