| Also Known As: Pedi,Sepedi,Transvaal Sotho,Sotho, Northern
Description:
Northern Sotho (Sesotho sa Leboa is the autoglottonym or name of the language used by its native speakers as defined by the United Nations, Northern Sotho is the heteroglottonym) is one of the official languages of South Africa, and is spoken by nearly five million—4,208,980 people (2001 Census Data)—in the South African provinces of Gauteng, Limpopo Province and Mpumalanga.
Northern Sotho is a language of the Bantu family within the Niger-Congo language phylum. Northern Sotho is specifically found within the Sotho languages branch of Zone S (S.30). Thus, this language is most closely related to Tswana (Setswana) and Sotho (Sesotho/Southern Sotho).
Northern Sotho is often, but erroneously, referred to as Sepedi, since for some years after the new South African constitution appeared, Pedi (or Sepedi) was the name used for Northern Sotho. There is thus some confusion as to which name to use.
The name "Pedi" is not, as some believe, synonymous with "Northern Sotho"; the official Northern Sotho language is intended to encompass approximately 30 closely related dialects, of which Pedi is but one. The name "Pedi" thus refers specifically to the language of the Pedi people, while..... full article at Wikipedia |
