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Glite Dictionary
Khoisan language

Khoisan language

1 9.9
A group of native languages from southern Africa that use click sounds
  • noun
  • Specialized
: lengua khoisan
  • Linguists have studied the Khoisan language family to understand the origins of click sounds.

Examples

  • Many researchers study the Khoisan languages for their click sounds.

  • The Khoisan language is under threat as fewer young people learn it.

  • Many speakers of Khoisan language communities now also use Bantu languages in daily life.

  • The Khoisan language family includes several unique dialects.

  • Linguists have studied the Khoisan language family to understand the origins of click sounds.

  • The Khoisan language is under threat as fewer young people learn it.

  • Many speakers of Khoisan language communities now also use Bantu languages in daily life.

Synonyms

Khoisan
vsKhoisan language
1 9.9

Languages native to southern Africa that use click sounds

is a broader phrase for the same indigenous languages noted for click consonants

Surface Forms

Khoisan language singular
Khoisan languages plural

Morphology

Khoisan + language

This is a straightforward compositional noun phrase: knowing 'Khoisan' (the named group) and 'language' allows a learner to infer it denotes a language belonging to the Khoisan group. The pattern (group-name + language) is a common, cross-linguistic classificatory construction, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will understand the meaning.

Etymology

Khoisan language comes from the names of two local groups, the Khoi and the San, and so the term simply names the languages those people speak. Those languages are famous for 'click' sounds, so the name helps you remember it refers to a group of languages with those clicks.