Difference between revisions of "Xhosa"

From Apertium
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Line 3: Line 3:
'''Xhosa''' ([[Wikipedia: Xhosa language]]) is a ([[Wikipedia: Nguni Bantu]]) language spoken mainly in Africa. Its widespread use is not very common and only has a small number of individuals enacting the language (11 million)
'''Xhosa''' ([[Wikipedia: Xhosa language]]) is a ([[Wikipedia: Nguni Bantu]]) language spoken mainly in Africa. Its widespread use is not very common and only has a small number of individuals enacting the language (11 million)


* Zulu and Xhosa are relatably comparable and similar due to them both being Nguni transcripts (predominant in Southern Africa)
* Zulu and Xhosa are relatably the most similar due to them both being Nguni transcripts (predominant in Southern Africa)

* Xhosa is also similar to the languages of Swati and Ndebele which are spoken among the Bantu people




Line 15: Line 17:


'''Xhosa Cross Linguistics'''
'''Xhosa Cross Linguistics'''
* [https://www.uwc.ac.za/Faculties/ART/Xhosa/Pages/Research-.aspx - Research by the University of Western Cape providing cross linguistics upon Xhosa corpora]
* [https://www.uwc.ac.za/Faculties/ART/Xhosa/Pages/Research-.aspx "Cross linguistics upon Xhosa Corpora Research", ''parallel corpora is researched upon the many similarities it contains with other African dialects''], https://www.uwc.ac.za/Faculties/ART/Xhosa/Pages/Research-.aspx


'''The Tone Analysis of Xhosa'''
'''The Tone Analysis of Xhosa'''
*[http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00020185808707048 "The Tonemes of Xhosa", analyzing tones and syllable click sounds in Xhosa], http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00020185808707048
*[http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00020185808707048 "The Tonemes of Xhosa", ''analyzing tones and syllable click sounds in Xhosa''], http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00020185808707048


== Comparative Studies ==
== Comparative Studies ==
Line 24: Line 26:


'''Xhosa Literary + Academic Study (Rhodes University)
'''Xhosa Literary + Academic Study (Rhodes University)
*[http://www.dispatchlive.co.za/lifestyle/2017/05/02/xhosa-holds-academic-studies/ Providing Academic Studies on Literary Aspects of Xhosa]
*[http://www.dispatchlive.co.za/lifestyle/2017/05/02/xhosa-holds-academic-studies/ "Providing Academic Studies on Literary Aspects of Xhosa",'' Xhosa is used as a tool to analyze the complexities and dynamics of African literary production written in African languages.], http://www.dispatchlive.co.za/lifestyle/2017/05/02/xhosa-holds-academic-studies/


'''Comparative Study: Zulu - Xhosa'''
'''Comparative Study: Zulu - Xhosa'''
* [http://www.aclweb.org/anthology/W09-0714 - The similarities between the two languages based on a morphological analyzer (ZuluMorph) cross-linguistically]
* [http://www.aclweb.org/anthology/W09-0714 "ZuluMorph's Analysis on Xhosa to Zulu Translation, ''the similarities between the two languages based on a morphological analyzer (ZuluMorph) cross-linguistically''], http://www.aclweb.org/anthology/W09-071






== Linguistic Grammar ==
== Linguistic Grammar ==
*http://www.academicroom.com/topics/what-is-xhosa-language - a concept summary providing full context over the following grammars stated and discussed
*[http://www.academicroom.com/topics/what-is-xhosa-language "What is Xhosa?", ''a concept summary providing full context over Xhosan grammar''], http://www.academicroom.com/topics/what-is-xhosa-language


Xhosa contains multiple prefixes and suffixes which are attached to root words. Thus, the language is declassified into fifteen morphological classes or genders. Furthermore, the language is unique based on its tones, the phonemic low, and high tones;
Xhosa contains multiple prefixes and suffixes which are attached to root words. Thus, the language is declassified into fifteen morphological classes or genders. Furthermore, the language is unique based on its tones, the phonemic low, and high tones;
Line 41: Line 43:




Xhosa Pronunciation + Language Set:[http://www.omniglot.com/writing/xhosa.htm Omniglot Writing Systems and Languages]
Xhosa Pronunciation + Language Set: [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/xhosa.htm Omniglot Writing Systems and Languages]




Line 50: Line 52:
(most are mainly decoded within English subtexts and contexts)
(most are mainly decoded within English subtexts and contexts)


* [http://tshwanedje.com/members/gmds/documents/Prinsloo_on_OZSD.pdf Oxford Studies] http://tshwanedje.com/members/gmds/documents/Prinsloo_on_OZSD.pdf
* [http://tshwanedje.com/members/gmds/documents/Prinsloo_on_OZSD.pdf "Oxford Studies", ''The Oxford University has provided many studies with focus mainly on the translational dictionaries available''], http://tshwanedje.com/members/gmds/documents/Prinsloo_on_OZSD.pdf
* [https://glosbe.com/en/xh/ English to Xhosa Bilingual Dictionary] https://glosbe.com/en/xh/ - Includes Zulu transcripts
* [https://glosbe.com/en/xh/ "English to Xhosa Bilingual Dictionary", ''A full translational dictionary covering most aspects of the dula languages of Xhosa and Zulu'' ], https://glosbe.com/en/xh
* [http://www.gononda.com/xhosa/ "Xhosa to English Dictionary", ''] http://www.gononda.com/xhosa/
* [http://www.gononda.com/xhosa/ "Xhosa to English Dictionary", ''A complete list of translated and Xhosa applicable words translated into English and vice versa''] http://www.gononda.com/xhosa/
* [http://ufh.ac.za/centres/xnlu/introduction "isiXhosa National Lexicography Unit", '']
* [http://ufh.ac.za/centres/xnlu/introduction "isiXhosa National Lexicography Unit", ''The National Lexicography Unit provides additional research of multi-syllable words of Xhosa as well as dictionary referendums''], http://ufh.ac.za/centres/xnlu/introduction


Due to the language being indigenous and mostly forgotten as a dialect of the older remnants of Africa, many dictionaries could not be found so many of these dictionaries are transcribed to the modern English meanings
Due to the language being indigenous and mostly forgotten as a dialect of the older remnants of Africa, many dictionaries could not be found so many of these dictionaries are transcribed to the modern English meanings

Revision as of 05:04, 5 January 2018

The Xhosa Language

Xhosa (Wikipedia: Xhosa language) is a (Wikipedia: Nguni Bantu) language spoken mainly in Africa. Its widespread use is not very common and only has a small number of individuals enacting the language (11 million)

  • Zulu and Xhosa are relatably the most similar due to them both being Nguni transcripts (predominant in Southern Africa)
  • Xhosa is also similar to the languages of Swati and Ndebele which are spoken among the Bantu people


Apertium Language Pairs

Currently, on Apertium, the language of Xhosa is recorded to have one language pair:

(list of language pairs)

Computational Linguistics

Xhosa Cross Linguistics

The Tone Analysis of Xhosa

Comparative Studies

Xhosa Literary + Academic Study (Rhodes University)

Comparative Study: Zulu - Xhosa


Linguistic Grammar

Xhosa contains multiple prefixes and suffixes which are attached to root words. Thus, the language is declassified into fifteen morphological classes or genders. Furthermore, the language is unique based on its tones, the phonemic low, and high tones;

  • they are a [à], á [á], â [áà], ä [àá]. Long vowels are phonemic but are usually not written, except for â and ä

The usage of uncommon consonants is dominant throughout the language in the version of clicks. The language uses 21 clicks (7 dental), however, the number of clicks varies based on each region (Namibia and Botswana primarily)


Xhosa Pronunciation + Language Set: Omniglot Writing Systems and Languages



Bilingual/Monolingual Dictionaries

(most are mainly decoded within English subtexts and contexts)

Due to the language being indigenous and mostly forgotten as a dialect of the older remnants of Africa, many dictionaries could not be found so many of these dictionaries are transcribed to the modern English meanings

Monolingual/Parallel Corpora