Lobedu language
Encyclopedia
Lobedu is a Bantu
language regarded as a dialect of Northern Sotho. It exists only in an unwritten form and the standard Northern Sotho language and orthography is usually used for teaching and writing by this language community. The monarch associated with this language community is Queen Modjadji (also known as the Rain Queen
). Lobedu is mainly spoken in the area of Duiwelskloof
(now called Modjadjiskloof) in the Limpopo
Province (former Northern Province). Its speakers are known as the Balobedu
.
Bantu languages
The Bantu languages constitute a traditional sub-branch of the Niger–Congo languages. There are about 250 Bantu languages by the criterion of mutual intelligibility, though the distinction between language and dialect is often unclear, and Ethnologue counts 535 languages...
language regarded as a dialect of Northern Sotho. It exists only in an unwritten form and the standard Northern Sotho language and orthography is usually used for teaching and writing by this language community. The monarch associated with this language community is Queen Modjadji (also known as the Rain Queen
Rain Queen
The Modjadji or Rain Queen is the hereditary queen of Balobedu, a people of the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The succession to the position of Rain Queen is matrilineal, meaning that the Queen's eldest daughter is the heir, and that males are not entitled to inherit the throne at all...
). Lobedu is mainly spoken in the area of Duiwelskloof
Duiwelskloof
Modjadjiskloof, also known by its pre-2004 name Duiwelskloof is a small town situated at the foot of the escarpment in the Limpopo province of South Africa.- Name change :...
(now called Modjadjiskloof) in the Limpopo
Limpopo
Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. The capital is Polokwane, formerly named Pietersburg. The province was formed from the northern region of Transvaal Province in 1994, and initially named Northern Transvaal...
Province (former Northern Province). Its speakers are known as the Balobedu
Balobedu
Balobedu is an African tribe of the Northern Sotho group. They have their own kingdom, the Balobedu Kingdom, within the Limpopo Province of South Africa with a female ruler, the Rain Queen Modjadji. Their language is known as Selobedu, which is a "non-Pedi" dialect of Northern Sotho...
.