Tau tsa hloka seboka di sitwa ke nare e hlotsa- Lions who do not work together are foiled by an injured buffalo.
Sepedi Proverb
According to the Sepedi proverb, if people are not united, they will fail to accomplish a simple task. South Africans together need to work on distinguishing between Sotho and Sepedi so that we aren't fooled into thinking that they are one and the same. It is often assumed that the Sotho and Sepedi people speak the same language, but what unites them is their shared roots in the Sotho-Tswana ethnolinguistic family. The Sepedi and Sesotho people are linked as they share both historical and linguistic roots.
However, these people are not united in terms of the languages that they speak. Sepedi, or Northern Sotho, is the language spoken by the Sepedi people. Sotho, however, can further be divided into Southern Sotho and Western Sotho. So let's work together to uncover the differences between Southern Sotho, Western Sotho, and Sepedi. While doing so, we can learn more about how the Sepedi people's culture influences the language that they speak and how these languages with Bantu roots branched off into Northern Sotho and Southern Sotho variations over time.
Understanding the Sotho-Tswana Language Family
distinct Bantu languages
Admittedly, there are core differences between Northern Sotho (Sepedi), Southern Sotho (Setsotho), and Western Sotho (Setswana). Despite their shared Bantu roots, these languages evolved over time. The ancestral Sotho-Tswana groups trekked South to East Africa and Botswana, and as a result, Western Sotho, or rather Setswana, became the language commonly spoken in these provinces. When the small chiefdoms settled with their tribes in Limpopo and Gauteng, a diverse dialect known as Northern Sotho (Sepedi) formed. Due to Southern migration patterns, the dialect with Southern Sotho features began to be spoken in the Free State and Lesotho.
We can think of Sotho, Sepedi, and Tswana as being different branches on the same tree. While they share the same roots, each branch has its own characteristics and features. However, these distinct language groups may share other similarities, like the food they enjoy or their mutual love for maize or cooked spinach. While we may enjoy discovering Pedi traditional foods, we should also enjoy learning about how the Sepedi and Sotho languages changed over time, as language is inevitably closely linked to identity.
Image Source: Unsplash | Annie Spratt
How did the Languages Sharing Bantu Roots Diverge Over Time?
Over time, the three branches of the Bantu language tree (Northern, Southern, and Western Sotho) grew phonetically distinct. Northern and Southern Sotho retained sounds like "hl" and "thl," while Setswana lost this consonant cluster. Migration drove much of this change, as speakers absorbed elements from neighboring languages: Setswana was shaped by Khoisan influence, while Northern Sotho drew from Eastern Sotho and other regional dialects.
Sotho is spoken and written differently across South Africa and Lesotho, with Northern Sotho dominating in South Africa and Southern Sotho in Lesotho. Recognizing the distinction between Sepedi and Southern Sotho matters, since conflating them erases the unique identity and history of each group.
South Africa is a rainbow nation made up of people from different race groups, tribes, and language groups.
Since South Africa can be seen as the rainbow nation, it holds true that all languages have differences, and it is also our belief that we should respect linguistic uniqueness as best as we can. In respecting language differences, we need to know the vocabulary and understand the grammatical rules of each language.
Key Linguistic Differences Between These Languages
If we spoke a different language, we would perceive a somewhat different world.
Ludwig Wittgenstein
By looking at Northern Sotho (Sepedi) and Southern Sotho (Sesotho) side by side, it is clear that each language has its own vocabulary and grammatical structure. It is also rather easy to hear the obvious differences in terms of the pronunciation of certain words. A look at some commonly used words in both languages shows that while certain sounds are similar, the words used and the pronunciation of such words are unique in each language.
English
To speak
To know
No, I know nothing
Hello
Flour
Too much
Northern Sotho (Sepedi)
Go bolela
Go tseba
Aowa, ga ke tseba selo
Dumela (Thobela)
Folouro
Kudu
South Sotho (Sesotho)
Go bua
Go tsebisa
Tjhe, ha ka tseba letho
Dumela (Lumela)
Phofo
haholo
While some words in Sepedi may have a similar ring to the same word in Sotho, many words differ entirely between the two languages. However, both languages are similar in that they are both considered to be grammatical tone languages. Thus, in both languages, the pitch used when uttering a word can change its meaning.
The main difference between Sepedi and Sotho can be attributed to their individual vowel systems and their consonant shifts.
Sesotho is dependent on a 5-vowel system (a, e, i, o, u) which tends to be controlled by vowel height and open and closed variations. Sepedi is a language that relies on a 7-vowel system that also includes mid-vowels. When it comes to the consonant shift, Sepedi has many words that use the "h" consonant, and Sotho has many words that either begin with or feature the "g" consonant.
Image Source: Unsplash | Eva Blue
The more intricately we study the two languages, the easier it becomes to notice that the two languages are separated by so much more than geographic location. Nevertheless, learning to speak one of these Bantu languages means getting to see the world from an entirely new perspective.
Different Regions, Different Cultures
Sepedi and Sotho speakers in Africa
While we note the differences between Sesotho and Sepedi as a variation in how words are pronounced and the products of diverse grammatical nuances, we cannot shy away from the fact that where speakers are located influences how they speak. Since South Africa's people are more than just bilingual, the language that a person will speak is linked to their respective geographical location.
Sesotho (Southern Sotho) is the home language of people living in the Free State. This language features elements of language blending and a fair amount of slang, which sets it apart from the Sotho spoken across the border. Sesotho sa Leboa (Northern Sotho) is commonly spoken in the Limpopo province and has its own tonality, grammar, and vocabulary in comparison to the Southern Sotho variation, which is spoken in another province.
The Northern Sotho people (Bapedi) and the Southern Sotho people (Basotho) are distinct people who remain related in some way. While sharing the very same linguistic roots, the languages are formed in different areas under the leadership of different leaders. Due to a confederation of chiefs in northeastern Transvaal, Bapedi formed. The Basotho people developed their identities in the Kingdom of Lesotho and the Free State.
Where people were geographically located influenced the language dialect and language variation that they ended up speaking.
Where people settled and where they were located also influenced the shelter, clothing, farming, and language of the people. Since the Basotho people lived in the mountainous regions, their language was more unified, and only dialectal changes could be heard. With Sepedi-speaking people scattered over large distances and separated by rivers, sub-dialects like Pedi, Tau, and Kopa began to form.
What Do Speakers Say?
In Sotho, "Morena ke morena ka batho" means that a leader's power and worth come from the people around.
Similarly to the Sotho saying, languages only gain their power from the people who speak them. To really understand a language, we must speak to the language speakers. Sepedi people are rather proud of the name of their language to the extent that they feel that deciding to change the language name from Sepedi to something else is an extension of the Apartheid regime. On the other hand, there are some people who feel Sesotho sa Leboa is a far more desirable term for Northern Sotho since Sepedi is but one distinct dialect in the broader language group.
Image Source: Unsplash | Elizeu Dias
Yes, many speakers of the Sepedi and Sotho languages are in agreement that there are many words that sound rather similar to each other; however, all of the language speakers agree that the separate languages they speak would result in them having separate identities as well. Learning about the Bapedi Kingdom will assist us more in understanding the difference between the Bapedi people and the Basotho people.
Why Mutual Respect for Linguistic Identity Matters
When we respect the linguistic differences between people and groups of speakers, we acknowledge each speaker's unique identity. By realising that languages like Sepedi and Sotho have their difference, we preserve human rights and show respect for human dignity.
Understanding the different languages that people speak means respecting the differences between people and promoting mutual understanding. It means that we acknowledge that not all people speak the same language or that people have diverse dialects and that we understand such differences.
By showing an acknowledgement and an appreciation of the different languages that people speak, we improve our understanding of South Africa and the diverse languages spoken in the country. We show acknowledgement of each and every language, and we preserve human history and creativity. Understanding the difference between Sepedi and Sesotho starts either with understanding the Sotho language family or with choosing the right Sepedi or Sesotho tutors for you.
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