Table Of ContentOSHIKWANYAMA
OMUSHANGELO3
ORTHOGRAPHY 3
Gamsberg Macmillan
IV
Foreword
This edition of the oshikwanyama orthography 3 comes 2g years after the
second revised edition, I(wanyama orthography 2 of 19g0 ty th" Native
Language Bureau of the Department of National Education. The first
I{wanyama orthography was published approximately thirty fìve years ago
(1968), by the Native Language Bureau oi the then Department of Banru
Education in collabotation with the I{wanyamu Lurrgrrrge committee and
the Native Language Board of the then South \X/est Africa.
It was attempted in this version to revisit cerrain inconsistencies in speÌÌìng
and linguistic terminology as welÌ as to make it, where possible, ,rr"r_
friendly without sacrificing the quality of the edition. punctuat-ioornË marks
that were not included in previous orthogtaphies, are incruded in this one.
The inclusion of a word Ìist and an expraoadãn of úe pronunciation of the
Oshikwanyama speech sounds adds to the practical vatue of this orthography,
e_speciaÌÌyf or non-speakers of oshikwanyama who might show intelest in
the language.
The major change in the oshikw'.Íìyao'^ orthography 3 is that for the fìrst
time in the histoty of its language development, tÀe oshikwanyama verslon
of the orthography is included. This is a significant step in rhe enhancemenr
of the starus and role of úe language âmongst its speakers as wel as in the
multilingual set-up in which we co-exist. Furthermore, it wil contribute to
a better understanding of the language rules by teachers and users of the
language. Another alteration is that the officiar name of the language
(Oshikwanyama), is used in the title of its orthography.
Oshikwanyama Orthography 3 is the soÌe official orthography for
Oshikwanyama and thus replaces all former orthographies.
The revision which started in 199g, was finarised by the oshikwanyama
Curriculum Committee tn the year 2004.
vi
Map of Namibia with thirteen Political Regions and
neighbouring countries
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(Source: Lazatus Hangula, 1993, International Boundaty of Namibia.
Windhqek: Gamsberg Macmillan)
Note: Mote people speak Oshikwanyma in these regions '
Few people speak Oshikwanyama in these regions
IntetnationaÌ boundaty
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This oshikwàÍyama orthography 3, was revised by the members of the
curriculum committees for oshikwanyama for the years 199g to 2001 and
2001 to 2004. The OshikwanyamaO rthography 2, was compiÌed by Il
Zimmetmann and G.S. Taapopi of the Native LanguageB uieau of the
Department of NationaÌ Education in coÌlaborationw iú úe oshikwanyama
LanguageC ommittee and the Native Langmge Board.
1. Compiled by:
Zimmermann \Xl
Taapopi G.S.
2. Revised by the members of the Curriculum Committees for
Oshikwanyama:
2.1 Members of the Curiculum Committee for Oshikwanyamâ:
September 1998t o June 2001
HasheelaP .
'
Ndeutepo E.
HanghuwoM .
Tshirayi P.
Nakwafila P. (Chairyerson)
Munyika V.
Nakale J.
ShonenaJ .
Ndinoshiho R.
Legère I{.
I{atonyala M. (Secretary)
Pedro T.
2.2 Members of the Curriculum Committee for Oshikwanyama:
June 2001 to September 2004
HasheelaP .
Ndeutepo E.
Hanghuwo M.
Tshitayi P.
Nakwafila P. (Chairperson)
ShonenaJ . (Secretary)
NdinoshihoR .
Ìtronannes l.
Shikukumwa A.
PohambaH .
Kaprya J.
I(ashimba O.
ShipokeV .T.
OSHIKWANYAMA
OMUSHANGELO3
ORTHOGRAPHY 3
I. THE SPEECH SOUND SYSTEM
A. VOWELS
Two kinds of vowels are distinguished in Oshikwanyama, viz:
. Short vowels
. areriroru
. Long vowels:
aa, ee, ii, oo, uu
1, Short vowels
a la] Â Ìow mid vowels as in:
ta/a - look
$a - eaÍ
aa /a - count
ka/a - stay
e [e] A midlow fiont vowel as in:
eta _ bring, drop (rain)
etu _ ours
e,ke - hand
llJeme -moúer
ti] Â high front vowel as in:
/i/a - cry, bleat
ila - come
indìla - ask
ìma - bear fruit
tl ] A mid-low back vowel as in:
ongongololo - millipede
mona - see,o btain
ona - growl, louse
o /a - becomer otten
["] A high back vowel, as in:
uda - heat
kokule - far
umba - shoot, throw
/u/a - become sour, bitter
2. Long vowels
Long vowels are writren with a double symbol, and appear in the
following cases:
az la:1e, e fl, oo t,l, ii ti'1,u u [u:]
(a) aa [uJ as in:
eJa al aa - sort of locust
Jaam a - seek shelter against rain
kaama - fl,oat
ok aana - child
ee ["'] as in:
beeno - yes
m eeku/ u - grandmother
eengobe - cattle
tee/e/a - wait
[i'] as in:
shììka - expÌore
diinìna - hold fast
shiiua - know
oììnatì - fruits
[]'l as in:
koo la - rake out
hoo/o/a - choose
too/ a - pick up
mboola - bore
uu [r,] as in:
Juuna - peel
tuula - open
shuuka - escape
fau/a - mesmerize
(U; firuf vowels of cÌass prefixes followed by üe same vowel at the
beginning of a stem, as in:
omuumbi - archer < omxt -l anbì
eekelelo - displeasure {e* ekelelo
okaanda - grainbasket < oka * anda
okuu/a - to toaÍ < oku t x1/a
oshììmbo - song < oshi 'l imbo
okaana - child 1 oka I ana
(c) Assimilation of úe final vowels of class prefixes with the following
vowel of stem. as in:
oshaamenìfo - defensive weapon < oshi -l anenifu
osheendo -ptocession < oshi * entÌo
oshuunda - cattÌe kraal < oshi Í anda
oshooko - fore leg < oshi -l oko
NOTE: AÌternadve spelling forms are recognised for words üke:
oshiamenifo, oshiendo, oshioko, oshiunda.
(d) Lengthening of voweÌs also takes place in the following cases when
omu-, olu-, oku-, oshi-, appe t before noun stems, as in:
omuumbi - archer < omu -l unbì
o/uumbo - fence 1 olu I umbo
o/wu/i - circÌe < ol-u-t ulì
okuumba - to shoot ( oku I umba
okuu/u - l.g < oku * ulu
oshiìnda - mat < oshi -l inda
oshiimatì - fruit < oshi -l ìnaíì
Lengthening of vowels after non-syllabic [u] and [i] (written as
semi-vowels w and y) co-occuring in class prefìxes, as in:
omwãament - protector ( omu I ameni
olwiidi - fever < oIu + idi
omJooltgo * marula trees < oml + ongo
omloonde - cameÌthorn trees ( omi I onde
In the following cases no lengthening of the vowels take place and
the vowel it is written singly, as in:
omwanl - drying of marula fruit I omu + dno
omuenge - sv/eet core of a cob or stem 1 omu + eftge
oillwenJo -life 1 onu + enJo
omwandì - African ebony 1 omu i andì
omwa/ì - nursing mother 1 omu I ali
omwilo -^ttap, agin-trap l omu * tJo
