![]() More than half (50.2%) of Afrikaans speakers are coloured, 40% are white, 9% black and just 1% Indian. Over the centuries it has picked up many influences from African languages, as well as from European colonial languages such as English, French and German. English is widely used as a second language and common language of communication, mainly in the cities.Īfrikaans is a version of Dutch that evolved out of a South Holland dialect brought here in the 1600s. Out of the 4.9-million South Africans who speak English as a first language, a third (33%) are white, a quarter (24%) are black, 22% are Indian and 19% are coloured South Africans. Our other official languages are isiXhosa (spoken by 16%), Afrikaans (13.5%), English (10%), Sesotho sa Leboa (9%), Setswana and Sesotho (both 8%), Xitsonga (4.5%), siSwati and Tshivenda (both 2.5%), and isiNdebele (2%).Įnglish is an urban language of public life, widely used in the media, business and government. IsiZulu is South Africa’s biggest language, spoken by almost a quarter (23%) of the population. Thirty are living languages, and four extinct Khoesan languages. South Africa has about 34 historically established languages. ![]() In 1996 South Africa’s new constitution gave official protection to all of the country’s major languages. African languages, spoken by at least 80% of the people, were ignored. ![]() South Africa’s constitution recognises 11 official languages: Sepedi (also known as Sesotho sa Leboa), Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa and isiZulu.įor centuries South Africa’s official languages were European – Dutch, English, Afrikaans. South Africa is a diverse nation with a rich language heritage. ![]()
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