AFR ISO 639-3
Afrikaans
Afrikaans Autonym
A language of South Africa
- ISO 639
- afr
- Autonym
- Afrikaans
- Population
- 17,160,000 in South Africa, all users. L1 users: 6,860,000 in South Africa (2013 UNSD), decreasing. L2 users: 10,300,000 (Webb 2002). Total users in all countries: 17,631,780 (as L1: 7,331,780; as L2: 10,300,000).
- Location:
- Widespread; fewer speakers in East Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.
- Language Status
- 1 (National). Statutory national language (1996, Constitution, Art 6(1)), has been designated, along with English, as an official language in all 9 provinces.
- Classification
- Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Franconian
- Dialects
- Cape Afrikaans (West Cape Afrikaans), Orange River Afrikaans, East Cape Afrikaans. A variant of the Dutch [nld] spoken by the 17th century colonists, with some lexical and syntactic borrowings from Malay [zlm], Bantu languages, Khoisan languages, Portuguese [por], and other European languages.
- Typology
- SVO (SOV in subordinate clauses); prepositions; noun head final; definite and indefinite articles; passives; tense; 20 consonants, 16 vowels, 9 diphthongs; non-tonal; free stress.
- Language Use
- Some also use English [eng].
- Language Development
- Taught in primary and secondary schools. Fully developed. Bible: 1933–2000.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Afrikaans
- Writing
- Braille script [Brai], used since 1953. Latin script [Latn], primary usage.
- Other Comments
- Muslim, Christian.
Also Spoken in
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Australia
Language Name
Afrikaans
User Population
43,700 in Australia (2016 census).
- Location
- Central and Kgatleng districts: north of Limpopo river; Ghanzi and Kgalagadi districts: widespread; North West district along Namibian border; Southern district: small area southwest of Khakea; possibly Takatokwane area.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Christian. View other languages of Botswana
Language Name
Afrikaans
User Population
8,080 in Botswana (2015 UNSD).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Canada
Language Name
Afrikaans
User Population
10,300 in Canada (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United Kingdom
Language Name
Afrikaans
User Population
11,200 in United Kingdom (2011 census).
- Location
- Scattered.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Spoken by people of Dutch descent from South Africa. View other languages of Malawi
Language Name
Afrikaans
User Population
3,600 in Malawi (2020 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity.
- Location
- Hardap and Khomas regions.
- Language Status
- 3 (Wider communication)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Former official status. Not known in the north, in Owambo tribes, and Kavango and Caprivi regions. View other languages of Namibia
Language Name
Afrikaans
User Population
127,000 in Namibia (2018).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Netherlands
Language Name
Afrikaans
User Population
14,500 in Netherlands (2019).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of New Zealand
Language Name
Afrikaans
User Population
27,400 in New Zealand (2013 census).
- Location
- Scattered.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Spoken by people of Dutch descent from South Africa. View other languages of Eswatini
Language Name
Afrikaans
User Population
14,000 in Eswatini (2019).
- Location
- Alaska; Alabama; Arizona; California; Colorado; Connecticut; Delaware; District of Columbia; Florida; Georgia; Indiana; and Idaho.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Spoken by people of Dutch descent from South Africa. View other languages of United States
Language Name
Afrikaans
User Population
23,000 in United States (2015 census).
- Location
- Scattered.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Zambia
Language Name
Afrikaans
User Population
96,000 in Zambia (2017 J. Leclerc).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Spoken by immigrants from South Africa. View other languages of Zimbabwe
Language Name
Afrikaans
User Population
93,000 in Zimbabwe (2020 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity.
Map
Location: Widespread; fewer speakers in East Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.
Size and Vitality
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