As of 2011, which of South Africa's languages is most commonly used as a first language?
The above options listed the 4 most commonly used 1st languages in South Africa, but which is the most common?
According to the 2011 census the following percentages of people use each as a 1st language:
isiZulu 22.7%
IsiXhosa 16%
Afrikaans 13.5%
English 9.6%
English is widely understood in urban areas of South Africa, despite it being the 1st language of only 9.6% of the population. The majority of South Africans speak 2 or more of the official languages.
More Info:
en.wikipedia.org
What are your thoughts on this subject?
39 Comments
Imsupergirl
But overall English is used more commonly over 75% speak English
terry seale
Wikipedia has different pages with different answers, obviously not a good source
Sean Philips
Imsupergirl, but that was NOT the question! It asks ‘commonly used as a FIRST language. Answer the question given not the one in your head.
Glynis Rix
Misread the question. I'm ashamed as a S African. English is used to communicate easily. 11 official languages!!!
Frank Thompson
The Zulu have the largest population therefore more people speak isizulu as a first language
Andre Nel
I also live in SA - as a FIRST (ie mother tongue) language English is certainly not the most spoken!
Christine Cottenham
The ans is wrong, it's English.
Anthony Watts
Explanation did not relate to the question.
Mozzie Tsolaks
The Lingua Franca is English so how can the most common language be Zulu?
Rita Hodgson-Custers
I live in SA, English is the most widely spoken language
Cari G.
Excellent q. I just read Trever Noah's book, so I got the right answer.
ninakamwene
I said English
Lindsay Fussell
We need to catch up with the rest of the world, don’t we, Linda Spreng?
Linda Spreng
Amazing that the majority speak 2 or more languages. In the "highly educated" USA, we only learn another language for a couple of years in high school ... that we promptly forget. Unless, of course, we choose to continue with it.
Douglas Oaten
English is the common language
Ian Swindale
I live in South Africa and don't agree with the answer
situations
Petrusia Deacon, the vast majority of South Africans can speak English (I would guess around 80% or maybe a bit more). The majority of schools in South Africa teach in either English or Afrikaans. All schools teach 2 languages - most teach English and Afrikaans but some rural schools may opt to teach English or Afrikaans and Khosa or Zulu depending on the demands of the local area. Universities teach in English or Afrikaans. Although my wife's 1st language is Afrikaans, she studied for a degree at a university that taught the subjects in English. The question asked what was the most common first language...