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Language

Xhosa

Bantu Languages

Xhosa, also known by its local name isiXhosa, is a Bantu language indigenous to Southern Africa and one of the official languages of South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Facts
ISO 639-3 Code
xho 2
Speaker Count
8,000,000 2
2013 estimate, first-language speakers; the infobox also gives 11 million second-language speakers (2002), not captured here.
Status
Living 2
Wikipedia article on Xhosa: a currently spoken living language with an active native-speaker population; checked 2026-09-27.
Attested From (Year)
from 1823 3
Region
eastern Eastern Cape; scattered communities elsewhere 2
Classification
Language Kind
Safe 1
Official Status
Official Language 2
Connections

In Family

Atlantic-Congo, Language Families
Source Wikipedia: Xhosa Language
Southern Bantu languages, Language Families
Source Wikipedia: Xhosa Language

Written In

Latin Script, Scripts

Xhosa is standardly written in the Latin alphabet.

In the Other Atlases

Cases Where Used

Xhosa

Also in Society and Culture Atlas: used in this subject.

Source Wikipedia: XhosaLead paragraph of the cited Wikipedia articletier 3
Quote, Lead paragraph of the cited Wikipedia article
The Xhosa people ( KAW-sə, KOH-sə; Xhosa pronunciation: [kǁʰɔ́ːsa] ) are an ethnic group in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Lesotho.

Original Language Of

U-Carmen eKhayelitsha

Also in Film and Media Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Found In

Africa

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Glottolog
Sources
1. Glottolog: Xhosa (Glottolog languoid xhos1239)
GlottologEndangerment, AES status
Quote, Endangerment, AES status
AES status: not endangered
View the Source
2. Wikipedia: Xhosa Language
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Lead section
    Xhosa ( KOH-sə, Xhosa: [ᵏǁʰôːsa] ), formerly spelled Xosa and also known by its endonym isiXhosa, is a Bantu language, indigenous to Southern Africa and one of the official languages of South Africa and Zimbabwe.
  • Infobox, ISO 639-3
    xho
  • Article text
    Nelson Mandela's Xhosa initiation ceremony is featured in the 2013 film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
  • Infobox, Region
    eastern Eastern Cape; scattered communities elsewhere
  • In Family: Atlantic-Congo, Infobox: fam2
    Atlantic-Congo
  • In Family: Southern Bantu languages, Infobox: fam8
    Southern Bantu
View the Source
3. Omniglot: Xhosa language, alphabet and pronunciation
OmniglotLanguage at a glance
Quote, Language at a glance
First written : 1823
View the Source
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