What is the clicking language in South Africa?

Khoisan languages
There are two groups of languages in southern Africa that have clicks: the Khoisan languages and certain languages of the Niger-Congo family, most notably Zulu and Xhosa. The Khoisan languages have had clicks in them from time immemorial, and their speakers have always been in the southern part of Africa.

What is the African language with clicks?

IsiXhosa is a native South African Bantu click language that adopted its clicks through trade and inter-tribal marriage with the Khoisan people. Khoisan languages are among the oldest known language systems on Earth. And the Khoisan people can be genetically traced back to the first human civilisation.

Does Tsonga have clicks?

Unlike some of the Nguni languages, Tsonga has very few words with click consonants, and these vary in place between dental and postalveolar.

Does Xhosa have clicks?

Like Zulu, Xhosa uses the Roman alphabet. Xhosa’s three types of clicks, which linguists call dental, lateral, and alveolar, are written with the letters C, X, and Q. To make the “C” click, place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, near your incisors and make a tsk!

What is a tongue click?

A click is where your tongue starts at the alveolar ridge and hits the bottom of your mouth, which is what makes the noise. A lot like a finger snap in your mouth. The way Alyssa describes doing the tongue pop noise is by putting your tongue to the roof of your mouth and sucking in air to create the pop.

Does South Africa have a clicking language?

The Clicking Languages of South Africa. Zulu, the most common South African language, is widely spoken in Gauteng and along the East Coast in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Unlike Xhosa, the clicks and words in Zulu are differentiated only by tone, not by spelling. Surprisingly, Africa isn’t the only continent where clicks are part of the language.

Is Zulu the only African language with clicks?

Zulu, the most common South African language, is widely spoken in Gauteng and along the East Coast in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Unlike Xhosa, the clicks and words in Zulu are differentiated only by tone, not by spelling. Surprisingly, Africa isn’t the only continent where clicks are part of the language.

What is a click language?

A century ago, at least 100 indigenous click languages were likely spoken in the southern and eastern regions of Africa. To those unfamiliar with clicks, it can seem as if a click-language speaker’s mouth has morphed into a percussion instrument.

How do you click your tongue in South Africa?

The Clicking Languages of South Africa. For the ‘X’ click, you place the side of the tongue against the teeth and inhale, making a clicking sound. The ‘Q’ click is produced by placing the tip of the tongue against the roof of the mouth and snapping it downwards. If you do it right, you should make a loud ‘clop’ sound.