What is Northern Ndebele?
Q: What is Northern Ndebele?
A: Northern Ndebele is an African language also known as Sindebele, Zimbabwean Ndebele or North Ndebele, and formerly known as Matabele. It is part of the Nguni group of Bantu languages.
Q: Who speaks Northern Ndebele?
A: Northern Ndebele is spoken by the amaNdebele, Ndebele and Matabele people of Zimbabwe.
Q: How is it related to Zulu?
A: Northern Ndebele is related to the Zulu language spoken in South Africa. The Ndebele people of Zimbabwe are descended from followers of the Zulu leader Mzilikazi.
Q: Where can you find speakers of Sindeble?
A: There are Sindeble speakers in many places in Southern Africa.
Q: Is there a difference between Northern and Southern Ndebeles?
A: Yes, both are Bantu languages but Northern Ndebeles is very similar to Zulu while Southern has similarities to Sotho and Tswana languages.
Q: When did Mzilikazi's people leave kwaZulu?
A: Mzilikazi and his people left kwaZulu in the early 1800s during the Mfecane.
