A Survey of the Minority Languages of Zimbabwe

by Simooya Jerome Hachipola

Zimbabwe is one of the few countries in the region with no comprehensive information on its language situation. This book seeks to fill the gap. Language policy in Zimbabwe has evolved around the three official languages, English, Ndebele and Shona. The author, a lecturer in Bantu linguistics at the University of Zimbabwe highlights the status of theindigenous minority languages by identifying communities speaking minority languages, their locations, and the role minority languages have played inthe education system and in the media. Languages covered are Kalanga, Hwesa, Sotho, Shangani (Tsonga), Tonga of Mudzi District, Venda, Tonga, Chikunda, Doma, Chewa/Nyanja, Khoisan (Tshwawo), Barwe, Tswana, Fingo or Xhosa, Sena and Nambya. The author also gives recommendations of how minority languages may be incorporated into future language policy.

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