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11 May 2008
23 April 2008
Seboka (meeting or comittee)
From the hands, mind and hard work of KSU’s own President Emeritus Dr. Betty Siegel and her institute, The Siegel Institute for Leadership, Ethics and Character, a "Seboka" has been developed in South Africa. Seboka is a Sesotho [Bantu language spoken primarily in South Africa] word meaning a group of people meeting for a common cause.
[source...]
11 April 2008
20 September 2006
Boputsoa (blueness)
This is a Powerpoint presentation of the world as seen from the skies. Some of the images are quite stunning. The comments are in Sesotho. Whether you're a learner or not, enjoy it, and pass it on.
05 September 2006
Nonyana (bird)
Like a bird rushing to catch the fattest worm, Lucas Nonyana surged early
and left his opponents eating dust as he pounded the 42,2 km Two Countries
Marathon route from Zimbabwe to South Africa to win the 10th race last Saturday.
As his namesake - Nonyana is a bird in Sesotho - the Liberty Life Athletics
Club athlete rushed forward to lead the other 45 runners as soon as the Musina
Local Municipality's Mayor Caroline Mahasela pulled the trigger at 7.00am to
start the annual race from Beitbridge to Musina. [Source]
Nonyana belongs to noun class number 9, just like thuhlo (giraffe) and kolobe (pig) and many other animals. The plural of nonyana is linonyana in Lesotho and dinonyana in South Africa. Same pronunciation, though: /dee-noh-nyanah/. Two giraffes are lithuhlo (dithuhlo), and two pigs are likolobe (dikolobe).
Here's a Sesotho proverb with the word "nonyana" in it: sehlaha sa nonyana se okamela boliba (bodiba), a bird's nest overlooks an abyss. Can you guess the meaning? Sesotho Web puts it down as a riddle, though.
Other mentions of "nonyana" are: eslweb.net , websters-online-dictionary.org , nonyanariverestate.co.za.
04 September 2006
Neo, Lineo and telephoning
"Neo in Sotho means a gift and this is a token the whole of South Africa will hope to receive as Neotel, the second fixed-telephone line operator, rolls out its services. [Source]"
The first three letters of the company name, Neo, are pronounced approximately /NAY-oh/ and indeed do mean "gift." The plural is lineo in Lesotho and dineo in South Africa, same pronunciation in both countries: /dee-NAY-oh/.
I guess Telkom now has a real rival. Will it bring prices down? What I hope, is for the people of South Africa to receive a real neo. Neo or Lineo is also a forename. The first one can be for girls or boys, whereas the second is mainly for girls, like my daughter. I don't know a boy named Lineo.
22 July 2006
How to learn Sesotho
You were wondering about what it takes to learn Sesotho, right? Well, using the wiki program through Wikihow ("The How-To Manual That Anyone Can Write or Edit"), I've managed to put it all down in black and white. So, finally, here's how to learn Sesotho.
The steps are a mixture of my experience as a language learner (especially of French), as a paedagogue and as a native speaker of Sesotho. Good luck.
16 July 2006
How to say please in Sesotho
In Sesotho, the toilet is ntloana (or boithomelo, if you want to be uppity about it). Ntloana literally means a small house. When you gotta go, you gotta go, right? But how do you declare such an intention? How do you ask those around you to show you where the small house is? Nothing simpler. Remember the following language practices, however: [1.] In Sesotho you add -ng or -eng or -ing to a noun, if you want to turn the noun into "the place of + that original noun." Here are a few examples:
- bolo (ball), bolong (stadium);
- joala (alcohol), joaleng (bar/pub/shebeen);
- leloala (mill), leloaleng (at the miller's);
- lebota (wall), leboteng (on the wall);
- 'mele (body), 'meleng (on the body);
- ntloana (toilet), ntloaneng (at/to/in the toilet);
- khauta or gauta (gold), Khauteng or Gauteng (a South African province where there are gold mines);
- mokhoro (Basotho hut), mokhorong (at the hut).
The second thing to remember is that [2.] Politely does it. Ke kopa ... is the formula you want to learn, and use over and over when asking for things. Say it like this: / key-coop-uh / It is the equivalent of "May I..." or "Please..." One day we will look at how you can say, "give it the f*ck to me!" But not right away, ahem.
- Ke kopa metsi. May I have some water?
- Ke kopa lijo. May I have some food?
- Ke kopa ho ea ntloaneng. May I go to the toilet?
- Ke kopa thuso. I need help.
- Ke kopa pampiri. May I have some paper?
- Ke kopa ho tsamaea. May I go?
- Ke kopa ho shoa / schwa /. May I die?
There is also ak'u mphe..., another polite phrase when asking for things. It is rather informal when compared to ke kopa ..., and sounds something like /AH-comb-PAIR/. AH-comb-PAIR pampiri, or "can you give me some paper?" If you learn some verbs, you can take this quite far, indeed.
Ak'u mphe lijo (please give me food),
Ak'u nkise sepetlele (take me to the hospital please),
Ak'u nthuse (please help me),
Ak'u thole (please be quiet).
You can literally ak'u anything. Toilets are often plain outhouses in the smaller villages of Lesotho (hence the name of small house, of course). In America they call them outhouses. Modern toilets with running water are a city luxury. There are no taboos that I can think of regarding toilets and toilet-going. Basotho regard toilet-going as something essential that has to be carried out, full-stop. Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go. Here are the two phrases to remember: key-coop-uh and ah-comb-pair.
Anothing thing to remember is that the /k/ and /c/ sounds in these two phrases are exactly the same. I have made them different because I wanted to use recognisable English words for the purposes of facilitating memory. But they are the same, and are a hard /k/ sound with as little aspiration (or expiration, you know, that little air that escapes when you say /c/ in English) as possible. If you say them like the English words they are, everyone will understand you, but you'll sound like a foreigner.
01 July 2006
Nyala, o tla nyela
Many white South Africans still hold misinformed perceptions about living with black people in a black township. To counter that misconception, Fanie Kruger left his family in Pienaarspoort and moved in with black people in the Mamelodi township.
Fanie Kruger has been living in Mamelodi for the past twenty years and still enjoys every moment of his stay. 'Bra Fannie', as many people call him, says he cannot believe how quickly he managed to learn the Sotho language in the first year of living there. By the sound of his accent, it is not easy by any stretch of imagination to think he is not an original Sotho speaking person.
"I enjoy my life and staying here and everybody loves me," says Fanie. He is a mechanic by profession. "I do not like working for other people, I enjoy working for myself," he says. He works from his home in Mamelodi East where he repairs vehicles with engine and break problems. "I like working with people but the problem is that most people here like to complain, especially when I have to charge them a fee after repairing their vehicles. I then just laugh and finally we have to reach a compromise."
He says he grew up on a farm in Pienaarspoort where most of his friends were black people. "With that background, it was easy for me to adapt to the lifestyle of the people in Mamelodi," he says. About his personal life, Fanie says he has been blessed with a child with his black girlfriend. "I am not planning to rush into marriage yet," he says adding that ba boletse bare, nyala o tla nyela, which means life turns out to be a bit more difficult when you are married. [www.rekord.co.za]
Editor's note: the verb ho nyala means to marry, whereas the verb ho nyela means to defecate. It is common in Sesotho to say U tla nyela, playfully or aggressively, to convey a message similar to the English "I'm gonna beat the shit out of you." The phrase literally says, "You'll shit." The less literal but more contextual meaning would be the one suggested in the article above, "Life turns out to be a bit more difficult when you are married."
29 June 2006
Learning Sesotho
- Quizzes on Lesotho and Sesotho
- Quizzes: # Lesotho Geography # Sesotho: House words # Lesotho History # National University of Lesotho # Moshoeshoe I # Sesotho: Clothes # Lesotho Government Structure # Pronouncing Sesotho
- Lesotho From K to O
- English is the official language, Sesotho (southern Sotho) is the national language. Some Zulu and Xhosa are also spoken. Sesotho is not supposed to be an easy language, due to its tonal features and its uncommon sounds. But I'm sure you'll agree with me
- English/Sesotho Glossary
- English/Sesotho Glossary
- ZA Languages -- Sesotho -- Pronunciation
- Sesotho: Pronunciation Guide
- ZA Languages -- Sesotho -- Phrases
- Sesotho: General Words and Phrases
- Books for learners of Sesotho
- Sesotho Language: Must have resource references for folks who like to understand different cultures and have to translate or need to learn more languages and get ivolved with foreign travels.
- Friends of Lesotho
- This page can only give a brief introduction to the language. Please read through some of the contrasts with English, then listen to the samples below
- Rethabile's FAQ
- Category: Help learning Sesotho efficiently
- Sesotho sa moeti (English) Foreign Languages
- Sesotho sa moeti -- Sesotho for the traveller
- Ethnologue 14 report for language code:SSO
- Southern Sotho: a language of Lesotho (Ethnologue)
- Sesotho language - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Sesotho (Southern Sotho) is the one of the eleven official languages of South Africa, and one of the two official languages of Lesotho.
- Sesotho Pronunciation Guide
- Sesotho Pronunciation Guide
- Sesotho Words
- Sesotho Words and Phrases
- South African Languages Sesotho
- Sesotho, or Southern Sotho, is spoken in Lesotho, the Free State and southern Gauteng.
- Online Dictionary: Sesotho sa Lebowa (Northern Sotho) - English
- An online English-Sesotho dictionary (Sesotho sa Lebowa)
- On Sesotho
- Learn Sesotho by reading regular posts on this blog. Quizzes, explanations and discussions.
- On English: Africans and 2nd Languages
- The way Africans learn and use second and even third languages
- English-Sesotho Vocabulary Quizzes
- English-Sesotho vocabulary quizzes to help you learn and review your Sesotho vocabulary ...
Morena Moshoeshoe Pitsong
"Moshoeshoe, when hearing of the trekker settlement [...], stated that '... the ground on which they were belonged to me, but I had no objections to their flocks grazing there until such time as they were able to proceed further; on condition, however, that they remained in peace with my people and recognised my authority.' [www.biography.ms]"
They did not.
27 June 2006
Mahe a linotši
I just couldn't help putting this up for those of you who speak or are learning Sesotho. It's a PowerPoint document that you need to download (ho theohelisa) and run through your favourite anti-virus program, just for good measure. Or just open it online. And enjoy. U tla e fumana atereseng e latelang: http://r.masilo.free.fr/tse_ling/mahe.a.linotsi.pps
25 June 2006
15 June 2006
Crossword Puzzle: The Face/Le Visage
The Face/Le Visage: Sesotho Crossword Puzzle
Enjoy it. I'm hoping to put up a puzzle or a quiz per week. Do come back, and keep trying to learn or teach Sesotho. Don't let it go the way of the dodo.
22 May 2006
Lumela / Dumela
Lumela in Lesotho and Dumela in South Africa are the Sesotho greeting. Literally, the word means "agree," though it isn't clear what the greeted person is required to agree with. Lumela is singular and lumelang is plural, or respectful what addressed to one person. Which of the responses in this quiz are inappropriate?
02 May 2006
Lijo, or Food
Remember that in southern Sotho, "li" is pronounced "di" -- so food in Sesotho becomes /dee-JAW/22 December 2005
Maele (Proverbs)
Know a proverb in Sesotho? Sure you do. Why don't you leave one or two proverbs for the world to see? Other languages have lots of proverbs contributed by various native speakers of those languages. Sesotho needs more representation.
Computer terms in African languages
"Media reports say a team of linguistics experts participated in the creation of a glossary of more than 3 000 Kiswahili words for computer terms. The interface pack, LIP is designed to enhance access to technology by people in a language that is familiar to them and celebrates the beauty of cultural diversity. Already Microsoft has in South Africa entered into partnership with various stakeholders to develop software in isiZulu and Afrikaans. This was achieved last year and plans are afoot to expand this to seSotho, seTswana, isiXhosa and Tshivenda among other languages in that country."
http://allafrica.com/stories/200512210482.html
20 August 2005
Temporary Move
For a while and until I sort things out, posts about Sesotho will be at my other blog, Sotho. I cannot say how long that will last, but this blog isn't at all dead.
20 April 2005
Those Cows!
Likhomo tseo! That's the literal translation of the above title: those cows. In Sesotho, however, the phrase is a greeting uttered to an adult, usually a male adult. Cows hold a special place in a Mosotho's heart. They are riches and food, and fuel, and clothing, and beasts of burden. Cows are everything to us.
Riches because they are collateral-lobola-milk-beef rolled into one; fuel because we dry dung and burn it; clothing because traditionally we wear their hide, and beasts of burden because they carry our heavy loads and pull our ploughs to till the land.
So go ahead and try the greeting, preferably with a raised hand, Likhomo! Or Likhomo tseo! And if there are children around, or in the family, Likhomo tseo le manamane a tsona! The latter greeting means, Those cows and their calves. It is a greeting of respect.
The following link goes to the Lesotho Prime Minister's Speech on the 25th Anniversary of the Central Bank of Lesotho. The last words he utters, right at the end of his talk, are... link.
01 March 2005
Nkoe
Nkoe,
Nkoe ke phoofolo
E maroborobo;
Ha e bona motho
E ea mo tlolella -- e se mo tlolelletse!
Ea qaqapolotsa
Letlalo la hlooho,
Motho ke bohloko,
A be se a pota...
A batla motoho,
Motoho oa matekoane.
See if you can translate the words in red into English, French or Swahili. I'll symbolically reward the "winner" with two Gmail accounts. How about that?
09 February 2005
Marena a Basotho
- Moshoeshoe I: Mothei oa sechaba sa Basotho, ntat'a Letsie I
- Letsie I: Mora Moshoeshoe I - Ntat'a Lerotholi
- Lerotholi: Mora Letsie I - Ntat'a Letsie II
- Letsie II: Ha a ka a ba le mora, eaba ho busa moena oa hae, Griffiths
- Griffiths: Mora Lerotholi - Moena Letsie II
- Seeiso: Mora Griffiths
- Bereng Seeiso (Moshoeshoe II) - Mora Seeiso
- Mohato Seeiso (Letsie III) - Mora Moshoeshoe II
Translate that into English or French or Kiswahili and you'll get a gmail account on the double. Conditions: the translation has to be understandable, and you mustn't be a Mosotho. Yes, you can cheat.
21 January 2005
Mponeng
A popular BBC series, Keeping Up Appearances, is going to get a Sesotho version. It will be broadcast by SABC2 under the name Mponeng, which literally means "See me" but could be the equivalent of "Attention j'arrive" or "Look at me, everybody!"
The verb, to see, is ho bona. A well-know Sesotho proverb proclaims that Ho tsamaea ke ho bona, or To travel is to see.
05 January 2005
Morui
"Gracious God, remind us today that "ours" is really Yours, that giving is a joy, that you invite us to trust you and care for each other over and over again. Bless us that we may build your realm wherever we may be. Amen.
In the Sesotho language of Lesotho, a person who is wealthy is called a ‘morui.' However, not all forms of wealth are equally respected. One who is rich in cattle is more highly respected than one who keeps his wealth in a bank account or household property. The reason for this is that cattle can benefit not only the owner but the whole community. The true morui will place some of his cattle in the care of others in the village so they, too, can benefit from them, loan them to others for use during the plowing season and sell them to those in need, with the price depending on the circumstances of the one in need. Money in the bank or household property is considered a selfish form of wealth, whereas cattle can help transform the whole community. A man with money ‘only helps himself'; a true morui ‘knows the poor.' A morui is a vital part of village life and productivity, not someone detached and separated from it.
How at odds this understanding of wealth is with the way it is usually perceived and practiced in Western cultures. Instead of wealth being something which frequently divides people, here we have an understanding where wealth provides for people. How much better off the world would be if more people invested their wealth in directly productive assets which could benefit the poor. Without meaning to oversimplify the solution to world poverty, surely there is something to be learned from this example in Lesotho, and a challenge to us in our own uses of wealth. Perhaps the Basotho can help us to develop our own understanding of wealth!
As far as we know, Jesus did not own any cattle and would not qualify as a morui in the usual sense of the word. But he surely was one who knew the poor and taught extensively about wealth. Let us seek wisdom from God's Word and Jesus' teaching to use our wealth wisely.
Mark Behle, UCC/Disciple missionary in Lesotho
Adapted from In Mission 1999/2000: A Calendar of Prayer for the United Church of Christ, United Church Board for World Ministries & United Church Board for Homeland Ministries, November 14."
[ Source... ]
14 November 2004
09 November 2004
Book: Sesotho Made Easy
The blurb says: "A manual that bridges the gap between pure grammar and practical speech. A step-by-step guide that provides examples in Sesotho, English and Afrikaans. The book is aimed at both first- and second-language speakers of Sesotho, and covers all aspects of grammer and has a detailed list of vocabulary. Every chapter begins with an orientation to help the learner. The pictorial vocabulary in Chapter 1 enables easy reference and visual associations."
[ Source... ]
06 November 2004
New Proverb Book
South African author and play director, Nape 'a Motana, has published a book called Sepedi (Northern Sotho) Proverbs. It is a collection of proverbs in the Northern Sesotho language. I haven't yet seen the book, but many of the proverbs must be the same as our own Southern Sesotho proverbs.
[ Read more... ]
Chakela Maqephe a Jako
One of the most complete resources out there is Jako Olivier's pages. If you haven't yet gone to see and learn, what are you waiting for? Learn forms of greeting, basic phrases, and a lot more. If you have questions, try to write to him here: jako at cyberserv dot co dot za.
04 November 2004
Absa ATMs in Sesotho
Since 18 April 2004, the nation's isiXhosa, isiZulu and SeSotho speakers, have had the option of transacting on all, except a third, of Absa's ATMs in their home language, therefore addressing and reducing the risk associated with transacting in language not familiar to customers. Absa is the only South African bank to offer this facility.
Blount County, TN
Republican: Bush (Incumbent)I wasn't really surprised that Blount County in East Tennessee voted 68% for Bush. I should know... I went to school there. I was rather surprised, however, that the whole country leaned that way. Well, not the whole country, really; more like a little over half. As President Bush said, "America has spoken." What is it saying, though?
33,240
68%
Democratic: Kerry
15,042
31%
Independent: Nader
204
1%
Other: Badnarik & Peroutka
134 & 88
0%
[ Source... ]
Is America saying it wants to hand out its form of moral values to everyone else? And that despite pre-war lies and the very hard, resultant existences led by so many people involved? Is it saying it wants all stem cell research to cease (by the way, I have a sick relative, how about you)? Abortion to be rendered illegal?
Whatever the message behind this 4-year mandate, it is skin off the noses of American voters and less off mine, even though their decision spills out beyond their borders. So four more years it is. I think those Americans who voted for Kerry should continue to stand up and be heard. The opposite is unthinkable.
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