💬Language and Cultural Identity

💬 Language and What It Tells About Us

✅ What will you learn?
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
✅ Identify different languages spoken in your community.
✅ Explain how language shows who we are.
✅ Talk about how languages can change when people interact.
✅ Show examples of body language and sign language.
✅ Explain how body language is linked to culture and location.
✅ Talk about how all forms of language show who we are.

🗣️ What Is Language?

Language is how people communicate with each other.
We use words, signs, or body movements to share our thoughts and feelings.

There are many different types of language:

• Spoken language (like Setswana or Kalanga)

• Sign language (using hand and finger signs)

• Body language (how we move or stand to send a message)

🗺️ Languages Spoken in Botswana

People in Botswana speak many languages. Some of them are:

• Setswana

• Sekgalagadi

• Kalanga

• Otjiherero

• Nama

• Naro

• Thimbukushu

• Shiyeyi

• Afrikaans

• English

• !Xóõ

Each ethnic group has its own language. Many people learn the language spoken at home first. Some people also learn other languages later.

🧠 Why Is Language Important?

Language helps us to:

• Know who we are and where we come from

• Express our needs, wants, and feelings

• Learn from others

• Share our culture with others

Language is part of our identity and way of life.

🔁 How Languages Change

Sometimes, languages borrow words from each other. This happens when people from different groups mix. For example, the Setswana word “buka” comes from the English word “book.”

When people speak many languages, it shows that they live in a diverse and rich culture.

👋 Body Language and Culture

Body language is the way we use our face, hands, and body to show how we feel.

Different cultures use body language in different ways. For example:

• Kneeling to give water to an elder shows respect.

• In some groups, using both hands to give something is polite.

• Among the Bakalanga, a young person greets an elder by placing their hands between the elder’s hands.

🤟 What Is Sign Language?

Sign language is when we use our hands and fingers to send a message without speaking.

For example:

• A traffic officer raising a hand to stop cars

• Pointing or waving to someone

• Crossing fingers to show luck or peace

Sign language is important for people who cannot hear or speak.

🧠 Think About This!

☑️ Which languages are spoken in your home?
☑️ Can you name other languages in your village?
☑️ How do you show respect to elders without talking?
☑️ Do you know any words in sign language?
☑️ What body language do people in your culture use?

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