ǀXam language

ǀXam language

unicode|ǀXam, or ǀXam Kakǃʼe, is an extinct Khoisan language of South Africa, part of the ǃKwi language group. It was closely related to the Nǀu language, which still has a few speakers.

The bar symbol in the name "ǀXam" represents a dental click like the English interjection "tsk, tsk!" used to express pity or shame. The "x" represents the "ch" sound of Scottish "loch", German "Bach", or Hebrew "Chanukkah".

ǀXam words were used for the South African motto adopted on 27 April, 2000,:"ǃke e: ǀxarra ǁke",which is supposed to mean "diverse people unite" or, on a collective scale, "Unity in Diversity". However, it's not known if that phrase would have been idiomatic in ǀXam. ǀXam is not one of the eleven official languages of South Africa.

Much of the scholarly work on the ǀXam language was performed by Dr. W. H. I. Bleek, a German linguist of the 19th century.

External links

* [http://ling.cornell.edu/khoisan/xam.htm A description of ǀXam at Cornell University]
* [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=xam The Ethnologue Report for ǀXam]
* [http://www.info.gov.za/aboutgovt/symbols/coa/index.htm South African coat of arms]
* [http://www.info.gov.za/aboutgovt/symbols/coa/lintonpanel.htm The ǀXam people and their language]
* [http://www.lloydbleekcollection.uct.ac.za Bleek and Lloyd Archive of ǀXam and ǃKun texts online]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • ǀXam and ǂKhomani heartland — The ǀXam [1][2][3][4][5][6] and ǂKhomani heartland tentative World Heritage Site, consists of regions located to the south and north of Upington, respectively, in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The …   Wikipedia

  • xam — ISO 639 3 Code of Language ISO 639 2/B Code : ISO 639 2/T Code : ISO 639 1 Code : Scope : Individual Language Type : Extinct Language Name : /Xam …   Names of Languages ISO 639-3

  • Xam Nua — Original name in latin Xam Nua Name in other language Muang Sam, Sammeua, Samnua, Xam Nua State code LA Continent/City Asia/Vientiane longitude 20.41592 latitude 104.04838 altitude 956 Population 38992 Date 2012 11 08 …   Cities with a population over 1000 database

  • /Xam — ISO 639 3 Code : xam ISO 639 2/B Code : ISO 639 2/T Code : ISO 639 1 Code : Scope : Individual Language Type : Extinct …   Names of Languages ISO 639-3

  • XAM — An extinct language of South Africa (Regional » Language Codes (3 Letters)) …   Abbreviations dictionary

  • ǀXam — noun An extinct Khoisan language once spoken in South Africa …   Wiktionary

  • Seroa language — Seroa is a dialect of the extinct !Xam language of the ǃKwi family, spoken in South Africa and Lesotho. The name Seroa is an exonym from Sesotho meaning language of the San derived from the general Sesotho name Baroa (or Barwa in South African… …   Wikipedia

  • Tonkawa language — language name=Tonkawa familycolor=Isolate states=United States region=Western Oklahoma, South central Texas and into New Mexico extinct=20th century iso2=nai|iso3=tqw|SIL=TON The Tonkawa language was spoken in Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico by… …   Wikipedia

  • Aja language (Niger-Congo) — language name=Aja/Adja nativename= states=Ghana, Togo and Benin region= speakers= 150 to 200 familycolor=Niger Congo fam2=Atlantic Congo fam3=Volta Niger fam4=Gbe iso1= iso2= iso3=The Aja langauage is a Niger Congo language spoken by the Aja… …   Wikipedia

  • Khoekhoe language — Not to be confused with Nama language (Papuan). Khoekhoe Khoekhoegowab Spoken in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa Region Orange River, Great Namaland …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”