Click Languages

The San people have an extraordinary and unique types of languages. These types of languages are unique from others because they consist of clicking sounds, hence the category name for these languages are known as “click” languages. To make the clicking sound, it requires t he sucking action of the tongue

Here is a video of the “click” language

There are five types of click sounds that are known to exist in the Bushmen languages:

/Xam

!Kung

Ta’a

!Wi

Khoe

These symbols explain the tongue positions when the air is released, resulting in the different sounds. There are also other symbols to describe sounds including the following:

ǀ       dental- sounds like "tsk, tsk" made just by putting tongue just behind front teeth

!       alveolar/retroflex-sharp "pop" made by drawing the tongue down quickly from the roof of the mouth.

ǁ        lateral-clucking sound like made in English to urge a horse

ʘ      bilabial-sounds like smack of lips

≠       alveolar- soft "pop" made by putting the tongue just behind the ridge back of the front teeth.

These different click languages are spoken by different groups of Bushmen, depending on where they live. For instance, the Ta’a (or Taa), is one of the most used language in the Bushmen language. These speakers can be found in Botswana and Nambia, especially in the Kalahari village.

For the Taa language, due to only a small number of people who speak the language, Taa is considered to be classified as an “endangered” language.



http://www.freelancersupport.com/articles/item-278/bushman-language.html
http://www.kalaharipeoples.net/article.php?i=4&c=3
http://www.kalahari-trophy-hunting.com/bushmen.html