Everyday Sotho Phrases
SOTHO POPULATION, HISTORY AND INFORMATION
Population and Geography
In South Africa, there are 3,555,186 (7.93 %) first language speakers of Sotho [2001 census data]. Sotho is the primary official language of Lesotho, where it is widely spoken.
Sotho is most closely related to two other languages in the Sotho language group, Setswana and Sesotho sa Leboa (Northern Sotho).
History
In the early 19th century, Moshoeshoe established and expanded his powerful Sotho kingdom
with its base in the mountainous area now known as Lesotho. In the following decades parts
of this kingdom were seized by Afrikaans and English speakers, becoming the "conquered
territories" of the Orange Free State. But the remainder, as Basutoland, was governed as
a British protectorate from 1884 and Mosheoeshoe's descendants retained power. Swiss and
French missionaries of the Paris Evangelical Mission Society arrived inĘBasutoland during
this period. They were politically active on the side of the Sotho and also helped to
spread literacy and education.
Sotho speaking communities in South Africa grew considerably as a result of Shaka's Difaqane
(Lifaqane) wars in the 19th century as well as from migrant labour from Lesotho during the
20th century.
Basutoland regained independence as Lesotho in 1966. Sotho and English are its offical
languages.