Lesotho

Languages

English eng

Users: 503,700 in Lesotho, all users. L1 users: 3,700 in Lesotho (2017 J. Leclerc). L2 users: 500,000 (Crystal 2003a). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1993, Constitution, Article 7(2)). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English

Hindi hin

Users: 2,200 in Lesotho (Leclerc 2017f). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani

Phuthi ssw

Mohale’s Hoek, Qacha’s Nek, Quthing, and Thaba-Tseka districts. Users: 52,000 in Lesotho (Leclerc 2017f). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Sephuthi, Síphùthì Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Nguni (S.43)

Sotho, Southern sot

Users: 1,760,000 in Lesotho (Leclerc 2017f). Total users in all countries: 13,524,700 (as L1: 5,624,700; as L2: 7,900,000). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1993, Constitution, Article 3(1)). Alternate Names: Sisutho, Souto, Suthu, Suto Autonym: Sesotho Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Sotho-Tswana (S.33)

Xhosa xho

Qacha’s Nek district: villages near Sinxondo, Tele Valley, and Tosing in Sebapala valley central mountains and inland; Quthing district: south of Quthing city. Users: 24,000 in Lesotho (Leclerc 2017f). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Isixhosa Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Nguni (S.41)

Zulu zul

Butha-Buthe and Leribe districts: Caledonspoort border post on north border. Users: 328,000 in Lesotho (Leclerc 2017f). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Isizulu Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Nguni (S.42)