The Jeliya catalogue uses isiXhosa / Xhosa. Glottolog indexes the corresponding language as Xhosa (xhos1239). Its ISO 639-3 code is xho. [1]
Draft — awaiting native-speaker review
A Nguni language with tone, noun-class agreement and click consonants.
Opening retained from the existing catalogue; awaiting editorial and speaker review.The Jeliya catalogue uses isiXhosa / Xhosa. Glottolog indexes the corresponding language as Xhosa (xhos1239). Its ISO 639-3 code is xho. [1]
Glottolog associates this record with the following country codes: BW, LS, ZA. Catalogue locations do not enumerate diaspora or second-language use. [1]
No dated, scope-checked speaker estimate has been approved for this page.
The catalogue classification follows this sequence: Atlantic-Congo → Volta-Congo → Benue-Congo → Bantoid → Southern Bantoid → Narrow Bantu → East Bantu → Southern Bantu → Nuclear Southern Bantu → Dimsuffix Southern Bantu → Nguni-Tsonga-Copi → Nguni (S.40) → Nuclear Nguni → Southern Ndebele-Lowland. [1]
The Glottolog bibliography includes a linguistic description attributed to Sparrman, Anders 1783 and a more recent one attributed to du Plessis, J.A. and Visser, Marianna W. 1992. These are publication dates, not language origins. [1]
Latin spelling joins many morphemes into one word and omits most tone information. Learn stems together with their noun-class prefixes.
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.PanSALB provides a national spelling and orthography resource collection. A language-specific rule, edition date and regional scope must be checked before it is applied to a learner’s answer. [2]
High/low tonal patterns and depressor effects; five main vowel qualities. c /ǀ/, q /ǃ/ and x /ǁ/ mark three click places with multiple accompaniments; aspiration, voicing and breathiness need recordings.
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.A PHOIBLE record links published sound-inventory descriptions for this language. Inventory analysis can differ by variety and study; example words, letter values and a learner-facing pronunciation table still require a checked reference and speaker recordings. [6]
A reviewed alphabet, sound-by-sound IPA guide and reference recordings are still needed.
Awaiting a cited, language-specific contribution and speaker review.
Subject–verb–object; noun-class concord, augment vowels, verbal derivation and information-structure-sensitive verb forms.
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.A language-specific Grambank record is linked for comparison of grammatical features and their underlying references. Feature coding is an analytical resource; it is not a beginner explanation, a complete grammar or a substitute for a teacher’s review. [4]
Standard isiXhosa; keep regional varieties labelled
Existing linguistic-map notes are planning material, not newly verified facts. A named reviewer and reference are still needed.Named child varieties in this record include Bhaca, Bomvana, Cele, Gaika, Gcaleka, Hlubi, Mfengu, Mpondo, Mpondomise, Ndlambe, Rharhabe, Thembu. These labels do not select Jeliya’s teaching variety. [1]
An entry separates the headword, part of speech, senses and cited examples. A variant is another documented form; a synonym is a different word with a related meaning. Derived expressions can have their own entry. Follow source links and variety tags before using a form.
Search the everyday spelling and check tone-marked forms. ɛ, ɔ, ɲ and ŋ are letters, not removable accents. Search tolerance does not mean two spellings are the same word. Save an entry to keep its stable identity in your wordbook.
Open the dictionaryAwaiting a cited, language-specific contribution and speaker review.
Editorial adaptation: Jeliya
Language reviewer: awaiting appointment
Last revision: 10/12/2026
Harald Hammarström, Robert Forkel, Martin Haspelmath and Sebastian Bank
CC BY 4.0
Source checked: 10/12/2026Pan South African Language Board
Source checked: 10/12/2026du Plessis, J.A. and Visser, Marianna W. 1992
Source checked: 10/12/2026