Setswana

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A language of Botswana

ISO 639-3
tsn
Alternate Names
Bechuana, Beetjuans, Chuana, Chwana, Coana, Cuana, Sechuana, Secoana, Secwana, Tshwana, Tswana
Autonym
Setswana
User Population

1,940,000 in Botswana, all users. L1 users: 1,790,000 in Botswana (2020). L2 users: 150,000. Total users in all countries: 13,745,730 (as L1: 5,895,730; as L2: 7,850,000).

Location

Widespread as lingua franca; Central district: Mahalapye and Serowe-Palapye subdistricts; Kgatleng and South East districts; Kweneng and Southern districts: east; North West district: Maun village area.

Language Maps
Language Status

1 (National). De facto national language.

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Sotho-Tswana (S.31)
Dialects

Tlahaping (Thlaping, Tlapi), Rolong, Kwena, Kgatla, Ngwatu (Ngwato), Tawana, Lete, Ngwaketse, Tlokwa, Sehurutshe. High intelligibility among Southern Sotho [sot], Northern Sotho [nso], and Setswana. Standard Setswana is based on the Sehurutshe dialect and is nearly identical to it.

Language Use

Vigorous. Used among the educated. More for spoken purposes than written. Used by all.

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 80%–90%. Official language of instruction grades 1–4 in all government primary schools. Taught in all primary and secondary schools in grades 1 and 2 and as subject thereafter. Newspapers. Periodicals. Radio. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1857–1993.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Setswana
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

90%–95% of children complete standard 7 in primary school. Christian, traditional religion.

Also spoken in:

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