On Sesotho

Lengau (sing.), Mangau (pl.)

2012-01-17T00:30:00.000+01:00

Last Sunday the central South African city of Mangaung, known as Bloemfontein in Afrikaans, came to life as current and future heads of states, distinguished guests and thousands of ordinary people converged in its conference halls and streets to celebrate the hundredth birthday of the oldest political party in the continent, the African National Congress (ANC). The city, whose name means "a

Group mourn their leader

2011-12-28T15:25:00.000+01:00

'God himself is talking ..." or, "Modimo o a bua" in Sesotho' From [Group mourn their leader] Ed: Remember that in Lesotho it is "Molimo" but is still pronounced /mo-DI-mo/, as all 'li's in Lesotho are pronounced /di/, like: Lelimo /le-DI-mo/ (cannibal) Seliba /se-di-ba/ (water spring, or well) Molilietsane /mo-DI-DI-ay-TSA-ne/ (ululation) Litaba /di-ta-ba/ (news) Lehalima /le-ha-di-MA/

Lehalima means "lightning" in Sesotho

2011-09-30T17:06:00.000+02:00

Lehalima, which means "lighting" in Sesotho, was initially designed for prepaid electricity, but has now evolved to service other utilities and services for many homes and businesses. Clients buy their electricity services from designated selling points or through a free cellphone application, which is linked to Home Grown's data centre at SmartXchange in Durban. Source: Lehalima means "

High Tea African Women in Business Event

2011-08-20T18:43:00.000+02:00

Lamunu means "orange" in Sesotho, a theme that is carried throughout this deliciously sweet and flavourful hotel and it offers simplified comfort in a stylishly fun environment, all decked out in a retro colour-palette and bold oranges set strikingly against blacks and browns and quirky details. The 60 ensuite rooms at the hotel offer snug modernity, while Lamunu’s restaurant, La Menu serves

BBC News - Remote Lesotho's biker nurses

2011-07-23T07:59:00.000+02:00

Mothers used to have to walk three hours to get their children vaccinated in rural Lesotho.Now nurse Thabiso Phoka reaches them by motorbike but he still has to leave his bike at the top of the mountain and walk down the very steep hill into the village.[See the video: BBC News - Remote Lesotho's biker nurses]

Sesotho drama kept alive

2011-07-22T16:50:00.000+02:00

RENOWNED author, actor and playwright Khotso Nkhatho, 57, who played in the well-known television series Mopheme in the 80s, is still keeping millions of South Africans tuned in to their radios with his epic Sesotho dramas.Born in Mamahabane township, in Ventersburg, Nkhatho discovered his passion for drama at an early age."I used to act in school plays at primary school, and immediately fell in

Tšukulu (or tshukudu) means rhino, in Sesotho

2011-07-20T04:44:00.000+02:00

Where cheetahs prosper - Times LIVE "The Times Explorer team spent one night at Tshukudu - which means "rhino" in Sesotho - during our whirlwind tour through the breathtaking provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo."In Lesotho the word is pronounced the same, but written with an "s-caron" instead, and an 'l' instead of a 'd': tšukulu. Remembering that in Lesotho, 'lu' is pronounced 'doo' and 'li' is

Ideas with wings, or taximan pie in the sky? (and the word "hlokomela")

2011-07-20T04:39:00.000+02:00

"One of the first projects under the TR3 20202 strategy is Operation Hlokomela, the Sesotho word for caution. Among the initiatives under Operation Hlokomela are taxi inspections before leaving the rank and the evaluation of drivers’ physical condition. The initiative seeks to entrench the values of the Arrive Alive campaign that encourages safe driving practices." Source: Ideas with wings, or

Zoo's baby giraffe is named

2011-03-25T18:40:00.000+01:00

Zoo's baby giraffe is named | News Update THE baby giraffe born at Johannesburg Zoo at the beginning of the year, has been named Thato. Meaning "will" in Sesotho [Rethabile says, as in "thy will be done"], the name was chosen through a competition in which the public could suggest names for the new born. The winning name came from Sheila Osman and her five-year-old grandson Nabeel, who are

Lesotho King to lead peace march - People's Daily Online

2010-11-17T15:03:00.000+01:00

Lesotho's King Letsie III and Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili will on Friday lead the nation in a peace march in the capital Maseru, marking the African Union's declaration of 2010 as a year of peace, stability and security.More

The lion won't sleep tonight

2010-10-05T17:21:00.000+02:00

"We name our children after them: Tau (lion) is a common forename, and surname, in Sesotho.There are many people whose surname pays tribute to the mighty elephant: Tlou (Sesotho), Olifant (Afrikaans) and Ndlovu (Zulu). "[Source]In effect, southern Africans place names of animals on children a lot. Here are some common Sesotho names:Nkoe, TigerTau, LionPhiri, HyenaNtsu, EagleNku, SheepLinku, Sheep

'Rude' word for whites sparks feud - Times LIVE

2010-07-18T21:06:00.000+02:00

'Rude' word for whites sparks feud - Times LIVE The word in question is "Lekhooa" (Lesotho) or "Lekgowa" (South Africa). It is a Sesotho word that means white person, or Caucasian. It is not offensive in itself but can be, depending on the manner it is delivered in. But this is true of many words. The word "Senoamali" (Lesotho) or "Senwamadi" (South Africa), on the other hand, is rude. It

Morena is Sesotho for "king"

2010-06-07T18:06:00.000+02:00

Cape Argus: Come on, let's belt out the anthem Do you know the words of the national anthem? Not just the tune, but can you confidently belt it out beyond the first two verses, not stumbling on the Sesotho line "Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso" and fading at the "O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho", before picking up robustly on "Uit die blou van onse hemel".

Matekoane is Sesotho for "dagga"

2010-06-06T07:51:00.000+02:00

Lesotho's people plead with South Africa to annex their troubled country | World news | The Observer In 1980, Lesotho produced 80% of the cereals it consumed. Now it imports 70%. The only real cash crop is marijuana, grown between rows of maize and smuggled to South Africa on donkeys. Drug cultivation is such a lifeline that the children clothed and fed with its proceeds have a name: bana

Mangaung: Lengau means leopard/cheetah in Sesotho

2010-06-04T00:28:00.000+02:00

Stadium guide: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein - Sports - Football - ibnlive Bloemfontein is situated in the municipality of Mangaung, which means 'Place of the Cheetahs' in the seSotho language and this is where you will find the Free State Stadium, home to the country's most fanatical group of supporters. Ed: Lengau (singular), Mangau (plural)

Making A Lesotho Tapestry

2010-06-01T06:55:00.000+02:00

Phoka is Sesotho for dew

2010-05-31T14:09:00.000+02:00

Postcard from Phokeng "Phokeng, town of the Bafokeng, or "People of the Dew." The tribe dates from A.D. 1140, and for centuries they wandered the dry plains of southern Africa as nomads." [continue...]

"On Sesotho" has moved...

2008-05-11T07:54:00.001+02:00

...to http://basotho.wordpress.com (Sotho)Please tweak your blog roll appropriately.

Molora (ash)

2008-04-11T10:27:00.001+02:00

"Molora" is the Sesotho word for "ash." [More...]

Boputsoa (blueness)

2006-09-20T07:32:00.001+02:00

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.

Nonyana (bird)

2006-09-05T04:51:00.002+02:00

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

Neo, Lineo and telephoning

2006-09-04T08:12:00.001+02:00

"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: /

How to learn Sesotho

2006-07-22T00:52:00.000+02:00

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

How to say please in Sesotho

2006-07-16T07:33:00.000+02:00

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

Nyala, o tla nyela

2006-07-01T06:49:00.001+02:00

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

Learning Sesotho

2006-06-29T08:22:00.000+02:00

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 SesothoLesotho 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

Morena Moshoeshoe Pitsong

2006-06-29T01:13:00.000+02:00

"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.

Mahe a linotši

2006-06-27T01:12:00.000+02:00

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

Crossword Puzzle: Clothes/Vêtements

2006-06-25T00:42:00.000+02:00

Clothes/Vêtements: Sesotho Crossword Puzzle. Enjoy it.

Crossword Puzzle: The Face/Le Visage

2006-06-15T10:47:00.000+02:00

The Face/Le Visage: Sesotho Crossword PuzzleEnjoy 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.

Lumela / Dumela

2006-05-22T10:48:00.001+02:00

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?Lumela (Hello)LumelaKe lapileU phela joang

2006-05-02T12:37:00.000+02:00

Lijo, or Food Remember that in southern Sotho, "li" is pronounced "di" -- so food in Sesotho becomes /dee-JAW/Papa is a kind ofsoupbreadmeatThe verb "to eat" isho jaho nyofaho nyokotlaWhat's "lipabi"?ground maize + sugarbread + fruitground sorghum + honeySay, "May I have some food?"Ke kopa lijoKe batla lijoKe tsoma lijoSay, "I'm thirsty."Ke kopa metsiKe

Maele (Proverbs)

2005-12-22T17:15:00.000+01:00

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

2005-12-22T16:46:00.000+01:00

"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

Temporary Move

2005-08-20T19:01:00.000+02:00

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.

Those Cows!

2005-04-20T21:38:00.000+02:00

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

Nkoe

2005-03-01T13:31:00.000+01:00

Nkoe,Nkoe ke phoofoloE maroborobo;Ha e bona mothoE ea mo tlolella -- e se mo tlolelletse!Ea qaqapolotsaLetlalo 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?

Marena a Basotho

2005-02-09T01:53:00.000+01:00

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

Mponeng

2005-01-21T17:07:00.000+01:00

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.

Morui

2005-01-05T23:03:00.000+01:00

"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

Barotseland

2004-11-14T07:57:00.000+01:00

What and where exactly is Barotseland? And what's its relation to Sesotho and Basotho?

Book: Sesotho Made Easy

2004-11-09T22:10:00.000+01:00

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

New Proverb Book

2004-11-06T07:22:00.000+01:00

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

2004-11-06T01:15:00.000+01:00

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.

Absa ATMs in Sesotho

2004-11-04T21:56:00.000+01:00

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

2004-11-04T06:29:00.000+01:00

Republican: Bush (Incumbent) 33,240 68% Democratic: Kerry 15,042 31% Independent: Nader 204 1% Other: Badnarik & Peroutka 134 & 88 0% [ Source... ]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

Vote, Vote, Vote.

2004-11-02T14:25:00.000+01:00

If you are American, and you have registered to vote, please do so. Vote for the issues, not the party. But vote. It's important for America but also, unfortunately, for the world. The past four years have darkened my horizon as well as many other people's. Have they brightened yours? Do you look at the world today and feel... what... hope? Fear? Every voice counts. Your voice counts. I'm asking

Film called Puleng

2004-10-30T02:22:00.000+02:00

[...] Ali's film made under the scheme is called Puleng (which means rain bringer in the African language of Sesotho). The film has an African storyline which was inspired and informed by her childhood spent in Lesotho, the tiny impoverished country in southern Africa recently visited by Prince Harry. [...] [ Read on... ]

Litlhaka tsa mantsoe

2004-10-27T07:32:00.000+02:00

SSOETHO: Hnoa le tuhto e reng mohto ea baanlg a ka utliusisa seo a se blaang lhea litlhkaa li se moo re li leebleltesng. Tlahka ea plee le ea ho qeetla tsnoa litlemahile hoba libkaeng tsa tosna. Tuhto eo e enstoe ke ba seoklo se sheolo sa Cabrmidge. Lebkaa leo ba fnaang ka lnoa ke hroe bkoo ba moblai bo utluiissa matnsoe kafoela ha ona, eesng lilthaka tsa manstoe ao. FARNACIS: Sleon une édtue de

North Sotho Idiom

2004-10-24T01:54:00.000+02:00

AN ANCIENT North Sotho idiom proclaims: '... Mahlaku a maswa a ema ka a matala ....' Directly translated to English it means 'fresh (new) branches sustain themselves through older ones.' [ Read on... ]

A Glass of Bubbly

2004-10-23T18:53:00.000+02:00

Sip on a glass of bubbly while watching the group perform a repertoire of African music in Xhosa, English and seSotho, complemented by powerful drumbeats and background percussion. The lively beats and spectacular dance routines that are African inspired and combined with contemporary, tap and ballet influences will most certainly have the audience moving in their seats. [ Source... ] Sounds

Useful Phrases

2004-10-21T01:15:00.000+02:00

I put these useful phrases up some time ago. What I'd like to do, as soon as I get a little time off, is to develop the list into a sort of active and consultable glossary. Perhaps one to which visitors can add their own useful phrases and sentences... You can also check out out: 'Ngoe, Peli, Tharo, 'Nè and Hlano. Note that Peli and Tharo use South-African spelling, not Lesotho spelling.

SABC-4

2004-10-19T17:38:00.000+02:00

The SABC says an amount of R200 million has been budgeted for the two regional television channels which the broadcaster plans to launch next year. The channels, to be called SABC 4 and SABC 5, will supplement the existing channels in terms of the language spread. SABC 5 will serve mostly Nguni languages, while SABC 4 will accommodate Sesotho language groups. [ Source... ]

Litlhapa...

2004-10-18T17:02:00.000+02:00

Litlhapa means insults, or expletives, or pejorative language. Everybody knows, they are the first thin we learn in a new language. I've noticed, however, that Litlhapa are quite different in different languages. The word Mmao /m-MA-oo/, or 'Your Mama,' 'Ta mère' in French, 'Modare to' in Farsi, is one of the few international ones. Say Mmao to anyone in any culture and you get punched in the

Language Museum - Sotho Sample

2004-10-07T01:07:00.000+02:00

This page shows a paragraph in Sesotho and a corresponding one in English.

The Art of Litema

2004-10-05T23:01:00.000+02:00

As is now the custom, I'd like to begin by reminding you that in Sesotho of Lesotho -LI- is pronounced /di/, so that Litema is /di-teh-MAH/. Here's an article from the SABC, South African Broadcasting Corporation: "The art of Litema comes to life again September 12, 2004, 13:33 Heritage month started off with a very special event in the Free State this weekend, the re-awakening of Litema, an

The toilet, etc.

2004-09-26T22:09:00.000+02:00

The toilet is ntloana, or small house, in Sesotho. They say when you gotta go, you gotta go. 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, however: [1.] In Sesotho you add -ng or -eng or -ing to a noun, turning the latter into "the place of + the original noun." Here are a few examples: Bolo

Book: Understanding Everyday Sesotho

2004-09-19T21:48:00.000+02:00

Understanding Everyday Sesotho by Pam Wilken, B. Khotseng List Price: $16.95 Price: $16.95 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. See details. Availability: This title usually ships within 1 to 2 months. Please note that special order titles occasionally go out of print, or publishers run out of stock. These hard-to-find titles are not discounted and are subject to an

Private Sector Advisory Committee

2004-09-10T17:27:00.000+02:00

Private Sector Advisory Committee = Komiti ea Boeletsi ea Lefapha la Phetisetso ea Likhoebo tsa 'Muso Sechabeng; Employee Share Ownership Scheme = Morero oa Karolelo ea Liabo tsa Khamphani ho Basebetsi. [ Source... ]Isn't it interesting that the email address provided behind the above link leads to Adelfang, the company that seems to be occupying our national cyberspace? I don't know what it

Hospital Sesotho

2004-09-05T01:17:00.000+02:00

This is a nice page about hospital Sesotho, or Seboche Hospital Sesotho, to be exact. Well, it is their page; I happen to think they've done a marvellous, albeit simple job. Are you a doctor going to or already working in Lesotho? A visitor to Lesotho who might need to see a doctor? Are you learning or teaching Sesotho? These are who the page in question is for. Here's an excerpt:Doctors

Blogger's doing fine

2004-08-28T08:10:00.001+02:00

We've just added a new feature called Email This Post. It allows your readers to send the link to your post along to a friend via email. Convenient for them, good for you. That's nice. A very useful feature. And it comes at a time when Richard has been praising Google and repraising them. The man's right.

Language dynamics

2004-08-24T17:04:00.000+02:00

I'm afraid that this article might disappear, as it seems that the space is used periodically for a 'presentation.' As a result, I'm quoting the whole thing. I hunted around for the name of the author but could not find one, say my thanks for such interesting work go to the lady in the snap on the page in question. I'm assuming that she wrote the piece. She speaks about the dynamic nature of

Sotho-English Dictionary

2004-08-20T16:39:00.000+02:00

This Sotho-English Online Dictionary doesn't have too many words; but it will have the simpler ones that a beginning learner is likely to come across. I tried some of the translations, and all... at least those I looked at... are accurate. I did come across one that was a non-translation ("palesa," which means "flower." It is a common, feminine forename). Other than that, there doesn't seem to be

Ke khutlile

2004-08-15T23:19:00.000+02:00

Hello, Blogosphere... I'm back. Our family spent three sweet weeks on the shores of Spain's Costa Brava. Our resort is located some 90 or so kilometres to the north of Barcelona. The most difficult part of the trip was of course the car trip and its 13, long hours, but we all agree that it was worth it. It's amazing how well paella goes down with cerveza. The resort is also not far from Figueres,

Clothes in Sesotho

2004-07-13T01:28:00.000+02:00

A Sesotho/English clothes quiz.

Let's chat

2004-07-04T01:00:00.000+02:00

Yes, you can talk to me in real time by clicking on the link to the right, LET'S CHAT, provided I'm on-line.

Gauteng

2004-06-29T06:58:00.000+02:00

Quote, Although South Africa's smallest province in land surface, Gauteng is not just any other province. Gauteng is the urban heart of South Africa, housing the cities of Johannesburg, Soweto and Pretoria, the national capital. 'Gauteng', meaning 'Place of Gold' in Sesotho language, is where the country's thriving gold industry was sparked off by the discovery of gold in 1886. Gauteng now

Sesotho sa Moeti

2004-06-29T06:04:00.000+02:00

Sesotho sa Moeti teaches Basic Words, Numbers, Shopping/Dining Vocabulary, Travel Sesotho, Directions, Places and Time and Dates. That's a good bit, already. Give them a go.

SWP

2004-06-21T23:28:00.000+02:00

"stupid white people" Read this Fodder post for information about this "stupid white people" link.

Sesotho Look

2004-06-17T00:59:00.000+02:00

What Sesotho looks like on the printed page. This is Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili's speech during Lesotho's celebrations of the 35th independence anniversary.

Re: Lithothokiso (Praise Poetry)

2004-06-08T16:17:00.000+02:00

Sometime ago we spoke about praise poetry, and about it being a performance. Here's a video clip of a praise poet from Lesotho reciting The Griffith Poem. You'll need Real Audio to view and hear this, although WMP may also suffice. The folks at Ohio State University where this is hosted say,As with many societies, the history and culture of southern Africa is embedded in an oral literary

Sesotho's /kh/ or /kg/

2004-06-06T03:12:00.000+02:00

Sesotho has quite a few "hard" sounds. One of them is /kh/ or /kg/, same sound but as written in Lesotho and in South Africa respectively. It is the sound in khotso (kgotso), peace, or in khutla (kgutla), come back -- everything's normal and is as it should be. Why, then, do we have another representation of the sound in South African Sesotho, making a total of three representations? Why do they

SAWR!

2004-05-30T06:59:00.000+02:00

A Message to Southern Africa Web Ring members.

Mekhoa ea ho Ngola (Writing Systems)

2004-05-30T06:22:00.000+02:00

Last night I saw a program on TV about David, the statue. What a beautiful example of a writing system! Michaelangelo had one of the best handwritings ever. Picasso wasn't bad, either, and could write about painful things as about any feeling, really. Is art, paintings specifically, a writing system? My parents come from the southern district of Quthing, where Baroa rock paintings abound. Are

Thutiso (Quiz)

2004-05-24T18:41:00.000+02:00

"Okay, it's a Sesotho sa Leboa quiz, but so what. Sesotho is Sesotho, is it not?" "No" "Alright, Smarty-pants, what's the difference, huh?" "The origin. The initial language may have been the same, but its two offspring evolved differently." "So?" "So it isn't all that easy for a Sesotho-sa-Leboa speaker to communicate with a Sesotho-sa-Boroa (southern Sesotho) speaker." "You're kidding."

Chelete (Money)

2004-05-22T22:28:00.000+02:00

/CHE-le-te/: A noun whose etymology is unknown to me. When did we start using money? Before the arrival of money as we know it today, did chelete mean something else? Lesotho's currency is the loti (sing.) or maloti (pl.). "Give me 32-maloti worth of minced meat, please." Reminder: Sesotho plurals go at the beginning of the word. One loti, two or more maloti; one moshanyana (boy), two or more

Melumo Sesothong (Tone in Sesotho)

2004-05-21T00:23:00.000+02:00

Sesotho is tonal, which means meaning can be influenced by differences in pitch within otherwise similar words or sounds. The simple-looking ke, for example, can have at least two meanings. Ke, whose vowel rhymes with we or he when they're subjects, is the pronoun I. We say, "Ke khathetse" (I'm tired), "Ke rata lipompong" (I like sweets). But Ke, whose vowel rhymes with be or see, means it is +

Lithothokiso (Praise Poems)

2004-05-17T01:41:00.000+02:00

Katiba ea Puo, or Language hat, has a nice rundown on Jack Mapanje, a Malawian poet who was thrown in jail because of his thorny poetry. Didn't know the fella, but I feel like an oaf as a result. Where was I? Kamuzu Banda, Malawi's dictator, was a pal of Lesotho's dictator, Leabua Jonathan. Within the turbulent atmosphere of post-1970 Lesotho we hated both Banda and Jonathan. The latter, on the

Basali (Women)

2004-05-10T16:25:00.000+02:00

Mosali (woman), 'mè (mother), mofumahali (lady, Mrs.) ngoanana (girl, maiden), mohatsa (spouse), ausi (sister), morali (daughter) are some of the words we use to talk about women. Women make up about 54% of the total adult population of Lesotho, but remain largely under-represented in the government and private job sectors, although, it must be said, Lesotho is one of only two countries where

Mabitso (Names)

2004-05-05T00:24:00.000+02:00

I back-checked the tracks of a visitor to On Sesotho, and ended up reading this article. It is accurate and informative, but I felt compelled to add to it, nevertheless. It is true that in southern Africa, not only in Zimbabwe, name-givers "are more adventurous, but just as literal." My own name, Rethabile, is a full sentence with subject (re/we) and verb (thab../being happy): We are happy.

Ithute Sesotho (Learn Sesotho)

2004-05-03T08:55:00.000+02:00

Here is a list of references for learners. I have handled some of the books before, but don't remember enough about them to give you valuable pointers. Here is the list in question. Go and learn Sesotho. I'm willing to answer a reasonable answer of questions about learning or teaching Sesotho, so keep asking. But as usual, if you can easily find it (like meanings of common words) I will not reply

Lesson Plan 28.4.2004

2004-04-28T11:21:00.000+02:00

This downloadable lesson plan concerns remembering names. It relies somewhat on Lesotho and Sesotho names for materials, but I'm hoping that it'll be a fresh change for your students. You can download it and modify it to your needs. Once in while I'll post those that I've particularly enjoyed using.

Article about Dictionary

2004-04-26T22:20:00.000+02:00

"A free Northern Sotho-English dictionary is now available on the internet, thanks to four people in Pretoria who are voluntarily giving their time and dipping into their own pockets to make it possible. The group responsible for the website said in a statement that its recent launch made this the first online African-language dictionary. The site includes a feedback form, inviting users to send

Sesotho para Viajeros (Sesotho sa Moeti)

2004-04-26T00:17:00.000+02:00

Do you speak Spanish? Est-ce que vous parlez espagnol? Na o bua se-spanish? The following Spanish page has a considerable amount of Sesotho. They havePalabras Básicas -- Mantswe Números -- Dinomoro De compras/Comidas -- Ho reka / Ho ja Viajar -- Leeto Direcciones -- Nnqa Lugares -- Ditulo Fechas y Horas -- Nako le letsatsi.Each of those is a heading, of course, and precedes the

Jako's Bukantswe -- Dictionary

2004-04-19T09:30:00.000+02:00

Jako's Sesotho Web is offering a downloadable and electronic English/Sesotho dictionary. Great job, Jako! Just what we've needed for a long, long time. Check it out, everyone, and bookmark Jako's site, if you're learning Sesotho or even remotely interested in Sesotho. Who said we weren't moving ahead?

Maele (Proverbs)

2004-04-19T01:36:00.000+02:00

Please remember that as a learner you can find a growing list of Sesotho proverbs and dictums at Eslweb. The list is indeed growing nicely thanks in part to Bofelo Kotsane, who posts proverbs regularly. Do not hesitate to post some. Sesotho is among the under-represented languages on the website, and I'm sure you'll agree that we must change that, we must turn the trend around. We're already

Language Hat (Katiba ea Puo)

2004-04-18T22:45:00.000+02:00

Language Hat, weblog e monate haholo, e buang ka litaba tse amang puo ea senyesemane, e buile ka sebaka sena sa On Sesotho le sa On English. Mantsoe a bona ke a khothatsang. Kea leboha.

Thapelo ea Morena (The Lord's Prayer)

2004-04-08T09:08:00.000+02:00

Different versions of the Lord's Prayer in Sesotho. In Sesotho it is called Thapelo ea Morena, and literally translates into The King's Prayer. I don't think there's a specific word in Sesotho that is equivalent to Lord.

Lingaka (Witch-Doctors)

2004-04-06T14:16:00.000+02:00

Here's an excerpt from SINGING AWAY THE HUNGER by Mpho Matsepo Nthunya. Enjoy it. And get the book..... .....you'll be getting a very good read but you'll also be helping the fight against HIV/AIDS in Lesotho.

Ngakeng (At the Doctor's): Matching Exercise

2004-04-06T01:13:00.000+02:00

Match the items on the right to the items on the left. Check Ho khohlela??? cold (illness) diarrhea body heat fatigue, extreme tiredness mucous, snot itch to cough rash to sneeze to vomit Mocheso??? cold (illness) diarrhea body heat fatigue, extreme tiredness mucous, snot itch to cough rash to sneeze to vomit Mamina??? cold (illness) diarrhea body heat fatigue, extreme tiredness mucous,

Apprenez le Sesotho du Sud

2004-04-05T21:52:00.000+02:00

Speak French? Well then, you can also learn Sesotho. The vast majority of the few methods we have (does that make sense?) are in English. But there's a method in French, and its blurb goes Méthode de langue sotho du sud (ou sesotho) par ( Livre ) 41 € ISBN : 1860137423 Le sotho méridional (ou sesotho) est parlé au Lesotho et dans la province sud-africaine de l'État libre Faute d'équivalent en

Go Tang!

2004-04-05T18:32:00.000+02:00

Go Tang? Anyway, that's what it sounded like. I was lazily watching a Q&A TV show this morning before going to work when the guy suddenly asked, "What is the capital city of South Africa's Go Tang province?" I speak French, so I immediately caught on (not that it was hard to do so), and realised he was talking about Gauteng, or as we prefer to write it in Lesotho, Khauteng. That first sound,

Required to Learn Sesotho at Wits

2004-04-04T01:02:00.000+02:00

Wits University students and staff whose home language is English or a foreign tongue, will in future have to learn at least one African language other than Afrikaans -- preferably Sesotho. I don't know why Sesotho, but why not? Participate in a forum dedicated to this subject.

Naming Diseases

2004-04-04T00:48:00.000+02:00

In South African SeSotho language, HIV is kwatsi ya bosolla tihapi, or the "disease of loose fishes." [ Read on... ]

Recent addition

2004-04-01T07:12:00.000+02:00

I've added these pages to the present blog as well as to my other blog, On Lesotho. The aim is to provide you with a richer experience. Ideally, these new pages will grow on a regular basis, depending, among other things, on the kinds of key-words used by visitors to find information about Lesotho. Enjoy.

Thokolosi

2004-03-30T11:31:00.000+02:00

What is a thokolosi? The spelling may vary from thokolosi to tikoloshi, depending on which southern African language you're used to speaking. The thokolosi has already made the headlines and been falsely considered an international star. But what is it?

Joshua Pulumo Mohapeloa

2004-03-29T15:12:00.000+02:00

Who was Joshua Pulumo Mohapeloa? I still remember and often hum a tune my mum used to hum all the time, that went Qeu, majoana qeu qeu! More Info: Puo ea Tona-Kholo About Timothy Mahlaba A Joyful Noise.

Why Dumela and Lumela?

2004-03-26T00:25:00.000+01:00

The development of Sepedi as a written language extends over a period of 100 years, from 1870 to 1967 when the current orthography was finalised. The missionaries, who were to put Sepedi to writing, were members of the Berlin Missionary Society who arrived in South Africa in 1859. To fulfil their mission, they had to devise a writing system for Sepedi, because the translation of the Bible was

Google ka Sesotho

2004-03-24T23:26:00.000+01:00

Want your Google page in Sesotho? Done. It's a nice idea, although the Sesotho used could use a little brushing up. Who cares.....we got Google in Sesotho. That's what counts.

Gauteng Province

2004-03-24T00:53:00.000+01:00

'The province's name means "place of gold", and only the Sotho name is used, despite the many other languages spoken in the province.' Read on to discover why.