Khoisan Sub Families

(27 Languages)

The Khoisan or Khoesaan languages compose the smallest and least well supported phylum of African languages. Historically, they were mainly spoken by the Khoisan (Khoi and Bushmen or San) people. Today they are only spoken in the Kalahari Desert in southwestern Africa, and in a small area in Tanzania. The only widespread Khoisan language is Nama, with a quarter of a million speakers; Sandawe is second in number with about 40,000, some monolingual; and the Ju language cluster has some 30,000 speakers total. Many of the other languages are becoming increasingly rare or moribund, and several are known to have become extinct. Most have no written record.

Hatsa

Hatsa

Sandawe

Sandawe

Sandawe

Southern Africa

Central

Hain//um

Hai||om

Kwadi

Kwadi

Nama

Korana, Nama, Xiri

Tshu-Khwe

- North Central: Shua,
- Northeast: Kua, Tsoa,
- Northwest: ||Ani, ||Gana, Kxoe,
- Southwest: |Gwi, Naro

Northern

|Kx'au||'ein, Kung-Ekoka, Ju|'hoan, Maligo, !O!ung, Vasekela Bushman.

Southern

!Kwi

Seroa, N|u, |Xam, ||Xegwi

!Hua

Hua, !Xóõ.

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