Khoikhoi
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Definition
- Proper noun:
- A Khoisan language: "Khoikhoi" refers to any of the languages spoken by the Khoikhoi people, a pastoralist group historically inhabiting Namibia and South Africa. These languages are part of the Khoisan language family, often characterized by the use of click consonants.
Usage Notes
- "Khoikhoi" is used specifically to refer to the languages. The term for the people themselves is also "Khoikhoi," but the primary definition here is linguistic.
- It is often used in anthropological, historical, and linguistic contexts.
- The term "Khoisan" is a broader category encompassing both the Khoikhoi and the San (Bushmen) peoples and their languages.
Examples
- Proper noun:
- The researcher studied the grammar of the Khoikhoi language.
- Several Khoikhoi dialects are now extinct.
Advanced Usage
- The term is sometimes used in contrast to "San" languages within the Khoisan family, with "Khoikhoi" denoting languages of pastoralist groups and "San" denoting languages of hunter-gatherer groups.
Variants and Related Words
- Khoikhoin: An alternative spelling for the people and, by extension, their languages.
- Khoisan (n): The larger language family to which Khoikhoi belongs.
- Nama (n): A specific Khoikhoi language still spoken today, primarily in Namibia.
- Click language (n): A descriptive term for languages like Khoikhoi that use click consonants as phonemes.
Synonyms
- Khoisan language (in a specific, narrower sense)
Related Terms (Contextual)
- Pastoralist (adj/n): Relating to or characteristic of people who herd livestock as their primary livelihood. This describes the traditional lifestyle of the Khoikhoi people.
- Click consonant (n): A type of speech sound, such as the "!" or "//" symbols represent, which is a hallmark of Khoisan languages like Khoikhoi.
Noun
- any of the Khoisan languages spoken by the pastoral people of Namibia and South Africa