Yeyi

Yeyi is a threatened language spoken in parts of Botswana and Namibia. Inclusion in Kamusi is part of the process of standardization of written Yeyi. Because the language is in the early stages of documentation, Yeyi has been temporarily exempted from the normal Kamusi requirement to include own-language definitions.

From Ethnologue (http://www.ethnologue.com/language/yey):

Alternate Names: Shiyeyi, Seyei, Ciyei, Yeyi, Yeei, Yei

Population: 20,000 in Botswana (2001 LBT). Population total all countries: 55,000. Ethnic population: 47,000 in Botswana.

Location: North West District, Maun, Shorobe up to Mababe, Sankoyo, Daunara, Nokaneng, Gumare, Sepopo, Ikoga, Shakawe, and Seronga; Central District, Letihakane, Xumu, Rakops, Motopi. Also in Namibia.

Language Status: Threatened

ClassificationNiger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, R, Yeye (R.41)

Dialects: Shirwanga. Not closely related to other languages. Lexical similarity: 47% with Luyana [lyn], 30% with Herero [her].

Typology: SVO; postpositions; articles, adjectives, numerals after noun heads; relatives before or after; question word initial; 4 prefixes, one suffix; word order distinguishes subjects, objects, indirect objects; noun affixes indicate case; verb affixes mark person, number, gender; CVC; nontonal

Language Use: 43% who learned Yeyi from their parents said they speak Yeyi best, 57% said they speak Tswana [tsn] best. Few speak Yeyi as L2. 12% of respondents said they speak only Yeyi to their children, 9% speak Yeyi and Tswana to their children. In some villages, children speak Yeyi, including Seronga, Sepopa, Ikoga, Jau. In many villages used only by those over 40. All also use Tswana [tsn]; 73% said they use Tswana well. Youth who have attended secondary school also use English [eng].

Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: Age 15–29: 95% Tswana, 68% English; age 30–54: 33% Tswana, 20% English; age 55 and older: 33% Tswana, 6% English. High motivation for literacy. Dictionary.

Writing: Latin script.