3462:). A hypothetical example using English words follows: Imagine that, in some exotic language which inexplicably uses familiar English words, all nouns denoting persons are, for some or other reason not immediately important to us, indicated with the "pre-word" "person." So a farmer would be indicated with the name "person farmer." Over time, the "person" pre-word might be shortened to "per" and cliticised, and eventually made into a valid prefix ("per-"), thus a farmer would be "perfarmer." To indicate languages, the pre-word "language" might have been used, which eventually became the prefix "lang-." A noun indicating persons of some ethnic group (with a very familiar name) might have historically been "people french," which eventually became "peopfrench." Thus their language name would naturally be rendered as "langfrench." This way the prefix system would be productive — actively creating new words and not just appearing on some historical words (as is now the case with some non-Bantu Niger–Congo languages which have many Bantu-like nouns but with no productive processes to create more). Eventually, an agreement system would have developed (either with or after the noun prefix system), and "The French people speak the French language" would appear as (in
3472:
the "poep-" and "lang-" prefixes on the verb agreeing with the subject and object respectively. The order of the agreement markings on the verb diminishes any possible ambiguity in determining the subject and object, and so the language need not necessarily use SVO, and may change the word order for
1064:
Often, when the prefix of a noun whose stem begins with a vowel (and is not derived from a vowel verb stem) is obscured by various phonological processes, prefix compounding may occur (instead of the usual prefix substitution) when forming plurals, or even in the singular itself. Some words may even
1029:
Though class membership is ultimately determined by morphology (the class prefix and the noun's concords) and not semantics, it is obvious from comparing the class contents of various languages that there are some tentative semantic trends. The strongest trend (which is basically a rule) is that all
3598:
This is simply due to the shapes of the words (most class 9 Sesotho words do not show an overt prefix) and not because of semantics. Note that in isiZulu the "default class" is class 5 since most native polysallabic class 5 words in that language have no prefix (just a lengthened pre-prefix/augment
3407:
The Sotho–Tswana languages lack the high toned pre-prefix/augment that appears in the nouns of many other languages. Generally, the augments harmonise with the (inherent) vowel in the prefix (e.g. class 1 *ú-mu-, class 2 *á-ba-, class 4 *í-mi-, class 9 *í-N- etc.) though there are some languages in
3074:
formed (somewhat irregularly) from other parts of speech and even complete sentences. Note that the use of dashes to separate their parts is also irregular and usually based on the popularity and utility of the noun, and the
Lesotho and South African orthographies tend to differ (with the Lesotho
349:
There are further complications caused by stems that begin with vowels when the vowels interact causing the quality and tone of the prefix vowel to change (this never happens if the stem comes from a vowel verb); in these cases it is often simply a matter of memorising the correct class and plural
1884:
This class also contains a curious set of nouns formed by the action of a class 1, 3, or 18 prefix losing its vowel and thus becoming a syllabic nasal. However, since this process often happens when constructing first names of people, the resulting noun then appears in class 1a.
1652:(the "liquid masses" class) contains the plurals of class 5 nouns as well as the plurals of many class 1 nouns, class 9 nouns ("quantitive plurals"), and all class 14 nouns which may assume plurals. It also contains the names of some liquids which only appear in the plural.
1001:
Each basic noun in
Sesotho has an inherent prefix (even if that prefix is a null prefix: segmentally empty). The speaker's mental lexicon includes the entire word, including the class prefix, which is usually enough to determine the class and therefore the concords as well.
395:
Nouns are divided somewhat arbitrarily between these classes, although a few of them contain nouns which mostly fall into clear categories. For example, all class 1 nouns are humans and verbal agents, most class 1a nouns are proper names and kinship terms, etc.
3189:
As in many other languages, compounds indicating possession (genitive compounds) may be formed by following the possessee with the possessor ("X of Y" become "X-Y" — the
English equivalent is "Y's X" or "Y-X"). This may also be done with the descriptive
3945:('child'), and some Proto-Bantu reconstructions seem to have *-jana as a (non-productive) diminutive suffix. The standard Bantu way of forming diminutives is to put the noun in class 12 (Proto-Bantu *ka-) with the plural in class 13 (Proto-Bantu *tu-).
3662:." Bantu languages, being agglutinative, construct words by placing affixes around a stem, and if an affix is always placed after other affixes but before the stem (such as in certain verb tenses and moods) then it is usually called an "infix."
3526:
Additionally, apart from these singular/plural pairings, Proto-Bantu is also reconstructed to have paired *9/10, *11/10, *12/13, *14/6, *15/6, and *20/22. Sesotho pairs include 1/2, 1/6, 1a/2a, 3/4, 5/6, 5/10, 7/8, 9/10, 9/6, and
1057:('king'), has a plural in class 6. Many class 1 words have a tendency of misbehaving, but we know that they belong to class 1 because of their concords. Quite a substantial number of class 1 words have their plurals in class 6.
954:
Many class 5 words in
Sesotho come from the original Proto-Bantu *du- class 11, whose plural is class 10 *dîN-, which is why some class 5 nouns may have two distinct plurals: one in class 6, and one in class 10. However, the
1731:(the "special quality" class) is fairly homogeneous in content and also contains the names of the languages or cultures of various societies. This class also contains many abstract nouns derived from nouns in other classes.
2417:
with the noun. This is done by a set of concords whose forms loosely resemble the noun prefixes. The concords are attached to the front of the parts of speech and result in utterances which sound mildly alliterative.
2160:
infinitives and gerunds. These may be used syntactically as normal nouns with abstract meanings. Like
English gerunds and infinitives, they may take direct objects and be inflected as other verbs, but they cannot be
3648:
Note that if these nouns still existed in the non-compounded forms then they could just as easily have been interpreted as class 17 nouns, but comparison with other languages reveals their true class membership
1036:
prefix are therefore in class 3 (in fact, there are no human class 3 nouns in
Sesotho). In many other languages, however, class 1 contains "animate" nouns, and may therefore also contain some non-human nouns.
2412:
Every part of speech in
Sesotho which is somehow connected with a noun (either by qualifying it, associating it with an action or state, or standing in its place in an utterance) needs to be brought into
1060:
All these irregularities with the plurals naturally lead to a system where each class is treated as a separate gender, instead of alternatives where the first twelve classes are grouped into six genders.
1296:(the "kin" class) has exactly the same concords as class 1, but differs from it in the lack of prefix. It contains proper names of people, kinship terms, as well as the names of some animals and plants.
3620:
In Proto-Bantu and many modern Bantu languages this class also contains several normal nouns, with plurals in class 6. Certain
Sesotho nouns show evidence of originally being connected with this class:
1026:
Up until class 10, the plural class for class n is class n + 1 (where n is odd). Most languages have these first ten classes, though there are many where some of the classes 1 to 10 are missing.
3261:, and, in modern times, English people. The very alien phonetics and phonologies of these languages mean that words are to be imported rather irregularly with varying phonetic transformations.
1944:
When deriving non-personal nouns from monosyllabic verb stems, two strategies may be used. The first form creates objects, and simply nasalizes the verb stem, replaces the final vowel with
3576:
The names are very rough labels often applied to the specific singular classes in the literature of many of the languages. Except for class 1, they shouldn't really be taken too literally.
2029:
to the class 5 noun stem. Since the noun is formed by modifying the already modified class 9 stem (with the addition of Proto-Bantu prefix *dî-) this class is sometimes called 9a instead.
1449:
is the plural class for class 1a. When used with human nouns it sometimes has the meaning of "X and them" or "the people/followers/kin of X." It uses exactly the same concords as class 2.
2432:
Except for class 2a, the prefixes of the non-locative classes are null ("low") toned, while the set of possible tone patterns for the stem is large and obviously dependent on its length.
1823:
and comes from either original Proto-Bantu *N- or *ni-. Note that for almost all nouns with stems of two or more syllables the syllabic nasal does not appear but the stem is still
1590:(the "natural phenomena" class) is very homogeneous in content. It has many terms of body parts which appear in pairs, natural phenomena, and certain special classes of people.
2069:
is the default class for abstract nouns, but it also contains some non-abstract nouns. Abstract nouns may be regularly formed from other nouns and from certain qualificatives (
1320:
prohibiting the use of nouns sounding like the names of certain family members), and initiated boys and girls may be formed from other nouns and proper names with the prefixes
1299:
The proper names and kinship terms generally have miscellaneous forms, but the names of animals, plants (possibly personifications), and some humans in this class begin with a
986:
Classes 16, 17, and 18 are the locative classes. They are no longer productive in
Sesotho (they cannot accept new nouns) but they are productive in many other Bantu languages.
371:('the act of mutual giving and receiving'), derived from a verb which is in turn idiomatically and recursively and comes through four distinct steps — derived from the
3837:
These are somewhat grammaticalized first parts of genitive compounds. Basically, Proto-Bantu *taate (my father) and *maama (my mother) would have resulted in
Sesotho *
1479:
In informal speech, the "X and them" meaning is often extended, with the prefix being compounded upon nouns in other classes to create words meaning "X and such."
3960:('woman'). The use of this root to form feminine nouns is not unusual among the Bantu languages, but its use to form augmentatives of nouns is rather surprising.
3658:
The use of this term in Bantu linguistics means "formatives placed in the middle of a word" and not the more common "formatives placed in the middle of a
1948:, and affixes the syllabic nasal. The second strategy is much less common and creates nouns indicating actions by first replacing the final vowel with
4049:
107:
219:
Usually, the noun's class can be discerned by simply looking for the prefix, but there are many instances where this can become very complicated:
3473:
emphasis (as is indeed the case in the Bantu languages; being tonal, Bantu languages cannot simply use intonation for emphasis as English does):
2922:
With personal nouns, the difference between classes 1 and 7 is often that the class 7 agent performs the action habitually or with proficiency:
1498:(the "tree" class) has miscellaneous content. Some nouns in this class also come from verbs, but are non-personal and usually end in the vowel
2182:
without the subjectival concord or certain verbal auxiliary infixes. Infinitives denoting a negative meaning are formed by inserting an infix
3783:
Basically, the class 16, 17, and 18 prefixes are high toned but become low when they are immediately followed by a high syllable. Thus, the
3254:
Many Sesotho nouns (and other parts of speech) stem from contact with speakers of Indo-European languages, primarily French missionaries,
1505:
The class prefix is exactly the same as that of class 1, but the two classes use different concords. Like class 1 the prefix appears as
1816:(the "inanimate/animal" class) is rather miscellaneous in content. Most foreign acquisitions end up here (it is the "default class").
1151:
of classes 8 and 10 are sometimes not rendered when the noun is followed by the appropriate concords. Some historical words, such as
2350:
is a locative class containing a limited number of nouns (which are often used as adverbs). In many other Bantu languages, including
4016:
2710:(which also has the effect of placing the noun in class 5). The same prefix is also used in slightly non-standard speech to create
2464:. This does not happen if the second syllable of the noun is high. With monosyllabic stems the tone of the stem is raised as well.
2903:
The noun stem, with a few idiomatic exceptions, fossilizes the tone pattern of the infinitive of the verb (in this example it is
2836:
Nouns of most classes are very actively and regularly derived from verbs. What follows is only a brief and incomplete overview.
4078:
2308:
and comes from original Proto-Bantu *ku- (denoting remote positions). It uses exactly the same concords as those of class 15.
4103:
3933:
The productive use of these is a recent Southern Bantu innovation, though the suffixes are obviously connected with the root
1788:
contains the plurals of class 7 nouns. Note that language and culture names, as well as abstract nouns, do not have plurals.
2295:
is a locative class containing few actual nouns (which are often used as adverbs). In many other Bantu languages, including
2278:
and comes from original Proto-Bantu *pa- (denoting near positions). It uses exactly the same concords as those of class 15.
4093:
4073:
3764:
The form of the Setswana productive class 17 prefix is irregular, as the historical sound shifts should have resulted in
365:('great and fearsome thing', the swallowing monster) or derived from long and complex verbs, such as the seven-syllable
4088:
4042:
3463:
100:
2526:
with new nouns regularly and actively being created from nouns and other parts of speech through predictable methods.
3540:
where class 10 nouns look exactly the same as class 9 nouns but are used with different concords (corresponding to a
1171:('family') are often rendered without the prefix even when not followed by any prefixes ("at my/the home" is always
1421:
is the plural class for class 1. There are, however, many class 1 nouns which have their plural in class 6 instead.
4184:
4108:
4083:
3440:
respectively, suggesting that the class 1a and 2a prefixes have the exact same inherent vowels as classes 1 and 2.
2704:
A curious formation exists in Sesotho which creates nouns with the meaning of "pseudo-x" by employing the prefix
2016:
contains the plurals of class 9 nouns as well as the plurals of some class 5 nouns (from Proto-Bantu class 11).
2523:
392:" and each noun belongs to one of the classes. The noun class that a noun belongs to is indicated by a prefix.
3639:
Proto-Bantu root *-giɲja ('hot season') → class 15 *kuiɲja + class 5 prefix (compounding) → Sesotho class 5
4113:
4035:
3969:
Comparison with other languages reveals this to be the first part of a compound noun using an archaic verb
3191:
2957:, while impersonal nouns are formed in several classes by adding the prefix and changing the final vowel to
2789:
2772:
2755:
2685:
Sometimes the last 2 syllables of a noun may be repeated to indicate quantity, irregularity, or repetition:
2455:
2440:
2414:
2389:
2262:
2166:
2082:
2078:
2074:
2070:
189:
185:
181:
177:
173:
155:
93:
1338:
meaning "mother of" and "father of" respectively (though initiates often get prefixes of the opposite sex,
4174:
2958:
2949:
2461:
for the first two syllables including the noun prefix, the noun prefix's tone becomes high giving pattern
1877:
959:
plural does not apply to all class 5 words, and when it does the meaning might be changed slightly (e.g.
322:
318:
314:
244:
236:
2233:('to find her guilty' literally, 'to see her guilt'; this idiom preserves the archaic meaning "find" of
1359:('elder uncle' literally "male mother" — the only Sesotho instance of the Bantu male suffix *-dume)
2255:('down') (Proto-Bantu *pa-ci, plus an irregular nasalization of the stem; it appears as the unnasalized
1154:
70:
48:
2363:
and comes from Proto-Bantu *mu- (denoting close or internal positions). It is distinguished from other
3849:, both of which are present in Northern Sotho. Possibly due to its rather mixed origins, Sesotho has
2948:
Generally, agents are formed in classes 1 and 7 by adding the prefix and changing the final vowel to
1204:(the "animate/human" class) contains most human nouns and is the default class for verbal agents (act
989:
Noun Classes 11 to 13, and 19 to 23 do not occur in Sesotho, but do occur in other Bantu languages (
4179:
4004:
3491:
2162:
164:
are often said to have sentences which are "centred around the noun" due to the striking nature of
137:
2392:
are the demonstrative pronouns of this class. Note that in this case the pronouns correspond to a
4062:
3867:(where the Proto-Bantu *t has failed to become , and the word has an irregular sylabic nasal).
2812:
Some nouns are irregularly (and often idiomatically) derived from ideophones by reduplication:
4012:
3408:
which the vowel of the augment is weakened (lowered), thus resulting in forms such as class 1
3353:
3255:
2666:
is often used to create the feminine of some nouns and the augmentative of some other others:
2638:
2634:
2630:
1824:
1111:
1093:
948:
326:
285:
240:
81:
3994:
3898:
3537:
3071:
2484:
2451:
2447:
2427:
2407:
2369:
classes (1 and 3) by its concords (it uses exactly the same concords as those of class 15).
267:
213:
165:
4128:
4027:
4001:. In G. Senft (ed.), Classification Systems. Cambridge University Press. pp. 270–292.
229:
Classes 2a and 14 have similar looking prefixes, differing in the vowel's quality and tone
161:
31:
3630:'moonlight'), class 15 *kuedî + class 9 prefix (compounding) → class 9 *ŋkuedî (Sesotho
1197:
What follows is a brief outline of the contents and functionings of the various classes.
4143:
1408:
58:
36:
22:
4168:
4153:
4133:
3999:
Bantu noun class systems: Loan word and acquisition evidence of semantic productivity
2919:
Class 14 nouns are almost always derived from other nouns, not from the verb directly
2563:
Proper names based on nouns belong to class 1a, no matter what the original class was
2179:
2157:
1221:
and comes from original Proto-Bantu *mu-. In standard Sesotho, the prefix appears as
994:
372:
204:
and a stem (which may in turn be derived from other parts of speech; see below under
169:
43:
284:
Similarly, many class 14 nouns with stems beginning with vowels cause the prefix to
4138:
3222:
129:
3546:
prefix). This instance is not idiomatic, however, as class 10 has simply lost the
1987:
For non-monosyllabic stems the meaning obtained by replacing the final vowel with
2534:
Many nouns can be derived from other nouns, usually through the use of suffixes.
154:
signify concrete or abstract concepts in the language, but are distinct from the
3611:). When foreign words are put in this class the resultant noun is not nasalized.
3451:
3370:
276:
65:
1159:('locust'), have completely lost their singular prefixes (and, in the case of
313:
Often if the stem of a class 1 or 3 noun is derived from a verb beginning with
3325:
3258:
3108:
2398:
class prefix, instead of the class 15 concords which this class usually uses.
389:
209:
2745:
Qualificatives can be used to derive abstract nouns in class 14 by prefixing
235:
Many class 1 and 3 nouns have stems beginning with vowels, often causing the
3789:
of the sole class 16 noun is high toned since the root is low, the class 17
3586:
3458:(though it is also quite possibly that they came from an original system of
3295:
2566:
Often parents assume the names of their children by prefixing the name with
2629:. Often stems ending in the high vowels undergo various phonetic changes (
3906:
which was then contracted into them, causing them to end in a high toned
3659:
3090:
2351:
2296:
2266:
1121:
200:
Except for class 1a (which has a "null prefix"), nouns are composed of a
1488:('predators are animals such as lions and cheetahs and such, et cetera')
1485:
dibata ke diphoofolo tse tshwanang le bo-ditau le bo-mangau, jwalo-jwalo
3429:
2354:, this class is productive, but this is no longer the case in Sesotho.
2299:, this class is productive, but this is no longer the case in Sesotho.
2269:, this class is productive, but this is no longer the case in Sesotho.
990:
232:
Classes 15 and 17 have similar looking prefixes, differing only in tone
149:
136:. For a discussion of the differences between the two see the notes on
133:
3989:
Reconstructions lexicales bantoues 2 / Bantu lexical reconstructions 2
1880:
suggests that it's not part of the prefix, but rather part of the stem
3585:
One interpretation of these actor nouns is that they are formed by a
3455:
3268:
2913:
2711:
1868:('truth') the nasal is retained though the stem is two syllables long
1713:
826:
223:
The syllabic nasal prefix of class 9 is more often than not invisible
3028:
Agents derived from passive verbs often use the full passive suffix
2085:(though nominal relatives do exist in almost all the noun classes).
1045:('friend'), in class 1, has an irregular plural in class 4 —
3801:
is always low toned since all its noun roots begin with high tones.
3454:
language, the prefixes where full words which became shortened and
2249:
in Sesotho is a locative class containing only one member —
1110:('daughter-in-law') was originally a class 1 word, whose prefix is
359:('person'), to very long stems formed either by duplication (e.g.
3338:
2178:
and comes from original Proto-Bantu *ku-. This is prefixed to the
1314:
Names of mothers, fathers, married women and men (in a system of
3552:
prefix and class membership is determined solely by the concords.
2590:(for the mother; this is more often than not simply shortened to
2384:('on the other side of the sea') an instance of the adverbial use
1797:(without nasalization) and comes from original Proto-Bantu *bî-.
1030:
class 1 nouns are human, and non-human nouns that begin with the
226:
Classes 1, 3, and 18 have similar prefixes but differing concords
4058:
3924:-x" literally mean "mother of x" and "father of x" respectively.
3490:
In Sesotho, the three example sentences are (using the standard
3300:
1991:
and applying nasalization is generally only that of the action.
4031:
2287:('earth') is formed from this noun through prefix compounding.
399:
The noun classes and their respective prefixes are as follows:
3975:('resemble'). That is, "seka-x" literally means "x-resembler."
1183:('next year') has completely lost its prefix, and has plural
1124:, however, it is still treated as a class 1 noun with plural
270:
128:
The orthography used in this and related articles is that of
3624:
Proto-Bantu root *-jedî ('moon') → class 3 *muedî (Sesotho
2081:). This class also contains many nouns which may be used as
2605:
Most nouns can form new nouns with the diminutive suffixes
2317:('heaven') is formed from one of the nouns in this class (
3003:, nouns denoting non-human entities cannot be in class 1.
3954:(Ostensibly) from the same Proto-Bantu root (*-kadî) as
3476:
langfrench peoplangspeak peopfrench "French people speak
2991:
There are, however, some impersonal nouns which end with
192:
all need to agree with the noun(s) associated with them.
2596:). Also, a married woman may assume a name based on the
2054:(musical instrument made from reeds) plural of class 5
388:
Sesotho, like all other Bantu languages, uses a set of "
353:
Noun stems can range in length from monosyllabic as in
4011:. Cape Town: Longman Southern Africa, 3rd. impression.
16:
Grammatical category in the Bantu language of the Sotho
3810:
This is probably from the same root as the adjective
3795:
is sometimes high and sometimes low, and the class 18
3676:
Compare the following words in Sesotho and Setswana:
3589:
of the form "mo-V-i", but this is not a popular view.
2997:. Even if they begin with the ambiguous class prefix
1017:, which is of class 7, therefore its plural must be
983:('love'), as this class still exists in the language.
2435:
When certain high toned formatives (the conjunctive
1686:('herds of cattle') quantitative plural of class 9
1603:
Proto-Bantu *du- (class 11, the "long-thin" class).
3483:peoplangspeak langfrench peopfrench "French people
2538:Most abstract nouns can be created by substituting
2261:in Setswana) — used almost exclusively as an
3101:('to eat fish' traditionally considered taboo) →
1114:and is now treated as a class 9 noun with plural
2188:after the prefix and changing the final vowel to
2111:('state of being a king') from the class 1 noun
1086:, both instances of prefix compounding since the
2165:(they do not complete a sentence like verbs and
3672:
3670:
3668:
3332:
3298:
3991:. Tervuren: Musée royal de l'Afrique centrale.
3572:
3570:
3568:
3566:
3564:
3562:
3560:
3558:
495:mostly human nouns including nouns of kinship.
4043:
3779:
3777:
3775:
2602:prefix and her husband's surname/praise name.
787:therefore most class 14 words have no plural
101:
8:
3987:Coupez, A., Bastin, Y., and Mumba, E. 1998.
3897:) and followed by the high toned class 1(a)
3266:
3250:Foreign (non-Bantu nor Khoisan) acquisitions
3075:orthography tending to prefer dashes more).
2641:) due to the initial vowel in the suffixes:
2591:
2585:
2579:
2573:
2458:) are prefixed to a noun with tonal pattern
1940:(quaint or technical way of saying 'behind')
972:
216:is pivotal to composing coherent sentences.
212:and the knowledge of noun classes and their
3970:
3955:
3940:
3934:
3919:
3913:
3907:
3901:
3876:
3870:
3862:
3856:
3850:
3844:
3838:
3823:
3817:
3811:
3796:
3790:
3784:
3750:
3743:
3728:
3721:
3706:
3699:
3640:
3631:
3625:
3606:
3600:
3547:
3541:
3511:
3504:
3497:
3384:
3374:
3364:
3347:
3341:
3319:
3306:
3287:
3274:
3240:
3234:
3228:
3216:
3210:
3204:
3198:
3180:
3174:
3168:
3162:
3156:
3148:
3142:
3134:
3128:
3120:
3114:
3102:
3096:
3085:
3079:
3056:
3050:
3044:
3038:
3029:
3019:
3013:
3007:
2998:
2992:
2982:
2976:
2970:
2961:
2952:
2937:
2931:
2925:
2909:for the complete noun including the prefix)
2889:
2881:
2873:
2865:
2857:
2849:
2839:
2822:
2816:
2798:
2792:
2781:
2775:
2764:
2758:
2746:
2729:
2723:
2717:
2705:
2694:
2688:
2675:
2669:
2661:
2650:
2644:
2624:
2618:
2612:
2606:
2597:
2567:
2553:
2547:
2539:
2506:
2498:
2488:
2476:
2468:
2393:
2379:
2373:
2364:
2358:
2335:
2327:
2318:
2312:
2303:
2282:
2273:
2265:. In many other Bantu languages, including
2256:
2250:
2234:
2228:
2222:
2216:
2208:
2202:
2196:
2183:
2173:
2141:
2133:
2125:
2119:
2112:
2106:
2098:
2089:
2055:
2049:
2041:
2033:
2020:
2001:
1995:
1978:
1972:
1964:
1958:
1949:
1935:
1929:
1921:
1915:
1907:
1901:
1895:
1889:
1871:
1863:
1855:
1845:
1839:
1831:
1801:
1792:
1774:
1773:('friendship') abstract noun from class 1
1768:
1760:
1752:
1744:
1735:
1717:
1707:
1700:
1694:
1687:
1681:
1673:
1665:
1656:
1637:
1629:
1621:
1615:
1607:
1594:
1575:
1566:
1547:
1541:
1533:
1527:
1519:
1506:
1483:
1470:
1462:
1453:
1434:
1425:
1402:
1394:
1388:
1382:
1374:
1368:
1362:
1354:
1345:
1339:
1333:
1327:
1321:
1315:
1306:
1300:
1281:
1275:
1267:
1261:
1253:
1245:
1237:
1228:
1222:
1216:
1184:
1178:
1172:
1166:
1160:
1152:
1146:
1140:
1134:
1125:
1115:
1105:
1097:
1087:
1081:
1075:
1069:
1052:
1046:
1040:
1031:
1018:
1012:
1006:
978:
966:
960:
928:
916:
909:
889:
877:
870:
849:
842:
817:
810:
792:
777:
770:
752:
742:
719:
706:
682:
675:
654:
647:
629:
622:
601:
594:
576:
569:
548:
541:
523:
516:
498:
487:
468:
461:
440:
433:
375:
366:
360:
354:
338:
332:
303:
297:
291:
261:
255:
249:
4050:
4036:
4028:
2094:and comes from original Proto-Bantu *bu-.
1740:and comes from original Proto-Bantu *ki-.
1661:and comes from original Proto-Bantu *ma-.
1571:and comes from original Proto-Bantu *mi-.
1458:and comes from original Proto-Bantu *bo-.
1430:and comes from original Proto-Bantu *ba-.
119:
108:
94:
18:
2912:Infinitives are strictly class 15 nouns (
1599:and comes from original Proto-Bantu *di-
1165:, ended up in class 9). Others, such as
1074:('grass') in class 14 is often heard as
3678:
3432:, the augments of classes 1a and 2a are
3324:('male teacher') note that the English "
971:'flattery'). For example, Setswana uses
401:
3400:
2454:for noun classes when forming positive
2378:('overseas') this is a contraction of
1562:contains the plurals of class 3 nouns.
208:). Each noun belongs to one of several
201:
21:
2522:In the Bantu languages, nouns form an
951:will occur to the following consonant.
3816:('tall'). Note the isiZulu adjective
2323:'above') through prefix compounding.
2239:, which is still present in Setswana)
1900:(class 1) ('the one left behind') →
7:
3034:, and never change the final vowel:
1926:(compound class 9 noun) ('intruder')
857:this is the only word in this class
3469:peopfrench peoplangspeak langfrench
3179:('ideophone of being absolute') →
2572:(for the father; note the Setswana
2025:to the full class 9 noun or adding
1912:(class 1a) ('the one left behind ')
1876:('stomach') the high tone syllabic
4009:Textbook of Southern Sotho Grammar
1954:before applying the nasalization.
997:has Classes 11, 12, and 13, etc.).
380:('to close one's hand suddenly').
14:
3133:('to be carried by the wind') →
1642:('reed') originally from class 11
308:('grass' c.f. Proto-Bantu *-janî)
3450:It is possible that in some pre-
2878:(and class 10 plural) ('desire')
1452:The class prefix is a high tone
3536:A related phenomenon exists in
3492:disjunctive Sesotho orthography
2019:The prefix is formed by adding
403:The Sesotho noun prefix system
205:
2870:(and class 7 plural) ('lover')
2854:(and class 2 plural) ('lover')
1:
2862:(and class 6 plural) ('love')
1699:('kings') plural of class 1
4007:, and Mofokeng, S. M. 1974.
3855:(a contraction of original *
3024:('waterway') both in class 3
2281:Note that the class 5 noun
1920:('to forcefully insert') →
1511:before stems beginning with
1227:before stems beginning with
1065:end up in a different class
3070:A rich source of nouns are
1373:will (of God) (class 9) →
1208:s), which end in the vowel
785:abstract nouns belong here,
166:the noun concordance system
4201:
3869:The Sotho–Tswana prefixes
2981:rich person, and class 3
2886:('state of one who loves')
2425:
2405:
1280:('speak on behalf of') →
901:
862:
834:
802:
762:
729:
508:
478:
350:for each individual word.
4124:
4069:
3513:Ba a se bua Sefora Bafora
3506:Sefora ba a se bua Bafora
3499:Bafora ba a se bua Sefora
3119:('to sit in a chair') →
2916:) derived from verb stems
1934:(class 18) ('behind') →
1133:In idiomatic speech, the
908:
906:
900:
869:
867:
861:
784:
769:
767:
761:
736:
734:
728:
713:
702:
697:
692:
691:
667:
661:
639:
614:
609:both human and non-human
608:
586:
561:
555:
533:
494:
483:
453:
447:
425:
3373:') with class 8 plural
2888:
2880:
168:. In Sesotho, pronouns,
3147:('I know') → class 2a
2975:('be rich') → class 1
2872:
2864:
2856:
2848:
2146:('lobolo' non-abstract)
1716:') plural of class 14
556:mostly non-human nouns
3971:
3956:
3941:
3935:
3920:
3914:
3908:
3902:
3877:
3871:
3863:
3857:
3851:
3845:
3839:
3824:
3822:and the class 17 noun
3818:
3812:
3797:
3791:
3785:
3751:
3744:
3729:
3722:
3707:
3700:
3641:
3632:
3626:
3607:
3601:
3548:
3542:
3512:
3505:
3498:
3385:
3375:
3365:
3348:
3342:
3333:
3320:
3307:
3299:
3288:
3275:
3267:
3241:
3235:
3229:
3217:
3211:
3205:
3199:
3181:
3175:
3169:
3163:
3157:
3149:
3143:
3135:
3129:
3121:
3115:
3103:
3097:
3086:
3080:
3057:
3051:
3045:
3039:
3030:
3020:
3014:
3008:
2999:
2993:
2983:
2977:
2971:
2962:
2953:
2938:
2932:
2926:
2890:
2882:
2874:
2866:
2858:
2850:
2840:
2823:
2817:
2799:
2793:
2782:
2776:
2765:
2759:
2747:
2730:
2724:
2718:
2706:
2695:
2689:
2676:
2670:
2662:
2651:
2645:
2625:
2619:
2613:
2607:
2598:
2592:
2586:
2580:
2578:and the Setswana noun
2574:
2568:
2554:
2548:
2540:
2507:
2499:
2489:
2477:
2469:
2394:
2380:
2374:
2365:
2359:
2336:
2328:
2319:
2313:
2304:
2283:
2274:
2257:
2251:
2235:
2229:
2223:
2217:
2209:
2203:
2197:
2184:
2174:
2142:
2134:
2126:
2120:
2113:
2107:
2099:
2090:
2056:
2050:
2042:
2034:
2021:
2002:
1996:
1979:
1973:
1965:
1959:
1950:
1936:
1930:
1922:
1916:
1908:
1902:
1896:
1894:('be left behind') →
1890:
1872:
1864:
1856:
1846:
1840:
1832:
1802:
1793:
1775:
1769:
1761:
1753:
1745:
1736:
1718:
1708:
1701:
1695:
1688:
1682:
1674:
1666:
1657:
1638:
1630:
1622:
1616:
1608:
1595:
1576:
1567:
1548:
1542:
1534:
1528:
1520:
1507:
1484:
1471:
1463:
1454:
1435:
1426:
1403:
1395:
1389:
1383:
1375:
1369:
1363:
1355:
1346:
1340:
1334:
1328:
1322:
1316:
1307:
1301:
1282:
1276:
1268:
1262:
1254:
1246:
1238:
1229:
1223:
1217:
1185:
1179:
1173:
1167:
1161:
1153:
1147:
1141:
1135:
1126:
1116:
1106:
1098:
1088:
1082:
1076:
1070:
1053:
1047:
1041:
1032:
1019:
1013:
1007:
979:
973:
967:
961:
929:
917:
910:
890:
878:
871:
850:
843:
818:
811:
793:
778:
771:
753:
743:
720:
707:
683:
676:
655:
648:
630:
623:
602:
595:
577:
570:
549:
542:
524:
517:
499:
488:
469:
462:
441:
434:
376:
367:
361:
355:
339:
333:
304:
298:
292:
271:
262:
256:
250:
3383:was a contraction of
3084:('horse madness') →
2388:The Sesotho locative
2156:exclusively contains
1515:in standard Sesotho.
1467:('Mmathato and them')
1393:Thato's mother, and
1177:). The class 5 noun
1011:('tree') has prefix
3889:were contracted (to
3487:the French language"
3233:('grain basket') +
3215:('founding law') →
3185:('absolute pronoun')
2734:('idiomatic speech')
2357:The class prefix is
2302:The class prefix is
2272:The class prefix is
2172:The class prefix is
2088:The class prefix is
1819:The class prefix is
1791:The class prefix is
1734:The class prefix is
1655:The class prefix is
1593:The class prefix is
1565:The class prefix is
1424:The class prefix is
1215:The class prefix is
1145:of class 7, and the
662:human and non-human
3478:the French language
3161:('pronoun') (c.f.
2942:professional driver
2821:('of striking') →
2741:From qualificatives
2699:('herds of cattle')
2452:subjectival concord
2213:('to not grow old')
2207:('to grow old') →
1475:('secretary birds')
1266:('investigate') →
404:
321:is absorbed by the
138:Sesotho orthography
3899:possessive concord
3605:without following
3381:⟨sp⟩
3379:as if the cluster
3209:('foundation') →
3139:('radio receiver')
3107:('English person'
2513:('to the village')
2485:possessive concord
2448:possessive concord
2311:The class 5 noun
2227:('to see her') →
1399:('Thato's father')
402:
384:Noun prefix system
4185:Nouns by language
4162:
4161:
4063:world's languages
3912:. Thus, Sesotho "
3761:
3760:
3354:consonant cluster
3256:Orange Free State
3072:nominal compounds
3018:('stream'), and
2487:) ('the king'),
2483:of (class 1 or 3
2190:⟨e⟩
1989:⟨o⟩
1946:⟨o⟩
1546:('colour') stem
1513:⟨b⟩
1500:⟨o⟩
1387:(proper name) →
1210:⟨i⟩
939:
938:
146:
145:
118:
117:
4192:
4052:
4045:
4038:
4029:
3976:
3974:
3967:
3961:
3959:
3952:
3946:
3944:
3938:
3931:
3925:
3923:
3917:
3911:
3905:
3880:
3874:
3866:
3860:
3854:
3848:
3842:
3835:
3829:
3827:
3821:
3815:
3808:
3802:
3800:
3794:
3788:
3781:
3770:
3754:
3747:
3732:
3725:
3710:
3703:
3679:
3674:
3663:
3656:
3650:
3644:
3635:
3629:
3618:
3612:
3610:
3604:
3596:
3590:
3583:
3577:
3574:
3553:
3551:
3545:
3534:
3528:
3524:
3518:
3515:
3508:
3501:
3448:
3442:
3428:At least in the
3405:
3388:
3382:
3378:
3368:
3351:
3345:
3336:
3323:
3310:
3304:
3291:
3278:
3272:
3244:
3239:('sunshine') →
3238:
3232:
3220:
3214:
3208:
3202:
3184:
3178:
3173:'stand for') +
3172:
3166:
3160:
3152:
3146:
3138:
3132:
3124:
3118:
3106:
3100:
3089:
3087:bohlanya-ba-pere
3083:
3081:bohlanya ba pere
3060:
3055:('be loved') →
3054:
3048:
3042:
3033:
3023:
3017:
3011:
3002:
2996:
2986:
2980:
2974:
2965:
2960:
2956:
2951:
2941:
2935:
2929:
2893:
2885:
2877:
2869:
2861:
2853:
2843:
2826:
2820:
2802:
2796:
2785:
2779:
2768:
2762:
2750:
2733:
2727:
2721:
2709:
2698:
2692:
2679:
2673:
2665:
2655:('small shield')
2654:
2648:
2628:
2622:
2616:
2610:
2601:
2595:
2589:
2583:
2577:
2571:
2557:
2551:
2544:for the prefix:
2543:
2510:
2502:
2495:('and the king')
2492:
2480:
2472:
2428:Sesotho tonology
2408:Sesotho concords
2397:
2390:adverbs of place
2383:
2377:
2368:
2362:
2339:
2331:
2322:
2316:
2307:
2286:
2277:
2260:
2254:
2238:
2232:
2226:
2220:
2212:
2206:
2201:('grow old') →
2200:
2191:
2187:
2177:
2145:
2137:
2129:
2123:
2116:
2110:
2102:
2093:
2059:
2053:
2045:
2037:
2024:
2005:
1999:
1990:
1982:
1976:
1968:
1962:
1953:
1947:
1939:
1933:
1925:
1919:
1911:
1905:
1899:
1893:
1879:
1875:
1867:
1859:
1849:
1843:
1835:
1805:
1796:
1778:
1772:
1764:
1756:
1749:('blind person')
1748:
1739:
1721:
1711:
1704:
1698:
1691:
1685:
1677:
1669:
1660:
1641:
1633:
1625:
1619:
1612:('tuberculosis')
1611:
1598:
1579:
1570:
1551:
1545:
1537:
1531:
1523:
1514:
1510:
1501:
1487:
1474:
1466:
1457:
1438:
1429:
1406:
1398:
1392:
1386:
1378:
1372:
1366:
1358:
1349:
1343:
1337:
1331:
1325:
1319:
1310:
1304:
1285:
1279:
1272:('investigator')
1271:
1265:
1257:
1249:
1241:
1232:
1226:
1220:
1211:
1188:
1182:
1176:
1170:
1164:
1158:
1150:
1144:
1139:of class 5, the
1138:
1129:
1119:
1109:
1101:
1096:class 14 prefix
1091:
1085:
1080:and has plural
1079:
1073:
1056:
1050:
1044:
1035:
1022:
1016:
1010:
982:
976:
970:
964:
932:
920:
913:
893:
881:
874:
853:
846:
825:infinitives and
821:
814:
796:
781:
774:
756:
746:
723:
710:
686:
679:
658:
651:
633:
626:
605:
598:
580:
573:
552:
545:
527:
520:
502:
491:
472:
465:
444:
437:
405:
379:
370:
364:
358:
342:
336:
324:
320:
316:
307:
301:
295:
274:
265:
259:
253:
246:
238:
156:Sesotho pronouns
120:
110:
103:
96:
19:
4200:
4199:
4195:
4194:
4193:
4191:
4190:
4189:
4165:
4164:
4163:
4158:
4120:
4065:
4056:
4026:
3984:
3979:
3968:
3964:
3953:
3949:
3932:
3928:
3868:
3836:
3832:
3809:
3805:
3782:
3773:
3763:
3735:'at the river'
3677:
3675:
3666:
3657:
3653:
3619:
3615:
3597:
3593:
3584:
3580:
3575:
3556:
3535:
3531:
3525:
3521:
3449:
3445:
3406:
3402:
3395:
3380:
3337:('window' c.f.
3252:
3212:molao wa motheo
3125:('chairperson')
3091:Aristida Burkei
3068:
2897:
2834:
2810:
2808:From ideophones
2743:
2649:*('shield') →
2635:alveolarization
2532:
2520:
2505:('village') →
2430:
2424:
2410:
2404:
2381:mose ho lewatle
2345:
2290:
2288:
2244:
2230:ho mmona molato
2189:
2151:
2064:
2011:
2006:('expectation')
1988:
1945:
1811:
1783:
1726:
1647:
1585:
1557:
1532:('resound') →
1512:
1499:
1493:
1472:bommamolangwane
1444:
1416:
1291:
1209:
1199:
1195:
786:
496:
386:
198:
162:Bantu languages
114:
71:Deficient verbs
49:Parts of speech
17:
12:
11:
5:
4198:
4196:
4188:
4187:
4182:
4177:
4167:
4166:
4160:
4159:
4157:
4156:
4151:
4146:
4141:
4136:
4131:
4125:
4122:
4121:
4119:
4118:
4117:
4116:
4111:
4106:
4101:
4096:
4091:
4081:
4076:
4070:
4067:
4066:
4057:
4055:
4054:
4047:
4040:
4032:
4025:
4024:External links
4022:
4021:
4020:
4002:
3992:
3983:
3980:
3978:
3977:
3962:
3947:
3926:
3830:
3803:
3771:
3759:
3758:
3755:
3748:
3741:
3737:
3736:
3733:
3726:
3719:
3715:
3714:
3713:'by the tree'
3711:
3704:
3697:
3693:
3692:
3689:
3686:
3683:
3664:
3651:
3647:
3646:
3637:
3613:
3591:
3578:
3554:
3529:
3519:
3517:
3516:
3509:
3502:
3489:
3488:
3481:
3471:
3470:
3443:
3399:
3394:
3391:
3390:
3389:
3357:
3329:
3312:
3293:
3280:
3251:
3248:
3247:
3246:
3226:
3187:
3186:
3154:
3140:
3126:
3116:ho dula setulo
3112:
3098:ho ja ditlhapi
3094:
3067:
3066:Compound nouns
3064:
3063:
3062:
3026:
3025:
2989:
2988:
2946:
2945:
2944:
2943:
2920:
2917:
2910:
2896:
2895:
2887:
2879:
2871:
2863:
2855:
2846:
2833:
2830:
2829:
2828:
2809:
2806:
2805:
2804:
2787:
2786:('difficulty')
2770:
2742:
2739:
2738:
2737:
2736:
2735:
2702:
2701:
2700:
2683:
2682:
2681:
2658:
2657:
2656:
2631:palatalization
2603:
2564:
2561:
2560:
2559:
2558:('femininity')
2531:
2528:
2519:
2516:
2515:
2514:
2496:
2426:Main article:
2423:
2420:
2406:Main article:
2403:
2400:
2386:
2385:
2342:
2341:
2333:
2241:
2240:
2214:
2180:verbal complex
2148:
2147:
2139:
2131:
2117:
2104:
2103:('loneliness')
2061:
2060:
2047:
2039:
2008:
2007:
2000:('expect') →
1985:
1984:
1970:
1942:
1941:
1927:
1913:
1882:
1881:
1869:
1861:
1852:
1851:
1837:
1808:
1807:
1780:
1779:
1766:
1758:
1750:
1723:
1722:
1705:
1692:
1679:
1671:
1644:
1643:
1635:
1627:
1620:('choose') →
1613:
1582:
1581:
1554:
1553:
1539:
1525:
1490:
1489:
1477:
1476:
1468:
1441:
1440:
1413:
1412:
1409:secretary bird
1400:
1380:
1367:('desire') →
1360:
1288:
1287:
1273:
1259:
1251:
1243:
1194:
1193:Class contents
1191:
1131:
1130:
1103:
1024:
1023:
999:
998:
993:has class 11,
987:
984:
952:
937:
936:
934:
925:
924:
922:
914:
907:
905:
898:
897:
895:
886:
885:
883:
875:
868:
866:
859:
858:
855:
847:
840:
838:
831:
830:
823:
815:
808:
806:
799:
798:
789:
788:
783:
775:
768:
766:
759:
758:
749:
748:
740:
735:
733:
726:
725:
716:
715:
714:miscellaneous
712:
704:
701:
696:
689:
688:
680:
673:
671:
664:
663:
660:
652:
645:
643:
636:
635:
627:
620:
618:
611:
610:
607:
599:
592:
590:
583:
582:
574:
567:
565:
558:
557:
554:
546:
539:
537:
530:
529:
521:
514:
512:
505:
504:
493:
485:
482:
475:
474:
466:
459:
457:
450:
449:
446:
438:
431:
429:
422:
421:
418:
415:
412:
409:
385:
382:
368:phuparollelano
347:
346:
345:
344:
343:('government')
337:('govern') →
325:(the vowel is
311:
310:
309:
282:
281:
280:
266:('child' c.f.
233:
230:
227:
224:
197:
194:
144:
143:
142:
141:
116:
115:
113:
112:
105:
98:
90:
87:
86:
85:
84:
79:
78:
77:
76:
75:
74:
73:
63:
62:
61:
41:
40:
39:
26:
25:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
4197:
4186:
4183:
4181:
4178:
4176:
4175:Sotho grammar
4173:
4172:
4170:
4155:
4152:
4150:
4147:
4145:
4142:
4140:
4137:
4135:
4132:
4130:
4127:
4126:
4123:
4115:
4112:
4110:
4107:
4105:
4102:
4100:
4097:
4095:
4092:
4090:
4087:
4086:
4085:
4082:
4080:
4079:Orthographies
4077:
4075:
4072:
4071:
4068:
4064:
4060:
4053:
4048:
4046:
4041:
4039:
4034:
4033:
4030:
4023:
4018:
4017:0-582-61700-6
4014:
4010:
4006:
4003:
4000:
3996:
3993:
3990:
3986:
3985:
3981:
3973:
3966:
3963:
3958:
3951:
3948:
3943:
3939:of the noun
3937:
3930:
3927:
3922:
3916:
3910:
3904:
3900:
3896:
3892:
3888:
3884:
3879:
3873:
3865:
3859:
3853:
3847:
3841:
3834:
3831:
3826:
3820:
3814:
3807:
3804:
3799:
3793:
3787:
3780:
3778:
3776:
3772:
3769:
3767:
3757:'n the pool'
3756:
3753:
3749:
3746:
3742:
3739:
3738:
3734:
3731:
3727:
3724:
3720:
3717:
3716:
3712:
3709:
3705:
3702:
3701:Fa setlhareng
3698:
3695:
3694:
3690:
3687:
3684:
3681:
3680:
3673:
3671:
3669:
3665:
3661:
3655:
3652:
3643:
3638:
3634:
3628:
3623:
3622:
3617:
3614:
3609:
3603:
3595:
3592:
3588:
3582:
3579:
3573:
3571:
3569:
3567:
3565:
3563:
3561:
3559:
3555:
3550:
3544:
3539:
3533:
3530:
3523:
3520:
3514:
3510:
3507:
3503:
3500:
3496:
3495:
3493:
3486:
3482:
3479:
3475:
3474:
3468:
3467:
3465:
3461:
3457:
3453:
3447:
3444:
3441:
3439:
3435:
3431:
3426:
3423:
3419:
3415:
3411:
3404:
3401:
3398:
3392:
3387:
3377:
3372:
3367:
3362:
3358:
3355:
3350:
3346:) → class 9
3344:
3340:
3335:
3330:
3328:" is rendered
3327:
3322:
3317:
3313:
3311:('Afrikaner')
3309:
3303:
3302:
3297:
3294:
3290:
3285:
3281:
3277:
3271:
3270:
3264:
3263:
3262:
3260:
3257:
3249:
3243:
3237:
3231:
3227:
3224:
3219:
3213:
3207:
3201:
3197:
3196:
3195:
3193:
3183:
3177:
3171:
3165:
3159:
3155:
3151:
3145:
3141:
3137:
3131:
3130:ho ya le moya
3127:
3123:
3117:
3113:
3110:
3105:
3099:
3095:
3092:
3088:
3082:
3078:
3077:
3076:
3073:
3065:
3059:
3053:
3047:
3041:
3037:
3036:
3035:
3032:
3022:
3016:
3010:
3006:
3005:
3004:
3001:
2995:
2985:
2979:
2973:
2969:
2968:
2967:
2964:
2955:
2940:
2934:
2928:
2924:
2923:
2921:
2918:
2915:
2911:
2908:
2905:
2902:
2901:
2900:
2892:
2884:
2876:
2868:
2860:
2852:
2847:
2845:
2842:
2837:
2831:
2825:
2824:semetle-metle
2819:
2815:
2814:
2813:
2807:
2803:('otherness')
2801:
2797:('other') →
2795:
2791:
2788:
2784:
2778:
2774:
2771:
2767:
2761:
2757:
2754:
2753:
2752:
2749:
2740:
2732:
2726:
2722:('speak') →
2720:
2716:
2715:
2713:
2708:
2703:
2697:
2696:dikgomo-kgomo
2691:
2687:
2686:
2684:
2678:
2672:
2668:
2667:
2664:
2659:
2653:
2647:
2643:
2642:
2640:
2636:
2632:
2627:
2621:
2615:
2609:
2604:
2600:
2594:
2588:
2582:
2576:
2570:
2565:
2562:
2556:
2552:('woman') →
2550:
2546:
2545:
2542:
2537:
2536:
2535:
2529:
2527:
2525:
2517:
2512:
2509:
2504:
2501:
2497:
2494:
2491:
2486:
2482:
2479:
2474:
2471:
2467:
2466:
2465:
2463:
2460:
2457:
2453:
2449:
2445:
2442:
2438:
2433:
2429:
2421:
2419:
2416:
2409:
2401:
2399:
2396:
2391:
2382:
2376:
2372:
2371:
2370:
2367:
2361:
2355:
2353:
2349:
2344:
2338:
2334:
2330:
2326:
2325:
2324:
2321:
2315:
2309:
2306:
2300:
2298:
2294:
2289:
2285:
2279:
2276:
2270:
2268:
2264:
2259:
2253:
2248:
2243:
2237:
2231:
2225:
2219:
2215:
2211:
2210:ho se tsofale
2205:
2199:
2195:
2194:
2193:
2186:
2181:
2176:
2170:
2168:
2164:
2159:
2155:
2150:
2144:
2140:
2136:
2132:
2128:
2122:
2118:
2115:
2109:
2105:
2101:
2097:
2096:
2095:
2092:
2086:
2084:
2080:
2076:
2072:
2068:
2063:
2058:
2052:
2048:
2044:
2040:
2038:('eyelashes')
2036:
2032:
2031:
2030:
2028:
2023:
2017:
2015:
2010:
2004:
1998:
1994:
1993:
1992:
1981:
1975:
1971:
1967:
1961:
1957:
1956:
1955:
1952:
1938:
1932:
1928:
1924:
1923:ntshunyakgare
1918:
1917:ho sunya hare
1914:
1910:
1906:(class 9) →
1904:
1898:
1892:
1888:
1887:
1886:
1874:
1870:
1866:
1862:
1858:
1854:
1853:
1848:
1842:
1838:
1834:
1830:
1829:
1828:
1826:
1822:
1817:
1815:
1810:
1804:
1800:
1799:
1798:
1795:
1789:
1787:
1782:
1777:
1771:
1767:
1763:
1759:
1755:
1751:
1747:
1743:
1742:
1741:
1738:
1732:
1730:
1725:
1720:
1715:
1710:
1706:
1703:
1697:
1693:
1690:
1684:
1680:
1676:
1672:
1668:
1664:
1663:
1662:
1659:
1653:
1651:
1646:
1640:
1636:
1632:
1628:
1624:
1618:
1614:
1610:
1606:
1605:
1604:
1602:
1597:
1591:
1589:
1584:
1578:
1574:
1573:
1572:
1569:
1563:
1561:
1556:
1550:
1544:
1540:
1536:
1530:
1526:
1522:
1518:
1517:
1516:
1509:
1503:
1497:
1492:
1486:
1482:
1481:
1480:
1473:
1469:
1465:
1461:
1460:
1459:
1456:
1450:
1448:
1443:
1437:
1433:
1432:
1431:
1428:
1422:
1420:
1415:
1410:
1405:
1404:mmamolangwane
1401:
1397:
1391:
1385:
1381:
1379:(proper name)
1377:
1371:
1365:
1361:
1357:
1353:
1352:
1351:
1348:
1344:for boys and
1342:
1336:
1330:
1324:
1318:
1312:
1309:
1303:
1297:
1295:
1290:
1284:
1278:
1274:
1270:
1264:
1260:
1256:
1252:
1248:
1244:
1240:
1236:
1235:
1234:
1231:
1225:
1219:
1213:
1207:
1203:
1198:
1192:
1190:
1187:
1181:
1175:
1169:
1163:
1157:
1156:
1149:
1143:
1137:
1128:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1108:
1104:
1100:
1095:
1090:
1084:
1078:
1072:
1068:
1067:
1066:
1062:
1058:
1055:
1049:
1043:
1038:
1034:
1027:
1021:
1015:
1009:
1005:
1004:
1003:
996:
992:
988:
985:
981:
977:for Sesotho
975:
969:
963:
958:
953:
950:
946:
944:
943:
942:
935:
931:
927:
926:
923:
919:
915:
912:
903:
899:
896:
892:
888:
887:
884:
880:
876:
873:
864:
860:
856:
852:
848:
845:
841:
839:
836:
833:
832:
828:
824:
820:
816:
813:
809:
807:
804:
801:
800:
797:('ugliness')
795:
791:
790:
780:
776:
773:
764:
760:
755:
751:
750:
745:
741:
739:
731:
727:
722:
718:
717:
709:
705:
700:
694:
690:
685:
681:
678:
674:
672:
669:
666:
665:
657:
653:
650:
646:
644:
641:
638:
637:
632:
628:
625:
621:
619:
616:
613:
612:
604:
600:
597:
593:
591:
588:
585:
584:
579:
575:
572:
568:
566:
563:
560:
559:
551:
547:
544:
540:
538:
535:
532:
531:
526:
522:
519:
515:
513:
510:
507:
506:
503:is high tone
501:
490:
486:
480:
477:
476:
471:
467:
464:
460:
458:
455:
452:
451:
443:
439:
436:
432:
430:
427:
424:
423:
419:
416:
413:
410:
407:
406:
400:
397:
393:
391:
383:
381:
378:
374:
369:
363:
357:
351:
341:
335:
331:
330:
329:) to become
328:
312:
306:
300:
294:
290:
289:
287:
283:
278:
273:
269:
264:
258:
252:
248:
247:
242:
234:
231:
228:
225:
222:
221:
220:
217:
215:
211:
207:
203:
195:
193:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
163:
159:
157:
153:
151:
139:
135:
131:
127:
126:
125:
122:
121:
111:
106:
104:
99:
97:
92:
91:
89:
88:
83:
80:
72:
69:
68:
67:
64:
60:
57:
56:
55:
52:
51:
50:
47:
46:
45:
42:
38:
35:
34:
33:
30:
29:
28:
27:
24:
20:
4148:
4104:Prepositions
4098:
4008:
3998:
3988:
3965:
3950:
3929:
3894:
3890:
3886:
3882:
3881:arose when *
3833:
3806:
3765:
3762:
3654:
3616:
3594:
3581:
3532:
3522:
3484:
3477:
3459:
3446:
3437:
3433:
3427:
3425:
3421:
3417:
3413:
3409:
3403:
3396:
3360:
3315:
3283:
3253:
3245:('database')
3223:constitution
3188:
3122:modulasetulo
3069:
3043:('love') →
3027:
2990:
2947:
2936:driver and
2907:
2904:
2898:
2838:
2835:
2827:('big news')
2811:
2780:('hard') →
2769:('quantity')
2763:('many') →
2744:
2728:language →
2693:('cows') →
2674:('king') →
2660:The suffix
2639:velarization
2533:
2521:
2511:
2503:
2493:
2481:
2475:('king') →
2473:
2462:
2459:
2443:
2436:
2434:
2431:
2411:
2387:
2356:
2347:
2346:
2343:
2340:('far away')
2332:('tomorrow')
2310:
2301:
2292:
2291:
2280:
2271:
2246:
2245:
2242:
2171:
2153:
2152:
2149:
2130:('ugliness')
2124:('ugly') →
2087:
2079:enumeratives
2066:
2065:
2062:
2026:
2018:
2013:
2012:
2009:
1986:
1963:('give') →
1943:
1883:
1820:
1818:
1813:
1812:
1809:
1790:
1785:
1784:
1781:
1733:
1728:
1727:
1724:
1654:
1649:
1648:
1645:
1626:('election')
1600:
1592:
1587:
1586:
1583:
1564:
1559:
1558:
1555:
1504:
1495:
1494:
1491:
1478:
1451:
1446:
1445:
1442:
1439:('servants')
1423:
1418:
1417:
1414:
1350:for girls).
1313:
1298:
1293:
1292:
1289:
1286:('advocate')
1214:
1205:
1201:
1200:
1196:
1132:
1063:
1059:
1039:
1028:
1025:
1000:
965:'tongues',
956:
949:nasalization
945:
940:
933:('overseas')
894:('tomorrow')
882:('far away')
829:belong here
757:('prayers')
737:
698:
687:('secrets')
581:('fingers')
528:('fathers')
448:human nouns
398:
394:
390:noun classes
387:
352:
348:
218:
210:noun classes
199:
186:enumeratives
160:
148:
147:
130:South Africa
123:
53:
4094:Determiners
4074:Phonologies
4005:Doke, C. M.
3745:Mo sedibeng
3452:Proto-Bantu
3371:loudspeaker
3363:→ class 7
3318:→ class 9
3305:→ class 5
3292:('heathen')
3286:→ class 1
3203:('law') +
3167:'stand' →
3153:('doctors')
3061:('beloved')
2899:Note that:
2894:('to love')
2844:('love') →
2790:Enumerative
2611:(sometimes
2584:father) or
2456:copulatives
2221:('see') →
2167:copulatives
1983:('expense')
1977:('eat') →
1836:('eyelash')
1580:('colours')
1464:Bo-Mmathato
1317:ho hlonepha
1242:('servant')
1094:palatalized
947:means that
747:('things')
724:('prayer')
473:('people')
362:kgodumodumo
277:Proto-Bantu
202:noun prefix
190:possessives
174:copulatives
82:Orthography
4180:Declension
4169:Categories
4089:Adjectives
3995:Demuth, K.
3982:References
3723:Kwa nokeng
3645:('Autumn')
3456:cliticised
3420:, class 9
3416:, class 4
3412:, class 2
3352:(note the
3331:Afrikaans
3279:('sweets')
3259:Afrikaners
3242:sesiu-sedi
3192:possessive
3150:bokeatseba
3144:ke a tseba
3136:seyalemoya
3104:Mojatlhapi
2987:('wealth')
2832:From verbs
2530:From nouns
2524:open class
2518:Derivation
2450:, and the
2204:ho tsofala
2163:predicates
2071:adjectives
1844:('sing →
1765:('French')
1601:as well as
1524:('forest')
1258:('friend')
921:('behind')
819:ho tsamaya
703:(variable)
659:('secret')
553:('finger')
492:('father')
445:('person')
417:Example(s)
286:palatalize
206:Derivation
178:adjectives
4129:Bulgarian
3918:-x" and "
3768:instead.
3688:(Sesotho)
3587:circumfix
3397:Impolite
3296:Afrikaans
3276:dipompong
3218:molaotheo
3182:lemediqho
3093:('grass')
2930:drive →
2906:, giving
2756:Adjective
2680:('queen')
2677:kgosihadi
2490:le morena
2478:wa morena
2415:agreement
2083:relatives
2075:relatives
2046:('songs')
1825:nasalized
1806:('trees')
1776:motswalle
1770:setswalle
1678:('blood')
1538:('noise')
1326:(or just
1255:motswalle
1117:dingwetsi
1112:velarized
1051:. Also,
1048:metswalle
1042:Motswalle
822:('to go')
782:('bread')
754:dithapelo
711:('thing')
634:('days')
196:Structure
182:relatives
32:Phonology
4144:Romanian
4109:Pronouns
4084:Grammars
3752:sedibeng
3708:sefateng
3685:Setswana
3660:morpheme
3642:Lehwetla
3466:order):
3460:suffixes
3376:dipikara
3359:English
3343:fenestra
3326:silent r
3321:titjhere
3314:English
3289:mohetene
3282:English
3109:derisive
3058:moratuwa
3012:flow →
2939:sekganni
2933:mokganni
2773:Relative
2508:ho motse
2441:locative
2402:Concords
2352:Setswana
2348:Class 18
2314:lehodimo
2297:Setswana
2293:Class 17
2284:lefatshe
2267:Setswana
2247:Class 16
2224:ho mmona
2198:-tsofala
2154:Class 15
2138:('pain')
2067:Class 14
2051:ditlhaka
2014:Class 10
1997:-lebella
1969:('gift')
1909:ntshiuwa
1903:ntshiuwa
1850:('song')
1757:('tree')
1670:('legs')
1623:lekgetho
1447:Class 2a
1436:bahlanka
1390:Mmathato
1311:prefix.
1294:Class 1a
1269:molekodi
1250:('king')
1239:mohlanka
1122:Setswana
854:('down')
631:matsatsi
603:letsatsi
414:Spelling
241:velarize
214:concords
59:Concords
37:Tonology
4154:Tlingit
4134:English
4061:of the
3861:) and
3813:-lelele
3636:'moon')
3538:Swahili
3430:isiZulu
3366:spikara
3361:speaker
3349:festere
3334:venster
3316:teacher
3284:heathen
3265:French
3158:leemedi
3046:-ratuwa
2927:-kganna
2914:gerunds
2891:ho rata
2783:bothata
2766:bongata
2731:sekapuo
2712:similes
2690:dikgomo
2652:thejane
2623:, and
2620:-anyane
2135:bohloko
2057:lehlaka
2035:dintshi
2003:tebello
1897:mosiuwa
1860:('cow')
1814:Class 9
1786:Class 8
1729:Class 7
1683:makgomo
1650:Class 6
1639:lehlaka
1634:('leg')
1617:-kgetha
1588:Class 5
1560:Class 4
1496:Class 3
1419:Class 2
1396:Rathato
1283:mmuelli
1277:-buella
1263:-lekola
1202:Class 1
1107:ngwetsi
1092:is the
1083:majwang
1077:bojwang
991:isiZulu
941:Notes:
827:gerunds
721:thapelo
684:diphiri
656:sephiri
606:('day')
578:menwana
550:monwana
525:bontate
484:—
279:*-jana)
268:Swahili
150:Sesotho
134:Lesotho
44:Grammar
23:Sesotho
4139:German
4015:
3997:2000.
3957:mosadi
3942:ngwana
3730:nokeng
3691:Gloss
3633:kgwedi
3627:ngwedi
3308:Leburu
3269:bonbon
3236:lesedi
3206:motheo
3170:-emela
3052:-ratwa
2883:borati
2867:serati
2859:lerato
2851:morati
2800:bosele
2777:-thata
2760:-ngata
2637:, and
2626:-nyana
2555:bosadi
2549:mosadi
2470:morena
2446:, the
2439:, the
2329:hosane
2320:hodimo
2263:adverb
2252:fatshe
2143:bohadi
2114:morena
2108:borena
2100:bodutu
2077:, and
2043:dipina
1891:-siuwa
1803:difate
1762:Sefora
1754:sefate
1746:sefofu
1719:bohadi
1714:lobolo
1709:mahadi
1702:morena
1696:marena
1609:lefuba
1577:mebala
1535:modumo
1356:malome
1332:) and
1247:morena
1186:maisao
1174:lapeng
1168:lelapa
1155:letsie
1054:morena
1020:difate
1008:sefate
995:Silozi
980:lerato
974:lorato
968:diteme
962:maleme
918:moraho
891:hosane
851:fatshe
779:bohobe
744:dintho
420:Notes
411:Prefix
377:fupara
327:elided
317:, the
263:ngwana
188:, and
132:, not
124:Notes:
4149:Sotho
4114:Verbs
4099:Nouns
4059:Nouns
3885:and *
3864:ntate
3843:and *
3682:Class
3649:(15).
3527:14/6.
3485:speak
3424:etc.
3418:é-mi-
3414:á-ba-
3410:ó-mu-
3393:Notes
3339:Latin
3230:sesiu
3200:molao
3040:-rata
3021:moedi
3015:moela
2984:moruo
2978:morui
2875:thato
2841:-rata
2818:metle
2794:-sele
2707:seka-
2671:kgosi
2663:-hadi
2646:thebe
2500:motse
2422:Tones
2236:-bona
2218:-bona
1937:nthao
1931:morao
1865:nnete
1857:kgomo
1841:-bina
1833:ntshi
1689:kgomo
1667:maoto
1631:leoto
1549:-bala
1543:mmala
1529:-duma
1384:Thato
1376:Thato
1370:thato
1364:-rata
1127:betsi
1120:. In
1071:jwang
489:ntate
470:batho
442:motho
408:Class
356:motho
340:mmuso
334:-busa
305:jwang
272:mwana
170:verbs
152:nouns
66:Verbs
54:Nouns
4013:ISBN
3936:-ana
3893:and
3887:mama
3883:rare
3878:Mma-
3875:and
3872:Rra-
3858:mame
3846:mama
3840:rare
3825:kude
3608:-li-
3436:and
3422:é-N-
3386:sep-
3301:Boer
3176:qho!
3164:-ema
3031:-uwa
3009:-ela
2972:-rua
2719:-bua
2617:),
2614:-ane
2608:-ana
2599:Mma-
2587:Mma-
2575:Rra-
2375:mose
2337:hole
2258:fase
2185:-se-
2158:verb
2127:bobe
1980:tjeo
1966:mpho
1847:pina
1675:madi
1521:moru
1323:mma-
1302:mma-
1180:isao
1162:tsie
1089:jwa-
930:mose
879:hole
794:bobe
708:ntho
497:The
373:verb
299:-ang
288:to
257:-ana
3972:-ka
3915:Mma
3903:wa-
3895:mma
3891:rre
3852:mme
3819:-de
3798:mo-
3792:ho-
3786:fa-
3740:18.
3718:17.
3696:16.
3549:zi-
3543:zi-
3494:):
3464:SVO
3273:→
3049:/
3000:mo-
2959:/ɔ/
2950:/i/
2748:bo-
2725:puo
2593:Ma-
2581:rre
2569:Ra-
2541:bo-
2444:ho-
2437:le-
2395:mo-
2366:mo-
2360:mo-
2305:ho-
2275:fa-
2175:ho-
2169:).
2121:-be
2091:bo-
2027:di-
2022:di-
1974:-ja
1960:-fa
1951:-eo
1878:/m/
1873:mpa
1794:di-
1737:se-
1658:ma-
1596:le-
1568:me-
1508:mm-
1455:bo-
1427:ba-
1407:('
1347:ra-
1341:ma-
1335:ra-
1329:ma-
1308:ma-
1305:or
1224:mm-
1218:mo-
1148:di-
1142:se-
1136:le-
1099:bo-
1033:mo-
1014:se-
957:di-
911:mo-
872:ho-
844:fa-
812:ho-
772:bo-
738:di-
677:di-
649:se-
624:ma-
596:le-
571:me-
543:mo-
518:bo-
500:bo-
463:ba-
435:mo-
323:/m/
319:/b/
315:/b/
302:→
296:+
260:→
254:+
245:/ŋ/
243:to
239:to
237:/m/
4171::
3921:Ra
3774:^
3766:go
3667:^
3602:i-
3557:^
3438:á-
3434:ú-
3369:('
3225:')
3221:('
3194:.
2966::
2751:.
2714:.
2633:,
2192:.
2073:,
1827:.
1712:('
1502:.
1411:')
1233:.
1212:.
1206:or
1189:.
904:.
902:18
865:.
863:17
837:.
835:16
805:.
803:15
765:.
763:14
732:.
730:10
695:.
670:.
642:.
617:.
589:.
564:.
536:.
511:.
509:2a
481:.
479:1a
456:.
428:.
293:bo
275:;
251:mo
184:,
180:,
176:,
172:,
158:.
4051:e
4044:t
4037:v
4019:.
3909:a
3828:.
3480:"
3356:)
3111:)
2994:i
2963:o
2954:i
1821:-
1552:)
1230:b
1102:.
699:-
693:9
668:8
640:7
615:6
587:5
562:4
534:3
454:2
426:1
140:.
109:e
102:t
95:v
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