150 Animal names in Setswana (part 2)

150 Animal names in Setswana (part 2)

Today we continue with our quest to have a translation of at least 150 animal names into Setswana. This post continues from last month, where we listed 35 carnivores and 42 prey mammals (totalling 77 animals). As said in the last post, pluralisation in Setswana is usually quite straightforward, as it follows a very principle (as discussed in Ditlhopha tsa Maina [Noun Classes]). However, the use of animal names in folk tales and other familial settings has resulted in a lot of personification associated with some animals, and this has caused some of these animal names to take a somewhat unorthodox pluralisation. Consequently, an additional column for plural forms has been added to the table showing the animal names in English and their Setswana equivalents.

This entry today is just a quick reference guide, a more detailed listing, which includes pictures and scientific names of each animal can be accessed from the Diphologolo [Animals] page.

The second part (published today) lists the remainder of perhaps the 150 animals one is most likely to interact with. these are classified as domestic animals, birds, arthropods, and aquatic creatures.

Domestic Animals

  ENGLISH SINGULAR SETSWANA SINGULAR SETSWANA PLURAL
1 Cattle Kgomo Dikgomo
2 Horse Pitse Dipitse
3 Donkey Tonki Ditonki
4 Pig Kolobe Dikolobe
5 Sheep Nku Dinku
6 Goat Podi Dipodi
7 Domestic Dog Ntša Dintša
8 Domestic Cat Katse Dikatse
9 Chicken Koko Dikoko
10 Duck Pidipidi Dipidipidi
11 [Domestic] Goose Leganse/Sehudi se se Ruiwang Maganse/Dihudi tse di Ruiwang
12 Peafowl Phikoko/Pikoko Diphikoko/Dipikoko
13 Turkey Kalakuma/Kalakune Dikalakuma/Dikalakune
14 Camel Kamela Dikamela

Birds

  ENGLISH SINGULAR SETSWANA SINGULAR SETSWANA PLURAL
1 Kori Bustard Kgori Dikgori
2 Ostrich Ntšhe Bontšhe
3 [Lesser] Flamingo Mogolori Megolori
4 [White] Stork Lekololwane Makololwane
5 [Spur-winged] Goose Sehudi [se se Phatshwa] Dihudi [tse Diphatshwa]
6 [Grey] Heron Kokolofutwe Bokokolofutwe
7 Woodland Kingfisher Seinodi se se Tala Diinodi tse Ditala
8 Fish Eagle Aodi Diaodi
9 Martial Eagle Ntsu Dintsu
10 Verreaux’s/Black Eagle Phakalane Diphakalane
11 Black Kite Segodi/Nkgodi Digodi/Bonkgodi
12 [Cape] Vulture Lenong Manong
13 Pied Crow Legakabe Magakabe
14 Cape Crow Lehukubu Mahukubu
15 Secretary Bird Tlhangwe Botlhangwe
16 Hammerkop Mmamasiloanoka Bommamasiloanoka
17 Go-away Bird Mokowe Mekowe
18 [African] Hoopoe Mmadilepe Bommadilepe
19 Cardinal Woodpecker Phaphadikota / Kokomere Bophaphadikota /Dikokomere
20  [Yellow-billed] Hornbill Korwe Bokorwe
21 Pigeon Leeba Maeba
22 Dove Lephoi Maphoi
23 Guinea Fowl Kgaka Dikgaka
24 [Orange River] Francolin Lesogo Masogo
25 [Western] Cattle Egret Moleane Meleane
26 [Red-Billed] Oxpecker Kala/ Kalatshomi Dikala/Dikalatshomi
27 Alpine Swift Peolwane Dipeolwane
28 Weaver Thaga Bothaga
29 Blue Waxbill Bii-bii Mabii-bii

Arthropods

  ENGLISH SINGULAR SETSWANA SINGULAR SETSWANA PLURAL
1 Thick-tailed/Death Stalker Scorpion Leshokgo/ Leshibishibi Mashokgo/Mashibishibi
2 Scorpion (generic) Phepheng Diphepheng
3 Baboon Spider/Tarantula Tshere/ Tsheru Ditshere/Ditsheru
4 Spider (generic) Segokgo Digokgo
5 Centipede Mositlaphala Mesitlaphala
6 Millipede Sebokolodi Dibokolodi
7 Worm (generic) Seboko Diboko
8 Snail Kgopa Dikgopa
9 Butterfly/Moth Serurubele Dirurubele
10 Fly Ntsi Dintsi
11 Bee Notshe Dinotshe
12 Wasp Mofu/Moruthwane Mefu/Meruthwane
13 Matabele Ant Lesonya Masonya
14 Ant (generic) Tshoswane Ditshoswane
15 Harvester Termite Motlhwa Metlhwa
16 Winged/Alate Termite Kokobele Dikokobele
17 Beetle/Bug (generic) Khukhwane Dikhukhwane
18 [Praying] Mantis Seleetswane Dileetswane
19 Locust Tsie Ditsie
20 Grasshopper Tsiane Ditsiane
21 Cricket Senyetse Dinyetse
22 Corn Cricket Setotojane Ditotojane
23 Mosquito Monang/Montsana Menang/Mentsana
24 Cockroach Lefele Mafele
25 Bedbug Tsitsiri/Tshitshidi Ditsitsiri/Ditshitshidi
26 Flea Nta Dinta
27 Tick Kgofa Dikgofa

Aquatic Creatures

  ENGLISH SINGULAR SETSWANA SINGULAR SETSWANA PLURAL
1 Bullfrog Letlametlo/ Segwagwa Matlametlo/Digwagwa
2 Frog/Toad Segwagwane Digwagwane
3 Tadpole Koloti/Kwididi Dikoloti/Dikwididi
4 Fish Tlhapi Ditlhapi
5 Catfish Twene Ditwene
6 [Fresh-water] Turtle Khudubane Dikhudubane
7 Tortoise Khudu Dikhudu

Coincidentially, the total for today’s lists is also 77, bringing our grand total to 154. Not bad! even if I say so myself.😉

Featured image source:

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