Bhaca language
| Bhaca | |
|---|---|
| Isibhaca | |
| Native to | South Africa |
| Ethnicity | Bhaca people |
Native speakers | Estimated 500,000[1] |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | None (mis) |
| Glottolog | bhac1238 |
S.402[2] | |
Bhaca, or IsiBhaca (Baca) is a Bantu language of South Africa.[2] Traditionally considered a dialect of Swati, it is closer to Xhosa, Phuthi and Zulu.[3][4] It is spoken southeast of Lesotho, where Sotho, Xhosa and Zulu meet, mainly around Mount Frere, Mzimkhulu, and to a lesser extent in Mount Ayliff, Matatiele, Harding, Bulwer, Underberg, Highflats, Umzinto, Umzumbe and Ixopo.
Vocabulary
[edit] |
Months in IsiBhaca:
| English | Bhaca |
|---|---|
| January | Ntlolanja |
| February | Ndzata |
| March | Mbasa |
| April | Mgudlulwa |
| May | Ntlangula |
| June | Ntulikati |
| July | Ncwaba |
| August | Mphandula |
| September | Mfumfu |
| October | Nzibandlela |
| November | Lweti |
| December | Ntsinga |
Example: Bendicela undithsengele amahlokomiso nentusi na ukhamba.
Translation [Xhosa/Zulu/English]: Bendicela undithengele amaqanda nobisi xa uhamba: Bengicela ungithengela amaqanda nobisi ma uhamba: "Please buy me eggs and milk when you go out".
| English | Bhaca |
|---|---|
| I will beat you | Nditak’shik’tsha |
| Please pass me another spoon, mine fell under the table | Bendicela undidlulisele olunye ukhezo, olwam luwele edasi kwetafile |
COMPARISON OF ISIXHOSA AND ISIBHACA words
| Xhosa | Bhaca |
|---|---|
| Intombazana | Inkatinyana |
| Ukuthetha | Ukubhobha |
| phi? | layi? |
| Ukubetha | Ukukshiksha |
IsiBhaca employs 4 distinct features that separate it from isiXhosa and isiZulu which are: ukuthsefula; ukuyeyeta; ukutekela and ukujhijhita.
For (1) ukuthsefula, there is a sibilant used, e.g. th in standard Zunda Nguni becomes ths in isiBhaca and t becomes tf. (2) Ukuyeyeta employs the use of 'y' heavily, e.g. amanzi (water) in standard Nguni becomes amayiwa, ukusela/ukuphuza (to drink) becomes ukun'yathsa. (3) Ukutekela transforms the standard Nguni z into t and lastly; (4) ukujhijhita uses a voiced postalveolar, e.g. hojhwace (at sunset), ijhwabi (a foreskin), ukujhaca (to lose weight), etc. These are the structural and phonetic differences that isiBhaca has.
References
[edit]- ↑ https://www.omniglot.com/writing/bhaca.htm [bare URL]
- 1 2 Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
- ↑ Jordan, Archibald C. (1942). "Some features of the phonetic and grammatical structure of Baca". Masters Dissertation. University of Cape Town.
- ↑ Swazi at Ethnologue (16th ed., 2009)
Sources 1. Jordan, A C (1942) SOME FEATURES OF THE PHONETIC AND GRAMMATICAL STRUCTURE OF BACA. Masters Thesis, Cape Town : University of Cape Town. 2. Msimang, C T (1989) SOME PHONOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE TEKELA-NGUNI DIALECTS. South Africa. Doctoral Dissertation. Pretoria: University of South Africa 3. Nomlomo, V. S. (1993). LANGUAGE VARIATION THE TRANSKEIAN XHOSA SPEECH COMMUNITY AND ITS IMPACT ON CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. Master's dissertation, Cape Town: University of Cape Town,