Tswana, noun
- Origin:
- SetswanaShow more From Setswana baTswana, see Motswana.
- Note:
- See also Sotho-Tswana.
1. Setswana. Also combination (objective), Tswana-speaking participial adjective.
1937 Bantu Studies XI. 137The orthography set out in the present pamphlet represents the latest result of a prolonged series of efforts made..by the Education Departments..to arrive at a uniform orthography of Tswana.
1988 [see sense 2 a].
2.
a. Plural unchanged, or Tswanas. A member of a major group of western Sotho peoples living in the interior of southern Africa, and including the Bamangwato, Batlharo, Fokeng, Kwena, Ngwaketse, Rolong, Taung, and Thlaping peoples; Bechuana sense 1 b; Chuana sense 1 b; Motswana sense a; Western Sotho, see Sotho sense 1 c. Also attributive, passing into adjective, of or pertaining to these peoples.
- Note:
- See the note at Bechuana sense 1.
1949 I. Schapera in M. Fortes Social Structure 104In contrast to most other Bantu-speaking peoples of southern Africa, the Tswana tribes of the Bechuanaland Protectorate have remarkably few marriage prohibitions.
1993 Africa S. & E. July 8Matthews, himself a Tswana, said the Zulus were predominant in South Africa.
b. comb.
1974 Std Encycl. of Sn Afr. X. 646Tswanaland, Various territories within the borders of the Republic of South Africa, traditionally inhabited by the Tswana tribes spread in disparate units over parts of the Western Transvaal and Northern Cape, as well as a small area within the Orange Free State, and which, taken together, form the self-governing ‘homeland’ Tswanaland or, in the Tswana language, Bophuthatswana.
1974 Std Encycl. of Sn Afr. X. 647In May 1971 Tswanaland became the first Bantu ‘homeland’ in the Republic of South Africa after the Transkei to receive a legislative assembly...On 1 June 1972 the areas..were declared a self-governing territory.
3. In historical contexts. rare. Only attributive, of or pertaining to the former ‘homeland’ of BophuthaTswana.
1983 Survey of Race Rel. 1982 (S.A.I.R.R.) 459Only those people who were Tswana citizens or who were prepared to take out Tswana citizenship could share in the area’s development.
A member of a major group of western Sotho peoples living in the interior of southern Africa, and including the Bamangwato, Batlharo, Fokeng, Kwena, Ngwaketse, Rolong, Taung, and Thlaping peoples; Bechuana sense 1 b; Chuana sense 1 b; Motswana sense a; Western Sotho, see Sotho sense 1 c. Also attributive, passing into adjective, of or pertaining to these peoples.
see quotation 1974;
Only attributive, of or pertaining to the former ‘homeland’ of BophuthaTswana.
- Derivatives:
- Hence (nonce) Tswanaize transitive verb, to cause (something) to become Tswana in character.1971 Post 28 Mar. 7The Public Service of the TTA could not be speedily Tswanaised because there was a shortage of experienced Tswana manpower.
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