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'Tswana' ('Motswana', plural 'Batswana') is the name of a Southern African people. The Tswana language, also called Setswana, belongs to the Bantu group of the Niger-Congo languages.
In the nineteenth century, a common spelling and pronunciation of Batswana was 'Bechuana'. Europeans therefore referred to the area inhabited by the Batswana as Bechuanaland. In Setswana, however, 'Botswana' is the correct name for the place of Batswana.

Contents

Botswana

Ethnicity or language

Language: basic phrases

Citizenship

South Africa

Elsewhere

Livestock

References

See also

Botswana

The modern republic of Botswana (formerly the British protectorate Bechuanaland) is thus named for the Tswana people.

Ethnicity or language

Seven of the country's eight 'major' clans speak Setswana, the exception being the baMalete or Balete. All have a traditional Paramount Chief, styled ''Kgôsikgolo'', who is entitled to a seat in the House of chiefs. The Tswana dynasties are all related, and some have known splits into two or three competing lines.
The principal Tswana clans are the:

★ Barôlông

★ Bakwêna

★ Bangwaketse

★ Bamangwato

★ Batawana

★ Batlôkwa

★ Bakgatla

★ Balete

Language: basic phrases

Madam Mma
Sir Rra
Hello, Sir Dumela, Rra [or ~Mma] (basic pronouns as above)
How are you? Le kae?
- I am fine Ke teng
Thank you Ke a leboga
It's OK Go siame
Goodbye Sala sentle (stay well)
Goodbye Tsamaya sentle (go well)
Yes Ee eg: Ee, Mma
No Nyaya eg: Nyaya, Rra
I don't speak Ga ke bue Setswana
Setswana
Note: The G is a guttural one, similar to ch in German or Scots.

Citizenship

Ethnic Batswana make up a majority of the population of Botswana. However, the term "Batswana" is sometimes used simply to mean citizens of Botswana, and can include Khoisan people, white people and others.

South Africa

The largest number of ethnic Batswana people actually live in South Africa. They are one of the larger black minorities, and Setswana is one of the eleven official languages nationwide. Until 1994, South African Tswana people were notionally citizens of Bophuthatswana, one of the few bantustans that actually became reality as planned by the Apartheid regime.
The Chiefs of the following Batswana polities are all styled ''Kgôsi'' (less lofty then ''Kgôsikgolo''):

★ Batlhaping (The fish people), split before 1800 into Batlhaping Bagaphuduhudu and Batlhaping Bagaphuduhutswane (further split in four, later five, dynastic lines).

★ Batlôkwa (the wild-cat people)

★ Barôlông Barratlou, split into Barôlông Barratlou Boomariba (further split in two dynastic lines) and Barôlông Barratlou Booseitshiro

★ Barôlông Baseleka

★ Barôlông Barrapulana

★ Bahurutse (split before 1800 into two nameless ruling lines, the second of which split again into Bahurutse ba Boomokgatlha and Bahurutse Bagamoilwa, and later further split). The name may historically have been written ''Bahhurutshe''.

Elsewhere

In Namibia and Zimbabwe the Batswana don’t constitute any significant polity.
bahururshe baga gopane

Livestock

'Tswana' is also the name of some breeds of animal originating in Botswana.
; Cattle : Tswana (cattle)
; Ass : The Tswana donkey is used for draught power purposes.

References

★ WorldStatesmen website on political and administrative entities, per present state

See also

★ Sotho-Tswana

★ Tswana language