Shua language

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Shua or Shuakhwe is a Khoisan language of central Botswana with about 6,000 speakers (2004 Cook). Like many Khoisan languages, it has clicks and ejectives and distinctive tones (that is, tone alone can make the difference between one word and another). Unlike most Khoisan languages, but like Nama, the most neutral word order is SOV, though word order is relatively free. As with most Khoisan languages, there are postpositions. There is a tense-aspect marker keʔ which often appears in second position in present imperfective sentences, giving X Aux S O V order (e.g. S Aux O V).

For example,

K'arokwa keʔ ǀuizi ʔa gam
boys Asp rock-pl obl throw
"The boys are throwing rocks"
ǀui-zi ʔa keʔ k'arokwa gam
rock-pl obl Asp boys throw
"The boys are throwing rocks"

The language is currently (spring 2007) being researched at CASTL in Tromsø, Norway.

[edit] Dialects

  • Deti
  • Ganádi
  • Shua-khwe
  • Nǀoo-khwe
  • Kǀoree-khoe or ǀOree-khwe
  • ǁʼAiye or ǀAaye
  • ǀXaise or ǀTaise
  • Tshidi-khwe or Tcaiti or Sili or Shete Tsere
  • Danisi or Demisa or Madenasse or Madinnisane
  • Cara

[edit] External link

Khoisan languages  (classification)

Edit
ǁAni | Gǁana | Gǀwi | Hadza | ǂHõã | Juǀʼhoan | Korana | ǃKung (ǃXũũ) | Kwadi | ǂKxʼauǁʼein | Kxoe |

Nama | Naro | Nǀu | Sandawe | Seroa | Shua | Tsoa | ǀXam | ǁXegwi | Xiri | ǃXóõ