Why do Namibians speak German?

During the period as a German colony from 1884 to 1915 German was the only official language in German Southwest Africa, as Namibia was then known. The German-speaking population wished German to be reinstated as an official language and in 1932 the Treaty of Cape Town encouraged South Africa to do so.

Does Germany own Namibia?

Since Namibian independence Namibian independence in 1990 coincided with German reunification, resulting in an initially slow development of diplomatic relations. However, in both 1989 and 2004 the German government acknowledged its responsibility for Namibia as a priority partner country.

Do any African countries speak German?

So the only African country which ‘speaks German’ in any real sense seems to be Namibia.

What is the main language in Namibia?

English
Namibia/Official languages

Is oshiwambo a language?

Oshiwambo is a Bantu language which belongs to the larger Niger-Congo phylum. According to S. Shifidi, Oshiwambo is one of the major indigenous languages in present-day Namibia with about a million speakers across the country.

What country does Namibia belong to?

listen), /næˈ-/), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean, sharing land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east….Namibia.

What language is spoken in Namibia?

Is Namibia a German colony?

German South West Africa, German Deutsch-Südwestafrika, a former German colony (1884–1919) that is now the nation of Namibia, in southwestern Africa. In 1883 Franz Adolf Lüderitz, a merchant from Bremen, Germany, established a trading post in southwest Africa at Angra Pequena, which he renamed Lüderitzbucht.

What language does Namibia speak?

What is the easiest language to learn if you speak German?

PRONUNCIATION. Afrikaans has essentially evolved as a dialect from Dutch, which is the easiest language to learn for Germans. In terms of pronunciation, Afrikaans and German sound very similar.

What is the German language called in Namibia?

The German language as spoken in Namibia is characterised by simplification and the adoption of many words from Afrikaans, English, and Ovambo and other Bantu languages. This variant of German is called variously Südwesterdeutsch (German südwest, southwest, referring to the country’s former name,…

Is the future of German in Namibia in danger?

German benefits from its similarity to Afrikaans and has a prominent position in the tourism and business sectors. Many Namibian natural features, place and street names have German names. However, Germanic linguist Ulrich Ammon sees the future of German in Namibia as threatened.

Why are Namibian signs in English and German so popular?

Signs for shops, restaurants and services are often in English and German, reflecting not only a high proportion of German-Namibian ownership but also the high number of German-speaking tourists that visit the country.

Did South Africa ever officially recognise German as a language?

South Africa did not officially recognise German; however, de facto German was added to Afrikaans and English as a working language of the government. Only in 1984 would German officially be added as an official language.