What is a better way to try to preserve a language than by writing it down? But then can one preserve what one does not even know about? By that I mean that Sepulane is not recognized as a separate language, it is not widely known amongst the languages of South Africa. The board for proper usage of Northern Sotho developed Sepedi over others dialects which are constituent parts of Northern Sotho. When people, generally, albeit wrong, refer to Northern Sotho interchangeably as Sepedi, they may be striking the right chord for the development of Northern Sotho meant the development of Sepedi. My years at school were difficult because I was thought Sepedi as a vernacular, a language which was alien to me. The nomenclature, the phraseology, the proverbs, sentence construction and all that it means to study a language where foreign to me and probably to a lot of other students that are studying and /or have studied under similar conditions.
The difference between SePulane and other languages is illustrated by the phrases below. The phrases may appear in other languages, especially those of the Sotho family -Setswana and SeSotho. The list is by no means complete.
?Yeni, weni, rune, lune, - him/her, you, us, them
? Tamaneng � Greetings
Gender and Relations
? Nngeku � a girl especially one who is not initiatied
? Mosha � uninitiated boy
? Moshimanyana/Sekhoi- Boy
? Ngwangyiana �Girl
? Bote � Brother
? Sesi � Sister
? Mmane- Mother
? Tatane � Father
? Ngwana mmane - My brother or my kinsman
? Leshaga- Relative
Food (Tsa go dya)
? Bushwa/ paleshe � pap
? Seshebo � Relish
? Lekoma � peanut butter sweet
? Lekata �egg
? Seghwa � Bread
? Mbunyane - Flour
Homesteads (Mutshi)
Boraga � cow dung used to decorate homesteads
Monamantlo � forecourt
? Mathuding � Backyard
? Sekwalo- Door
? Lapa- Wall around a homestead
? Lerala- Leather rope
? Luuta- Ash
? Motlhotlwane � Peak of a thatch roof
Type (Moshaga)
? Bafala � Pretty, nice, okay
? Befa � Bad/ugly
Adornments
? Thoka �Knob kierrie
? Maseka � Leg bangles
? Botlhalo- Bead
Distance and Length
? Mosekola/Moshoola- That side
? Thina- Near
? Gole/kgakala- Far
? Thoko- Alongside
? Semakwa � Shorty(usually a dog)
? Kopana- Short
? Telele - Long
Nature (Thlago)
? Leshatla � Forest
? Moshuta- bush thicket
? Moedi � Valley
? Mosela- furrow
? Meetshi - Water
Colour
? Letshwefi- Darkness
? Khunong � red (animal)
? Khubedu - red
? Pifadu- Black or Dark
? Putswa �Fawn
? Shweu � White
? Tala- Green and blue
Home implements
? Thagara � Long necked gourd
? Sitsha � plate
? Lwala �Grinding stone
? Lehudu- Wooden Mortar
? Letsepe � Hoe
? Leselo- woven tray
? Mosuwelo/Lesuelo � broom
? Mogwai � scorer
? Seroto � Grain basket
? Sego - Gourd
? Mosemo- mat
? Letlhotlho- Beer strainer
Initiation
? Badika (Modika: singular)� Boy initiates
? Bale(Ngwale: singular) � Girl initiates
? Mphatong � Boy initiation school
? Sebitlong � Girl initiation school
Numbering
? Depending on circumstance the quantitative -Eshi as in goshi, yeshi, loshi, weshi, soshi, yoshi, ntoshi can convey the meaning of one, single, alone, once.
? Pedi- two
? Tharo � Three
? Nne- Four
? Setlhano �Five
? Sethopa- Six
? Boshupa- Seven
? Setlano le boraro- Eight
? Nkokwane- Nine
? Lesome -Ten
Actions
? Petapeta �Talk to much
? Bolabola � Talk
? Segela- Arrive
? Tlang ho �Come here!
? Tshetshisa- Be fast!
? Tswetlha � Boil
? Tshuta- Learn
? Shutla- Force your way
? Kgana �play
? Tshwa- Spit
? Tlema � Bind
? Go uma- As if striking by hand
? Phologa- Descend
? Sokologa- turn around
? Kalama � Climb
? Theoga- Disembark
? Go Pyaya �Break
? go tshira � to hide
? go etsela � to sleep
? go tlowelela � used to
? go tlhaya � to say
? go tlhayisela- to explain
? go akgoswa- to hurry
? go gongwela- to be sad/down
? go shekela � to express grief /to complain
? go kakola- To lift
Time and Date
? Ka motshwana � tomorrow
? Lehono- Today
? Malobana � Yesterday
? Maloba � The day before yesterday
? Ka boshego- Early (Morning)
? Ka malobana- Late (Afternoon)
? Boshego -Night
? Motshegare- Midday
? Ngwagola/Ngwaga wagofeta � Last year
? Ngwaga � Year
? Lenyaga- This year
Trees
? Mphogo- Leaf
? Lekala- Branch
? Lehlare - Firewood
? Phate- Log
? Moshai � Stick
? Mmalo � Coral tree
? Mmilo � Wild fig
? Mooka � Acacia
? Moogo �
? Mogwagwa -
Domestic Plant types
? Selokwane � Maize
? Nawa �beans
? Dimaka �Peanuts
? Dintlu � Jugo beans
? Dintshwe � Sweet reeds
? Moba � Sugar cane
? Leraka � type of pumpkin
? Leshoke- Pumpkin
? Leroro � Millet (thick)
? Leotsa- Millet
? Legapu- Watermelon
? Leroke- variety of watermelon
?
? Moshitsha, Nkaka, Thepe, Lerotho, Monawa, - Types of morogo
? Marope/Mathapi � Colocasia
? Morepho � Sweet potato
? Mosetla � type of sweetpotato
? Mujumbula � Cassava
? Matlapala � small potato-like tuber
Domestic Animals
? Dikgogo - Chickens
? Dikgomo - Cows
? Dipudi - Goats
? Dinku � Sheep
? Dipokolo/Dimbongolo- Donkeys
Wild animals
? Kgwara - Armadillo
? Noko � Porcupine
? Phuti - Springbok
? Phala/ Phalafala �
? Tholo?? �
? Khonoung??-
? Phiri- Hyena
? Mmutla- Hare
? Kwena- Crocodile
? Tshwena/Kalajane - Baboon
? Ngobiyane- Monkey
? Mangobo � Vervet Monkey
? Tlou- Elephant
Miscellaneous
? Dimpu �Grey hair
? Dithila- Dirt
? Makgakga �beard
? Mahura- Fat
? Matsaka � Lies
? Mare - saliva
? Matshika � Strength
? Mpheyane � A cheat