Ndebele language

There are at least two languages commonly called Ndebele:

• The Northern Ndebele language, a Nguni language spoken in Zimbabwe

• The Southern Ndebele language, classified as Nguni language or Sotho–Tswana language, spoken in South Africa, heavily influenced by surrounding Sotho–Tswana languages and therefore mostly classified as one of them.

Ndebele is related to the Nguni language of Zulu spoken in South Africa. When Mzilikazi and his people separated from the Zulu, they took the Zulu language with them. Part of them remained in the region of modern Pretoria. They are now the South Ndebele. Their language combines Zulu and Sotho–Tswana elements taken over from the neighbouring peoples. The major part of the Ndebele went northward into present-day Zimbabwe. Therefore their language is Nguni without Sotho–Tswana elements.

Northern Ndebele is also spoken in the Limpopo province. It is not an official language, but recognised by PANSLAB as there are a significant number of people speaking it as a first language. Areas where the language is spoken as a first language includes Mokopane, which was previously known as Potgietersrus and Polokwane which was known as Pietersburg. Furthermore, Northern Ndebele is spoken in Gauteng in areas such as Hammanskraal and Soshanguvhe in Pretoria.

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