One of the most fascinating aspects of traveling to different countries is encountering the various native tongues. Africa is one of the most diverse continents, and a plethora of dialects and languages can be heard across the land. In the southeast province of KwaZulu-Natal, the Nguni people use a clicking technique when speaking. In a new, educational video, tour guide Sakhile Dube demonstrates how these clicking sounds are incorporated into the native language. He showcases the beauty of African, tribal linguistics with a soft tone and smooth cadence.
Some of these clicking sounds can also be heard in everyday conversations across America. A slight “tsk tsk” from an elder expressing disapproval is an example of how we incorporate clicking into our language.
There are four groups in South Africa that use the clicking technique while speaking. They are the Xhosa in the Eastern Cape, the Zulu in KwaZulu-Natal, the Ndebele in Mpumalanga, and the Swazi in Eswatini. Although these tribes have their own respective dialects, they share the commonality of easily communicating with one another through click sounds.
Dube does an excellent job breaking down the pronunciation of words and phrases using the click techniques in this new video.
