Tlhakole [February in Setswana]

Tlhakole [February in Setswana]

[ENG] The Setswana name for February is Tlhakole. Although it is the second month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (February/Tlhakole) is in fact the sixth month of the traditional Tswana lunisolar calendar, whose year starts with the onset on the agricultural season in August/September (Lwetse). However, this is not as clear-cut as my introduction above makes it seem. Traditional Southern African calendars were based on the moon cycle, as well as annual seasonal rotations. This tended to create complications as a…

Read More Read More

Mebala – Colours and Patterns in Setswana

Mebala – Colours and Patterns in Setswana

The Setswana word for colours is mebala. However, mebala does not directly translate to colours, as it also means colour patterns. In particular, when talking about animal hides. Mebala is the plural for mmala (contracted from mobala – see discussion under Class 1 and Class 3 of Noun Classes). Most names of colours and colour patterns are gender-specific in Setswana. The masculine form is the default version, and is also used to refer to genderless objects, such as soil, trees,…

Read More Read More

Firikgong (January in Setswana)

Firikgong (January in Setswana)

[ENG] The Setswana name for January is Firikgong. Alternative spellings include Ferikgong, Hirikgong, and Herikgong (depending on dialect and other influences). Although it is the first month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (January/Firikgong) is in fact the fifth month of the traditional Tswana lunisolar calendar, whose year starts with the onset on the agricultural season in August/September (Lwetse). However, this is not as clear-cut as my introduction above makes it seem. Traditional Southern African calendars were based on the moon cycle,…

Read More Read More

Morule [Undecimber] – the 13th Month

Morule [Undecimber] – the 13th Month

Traditionally, Batswana used “leap years” to retain alignment of their months to seasonal markers. These leap years were somewhat different from what we use today, because they involved the addition of an entire intercalary month, rather than the intercalary day (February 29) that we are all so familiar with. Morule is the 13th (intercalary) month of the Tswana calendar. Batswana, like most of the peoples of Southern Africa traditionally used the moon cycle to determine their months, together with the…

Read More Read More

Sedimonthole (December in Setswana)

Sedimonthole (December in Setswana)

[ENG] The Setswana name for December is Sedimonthole, but sometimes people use “Morule”. The twelfth month of the Gregorian calendar (December/Sedimonthole) is in fact the fourth month of the traditional Tswana lunar calendar, whose year starts with the onset on the agricultural season in August/September (Lwetse). However, this is not as clear-cut as my introduction above makes it seem. Traditional Southern African calendars were based on the moon cycle, as well as annual seasonal rotations. This tended to create complications as a 12-month…

Read More Read More

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…

Read More Read More

Ngwanatsele (November in Setswana)

Ngwanatsele (November in Setswana)

[ENG] The Setswana name for November is Ngwanatsele. Although it is the eleventh month of the Gregorian Calendar (November/Ngwanatsele) is in fact the third month of the traditional Tswana lunar calendar, whose year starts with the onset on the agricultural season in August/September (Lwetse). However, this is not as clear-cut as my introduction above makes it seem. Traditional Southern African calendars were based on the moon cycle, as well as annual seasonal rotations. This tended to create complications as a 12-month lunar cycle…

Read More Read More

150 Animal Names in Setswana (part 1)

150 Animal Names in Setswana (part 1)

The focus of today’s post is Setswana names of animals, birds, fish, and arthropods, listed together with their English equivalents. 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….

Read More Read More

Phalane (October in Setswana)

Phalane (October in Setswana)

[ENG] The Setswana name for October is Phalane. The tenth month of the Gregorian calendar is in fact the second month of the traditional Tswana lunar calendar, whose year starts with the onset on the agricultural season in August/September (Lwetse). However, this is not as clear-cut as my introduction above makes it seem. Traditional Southern African calendars were based on the moon cycle, as well as annual seasonal rotations. This tended to create complications as a 12-month lunar cycle is bound to fall…

Read More Read More

Botswana’s National Symbols

Botswana’s National Symbols

As September is Botswana month, we continue to look at the identifying markers of the country: Botswana’s national symbols. 1. Name The first and most obvious identifier is the name. Although generally referred to simply as Botswana, the official name of this country is Republic of Botswana. This name was adopted at independence from the British, in 1966. Prior to that, the area was known as Bechuanaland Protectorate, and it neighboured British Bechuanaland, which was eventually incorporated into South Africa’s…

Read More Read More