Community & Culture
Language and communication
Southern Africa has many different languages. Not only do the different countries have languages differing from each other but there are several linguistic differences within each country. This leads to a feeling of separation and a lack of unity within the citizens who live here. While this is true, more and more of the youth population are learning to speak several of the languages in their region so communication is becoming less of a hindrance. Some of these languages are listed below! Keep in mind that since so many English speakers have entered these countries, it has become the official language of many southern African countries.
English, Bantu, a branch of the Niger-Congo language family. Shona and Sindebele are the most widely spoken, and students are required to take at least one of those languages. Others include Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga. Setswana is widely spoken across Botswana. In Setswana, prefixes are more important than they are in many other languages. These prefixes include Bo, which refers to the country, Ba, which refers to the people, Mo, which is one person, and Se which is the language. For example, the main tribe of Botswana is the Tswana people, hence the name Botswana for its country. Portuguese is the official language in Mozambique. The number of individual languages listed for Mozambique is 43. All are living languages. Of these, 2 are institutional, 24 are developing, and 17 are vigorous.
English, Bantu, a branch of the Niger-Congo language family. Shona and Sindebele are the most widely spoken, and students are required to take at least one of those languages. Others include Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga. Setswana is widely spoken across Botswana. In Setswana, prefixes are more important than they are in many other languages. These prefixes include Bo, which refers to the country, Ba, which refers to the people, Mo, which is one person, and Se which is the language. For example, the main tribe of Botswana is the Tswana people, hence the name Botswana for its country. Portuguese is the official language in Mozambique. The number of individual languages listed for Mozambique is 43. All are living languages. Of these, 2 are institutional, 24 are developing, and 17 are vigorous.
Commonalities & Social Norms
GREETINGS:
There are many similarities in what is accepted as a polite greeting in South Africa, just as in America. For example, shaking hands is the most widely accepted form of greeting another person. It is considered extremely rude to lose eye contact while greeting another person, especially when meeting for the first time. You are expected to smile during the entirety of your greeting otherwise the other party believes it not to be a pleasure to meet him or her. Men in South Africa often kiss a woman on the cheek to greet her if he knows her well. Some women do not participate in any type of physical touch while greeting, and choose to politely nod in place of a handshake.
There are many similarities in what is accepted as a polite greeting in South Africa, just as in America. For example, shaking hands is the most widely accepted form of greeting another person. It is considered extremely rude to lose eye contact while greeting another person, especially when meeting for the first time. You are expected to smile during the entirety of your greeting otherwise the other party believes it not to be a pleasure to meet him or her. Men in South Africa often kiss a woman on the cheek to greet her if he knows her well. Some women do not participate in any type of physical touch while greeting, and choose to politely nod in place of a handshake.
THINGS TO AVOID:
In South Africa it is considered extremely rude to use your left hand to do any dealings. For example, if someone were to ask you to pass the salt at dinner you should never use your left hand to do so. You should either use both hands or your right hand alone. This is because your left hand is considered unclean and the hand you use to maintain your hygiene. To read about this from the perspective of an American traveler who went to Africa and blogged about offensive behaviors, click here! It is also extremely rude to hold out your arm with your thumb extended. (In America, this is the gesture associated with hitching a ride.) In South Africa, it is the equivalent to the middle finger in America.
A PRACTICE THE WORLD SHOULD GET BEHIND: There is a small African village in Southern Africa which has now become an informal settlement. Whenever someone in this village does something substantial against the moral standards of the community, the person is taken to the center of the village and the people surround him or her to speak of all the good that they see in the person for two days. The people here believe that all humans are inherently good, and sometimes people trip along their journey and they should be reminded that they are good. Of course the establishment of government has made these practices extremely difficult, and there is no recent research regarding this particular village and if they still participate in this form of - for lack of a better term - healing. Click here to learn more about other African tribes |
Southern African Dress
A lot of the traditional clothing is hand made or passed down in families. Much of the Western clothing is brought in from charities or shipped from overseas if people in the city have more money. With this being said, there are still places for you to shop till you drop with the locals!
|
Southern African Weddings
In traditional weddings in South Africa, the woman can be seen wearing vibrant colors as pictured to the left. The whole village comes to celebrate - this is mostly because in small African communities these communities are as what Americans would consider family. The term "Tying the knot" has a very significant meaning in this culture, as well. In many South African countries, the couple is tied together at the wrist while they do the equivalent of what we would call saying our vows. It is important to note that marriages in this culture usually bring the village together because most marriages are between a man and woman in the same community - bringing those two families closer helps the entire village feel more like a family.
The biggest traditions in South African weddings come from the traditional song and dance. The video below demonstrates the importance of this factor throughout the whole village. |
Works Cited
-African Wedding Traditions and Wedding Customs. (2010, September 5). Retrieved April 7, 2015, from http://www.worldlyweddings.com/african-traditions-a/121.htm
Africa Guide. Copyright 2015. All Rights Reserved.
-VirtualTourist®© 1994-2015 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
-Zulu (2000, May 3). Retrieved April 4, 2015, from http:/african tribe &view=detailv2&&&id=7F2BCD354DA9429A60D42468BBEE1405502C9CF6&selectedIndex=74&ccid=tfkz0YCy&simid=608031854823738954&thid=HN.608031854823738954&ajaxhist=0
Africa Guide. Copyright 2015. All Rights Reserved.
-VirtualTourist®© 1994-2015 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
-Zulu (2000, May 3). Retrieved April 4, 2015, from http:/african tribe &view=detailv2&&&id=7F2BCD354DA9429A60D42468BBEE1405502C9CF6&selectedIndex=74&ccid=tfkz0YCy&simid=608031854823738954&thid=HN.608031854823738954&ajaxhist=0