Some lexical variations in Shekgalagarhi dialects.

Matsheng	Lethakeng	Shekoma	Maun	Dichauba	Setswana	English
Itu	itu	ntlo	itu	tcotco	ntlo	house
Rinamane	rhinamane	dinamane	namane	rhinghwana	namane	calf
Mho	kgomo	kgomo	mho	moho	kgomo	cow
Lonoo	lenywayo	leneu	lenoyo	leletje	lenao	foot
Sheragko	shethako	shethako	sheragko	seetce	setlhako	shoe
Tjhola	tjhola	tjhola	tjhola	hagola	tshola	serve
Shego	shego	shedjelo	shego	mogopo/sedja	sejana	dish
Leshada	leshada	legetla	leshada	shepagka	legetla	shoulder
Motcogo	motogo	motogo	motogo	mpogu	motogo	porridge
Marho	matho	mahlo	marho	maho	matlho	eyes
Lerhapo	lerhapo	lehlapo	lerhapo	lehapo	lerapo	bone
Lengole	lengole	lengole	lengole	ledjwe	lengole	knee
Leselo	leselo	leselo	leselo	shegoba	leselo	winnower
Some lexical variations in Shekgalagarhi dialects

The following data is from Dr Monaka of the University of Botswana [Department of English] with minor additions from me.

SHENGOLOGA	SETSWANA	ENGLISH
rhingone	ditlopi/motlopi	motlopi berries
sesenyana	sesane/tshesane	thin
hombe	gompieno	today
kuma	sitwa	feel cold
he hogo	re gona/e	we are there
morhiso	maši	milk
mho	kgomo	cow
thodje	mmutla	hare
mhagka	thipa/thipana	knife
kwane	peba/nthufe	wild rat
kankape	serurubele	butterfly
autate	ntate-/rre-mogolo	grandfather
thagu	leoto/lekoto	leg
lenghurhi	morubisi	owl
lotshotsho	loleme	tongue
khakha	khudu	turtle
bogkotje	lodi	cord from tree
lezhogkololo	sebokolodi	millipede
kobe	nkoko/mmemogolo	grandmother
tantape	mokgantsitswe mokgantitswane	lizard
leshwaha	legwafa	armpit
mothana	mokwatla	back (noun)
motchwana	ngwana	child
ncu	nnye	small
nnyane	nonyane	bird
powa	kgotloko/poo	bull
tchamo	molala/thamo	neck

Mapolotiki ke baruti

Ke rata kereke ka ke goletse mo go yone ebile ke itse e le lefelo la badumedi la go kopana, go kgothatsanya gore ba seka ba phesekana mo tumelong.

Gantsi ke rata go ela tlhoko baruti. Ke ba leba ka leitlho le le ntšhotšho fa ba bua, ke etse tlhoko ka fa ba alang molaetsa wa bone ka teng, le gore ba tsamaya jang mo kerekeng. Baruti ba bangwe ke ba ba goang go fitlhela motho a tswa kgatsele e tshweu mo khutlong tsa melomo, lentswe le swaegile. Ke gore fa a rera, le lo tsena mo seatleng, o gebetlega mo ekareng motho a bitsa dikgafela a batla gore batho ba ba kakwa, moseja ole wa letsibogo ba mo utlwe. A tlale kereke yotlhe a gata a gatoga e kare motho a gatile magala, kgotsa motho a tsenwe ke masonya mo maotong a borokgwe! A senatla sa motho! Ba bangwe baruti ba bodutu, ba a otsedisa. Ba bua ka go nyepologa, ba sa itse puo, ekare batho ba bifetswe ke tshotlego, ba iteilwe ke phefo ya borwa Seetebosigo a apesitse batho kobo ka letshoba. O bo o ipotse gore: “Gatwe ke ne ke itshwenyetsang ke re ke tla go obama?”.

Selo se se nkgakgamatsang ke ka fa mapolotiki ba kgatlhiwang ke baruti ka teng, ke raya maitsholo a bone le moaparo tota, le ka fa ba ratang go nopola Baebele. Maloba fa modumo wa phuthego ya Gantsi o ile magoletsa dipampiri tsa dikgang di ne di ntsha ditshwantsho tsa ga tona Kedikilwe a apere mokgekgenene wa seaparo sa mebala ya ga Domi – a lebega jaaka moruti wa kereke ya sione! Fa kere sione ke raya kereke ya moropa e go tšhaiwang terese. Ka re: “A bo tona a tshwanelwa ke go ema phuthego ka lefoko!” Nna ke ne ke sa ya Gantsi mme ba ba neng ba ile ba tla ka mafoko a mangwe a a lebegang a bapisitse a Baebele. Gatwe mongwe, ka re “mongwe” ka ‘ína la motho malatsing ano ga le sa tlhole e le kgomo, mme le fetile jaanong ke moraka. Mongwe yo gatwe a re: “Ke tla ke le fela fela. Selefera le ditante ga ke na natso.” Ga ke itse gore a ga ba mo akele. Gatwe ba mo tlhoboga ba re: “Owaai, rona re batla wa ditante le diselefera, ntsaana golo mo o raya o tla go re tshela lehuma.” Ba ema ba tsamaya. Mongwe yo, o ne a adimile mafoko a Baebela a barutwa ba ga Jeso ba e rileng ba tsena ka tempele letsatsi lengwe ba fitlhela monna wa sennana yo o neng a itsege, mme ba mo raya ba re: “Selefera le gouta ga rena natso, se re nang naso re a se go naya, tsaya bolao jwa gago o eme o tsamaye.” A ema a tsamaya a itumetse, bogolo jang fa re mmapisa le ba ba neng ba reeditse lepolotiki le la kwa Gantsi. Mme kana barutwa bone ba ne ba neile monna yo se se fetang selefera le gouta, ka ba ne ba mo neile boitekanelo mo mmeleng gore a itshetse a iponele selefera le gouta. Jaanong lepolotiki la go tlhoka “selefera le ditante” ga ke itse gore ba ba neng ba mo reeditse bone, o ne a re o ba neela eng se se fetang selefera le ditante.

Maloba ke ne ke lebeletse tona Pono Moatlhodi mo thelebišening mo phuthegong ya ga Domkrag. A tlola a bo a relela monna yo mokhutshwane, a bo a sala a khubame ka lengole. Megolokwane ya thiba ditsebe! A nkgopotsa mongwe wa baruti ba dikereke tsa pholoso wa go tlola a relela a bo a kgoma ka mangole-oo-mabedi fa pele ga phuthego. Ka re dikereke tsa rona tlhe di latlhegetswe, fa di ne di ka bona dinatla tse di tshwanang le bo rre Moatlhodi di ne di ka tlala mpepenene.

Maabane jaana tona Mfa o ne a le mo Masaasele batho ba gaagaa goromente gotwe a ntshiwe. Mme tona o ne a re tlela ka mafoko a kgomotso a a neng a mpolaisa ditshego. A re: “Fa e le gore batho ba re goromente a ntshiwe. Fa ba re lemmenyana le re le beileng kwa mafatsheng a sele re le ntshe re le tlhotlhore lotlhe, go siame. Re tlaa re: “Morena o ne a neile mme Morena o tsere, a go bakwe leina la Morena.” Ka wa ka ditshego ke ipotsa gore a tona o raya gore o hutsahetse mo a dirisang mafoko a a tlwaelesegileng mo losong.

Mme kgang ke gore mapolotiki ba itse Baebele thata, le ba ba sa tseneng kereke tota. Bontsi jwa bone ba lemogile fa Batswana e le badumedi ba ba ratang ebile ba tlotla baruti ba bone. Mme goreng ba ba ikatumetse ke gore ba bue puo ya seruti. Kotsi ya go gogomosa batho maikutlo, a ke kwa kerekeng kgotsa ke kwa phuthegong ya sepolotiki, ke gore mo gongwe batho ba kgatlhiwa ke kapari, go bebentsha puo ga gago, kgotsa go tlola tlola, ba tshege, ba sa lemoge fa o sa phuthela sepe. Sepolotiki le sedumedi di tshwanetse tsa tlhamalatsa puo, tsa utlwiwa tsa tlhaloganngwa, tsa tlhaselwa ka dipotso mme tsa itlhalosa.

Lekang Setswana sa bone

Botswana e lebaganwe ke kgwetlho e tona jaaka mafatshe a mantsi mo Aforika a sa itshetlela mo sepolotiking le itsholelo. Ka jalo batho ba mafatshe a sele ba thologela mo Botswana go tla go senka mafulo a matalana. Bangwe ke baitseanape ba mefuta, ba ba thusang go tlhabolola itsholelo le kemo ya Botswana, bangwe bone ke bafaladi, ba ba tshabileng ntwa kgotsa lošekere kwa mafatsheng a bone. Mo dingwageng tse di mmalwa tse di fetileng re itemogetse tshologelo e e seng ka na ka sepe ya batho ba Zimbabwe (ga ke itse gore a leina ‘maZimbabwe’ le a amogelesega - ka jalo ke tlaa seke ke le dirise fa) bangwe ba tsile go senka ditiro, bangwe ka go tlhoka lesego ba felele mo mebileng. Bangwe ba tsamaya ntlo le ntlwana ba senka tiro – bangwe ba kile ba kokota kwa tlung, e le bomme ba le bararo. Ka ba neela setilo, ka nna sentle ke itlhoma e le baanamisa efangele ba Ntlo ya Efagele – fa ba tswa puo ka fitlhela e le ba sele!

Mme batho ba Zimbabwe ga se bone fela ba ba tlang Botswana ba latile mafulo a matalana. Bangwe ba tswa Nigeria, Zambia, Ghana, Aforika Borwa le mafatshe a mangwe a mantsi. Bangwe ke barutabana, bangwe baagi, bangwe babueledi, bangwe ba a itshotlegela ba felela ba potologa Gaborone Sun ka mafitshwana. Mme ka pelo tsa Batswana di le bothitho, batho ba botlhe re ba amogela ka tsoo-pedi le fa bangwe re sa ba beesebete ka re ba belaela bomenemene. Gantsi batho ba ba felela ba nna mo Botswana dingwaga tse dintsi mme ba ikopele go nna Batswana moragong.

Botswana jaaka lefatshe le le ratang ngwao ya lone le tshwanetse go tlhomamisa gore batho ba ba fiwang tshwanelo ya go nna Batswana ba tsaya teko e e tlaa tlhomamisang gore e le ruri ga ba amogele Botswana lefatshe fela, mme ba na le kitso e e tletseng ya mekgwa, puo le ngwao ya Setswana. Pele ga re tswelela, a re lebelele gore mafatshe a mangwe a solofela gore moikopedi yo o batlang go nna monni wa mafatshe ao a bo a itse eng. Re tlaa lebelela mafatshe a mabedi: Amerika le Ennyelane.

Kwa Amerika pele ga o amogelwa go nna monni wa koo, o tshwanetse wa bo o le kwa godimo ga dingwaga tse di lesome le borobabobedi – o na le maikarabelo a go itlhophela gore o batla go nna kwa lefatsheng leo. Gape o tshwanetse wa bo o le motho wa maitsholo a mantle – ga go batliwe manaba le dirukutlhi. O tshwanetse wa bo o kgona go bua, go kwala le go bala Sekgoa sentle. Baikopedi gape ba lekwa mo ditsong tsa Amerika. Dingwe tsa dipotso tse di bodiwang ke tse: Folaga ya Amerika e na le dinaledi di le kae? Dinaledi tsa folaga e di emetse eng? Folaga ya Amerika e na le methalo e le kae? Letsatsi la boipuso ke lefe? Ke mang yo o kwadileng pina ya setšhaba? Ke mang yo o tlhophang baatlhodi ba kgotlakgolo? O nna le tshwanelo ya go tlhopha o le dingwaga tse kae?

Kwa ga Mmamosadinyana ke gone ba ithulaganyang go tsisa diteko tsa mothale wa Amerika. Mme baikopedi ba solofelwa gore ba supe kitso e e tiileng ya puo ya Sekgoa, melao le maitsholo a Sekgoa. Moikopedi o tshwanetse a tlhaloganya puso ya batho ka batho le ka fa Palamente e dirang ka teng. O tshwanetse go supa kitso ya mekgwa ya go ipatlela ditsompelo tse di tshwanang le motlakase, metsi le tse dingwe mo Ennyelane.

Mafatshe oo-mabedi a senka gore moikopedi a itse puo ya lefatshe la one pele ga a ka amogelwa jaaka moagi wa lefatshe leo. Se se botlhokwa ka gore mongwe le mongwe yo o supang kgatlhego ya go nna karolo ya lefatshe lengwe, o tshwanetse go kgatlhegela puo ya lefatshe leo. Ka jalo Botswana e tshwanetse ya ithuta mo mafatsheng a, mme le rona ra nna le diteko tse di maleba tse re di neelang batho ba ba batlang go nna banni ba lefatshe la Botswana. Se se tlaa supa fa re ipelafatsa ka ngwao le puo ya rona. Ka jalo motho o ka akanya dipotso tse di mmalwa tse re ka di botsang ba ba batlang go nna banni ba Botswana. Dipotso tsotlhe di arabiwa ka Setswana. Re ka botsa dipotso tse di latelang: Ke mang tautona wa ntlha wa lefatshe la Botswana? Fa maina a dikgosi tse tharo tse di neng tsa ya go kopela Botswana boipuso kwa Ennyelane. Tlhalosa gore mebala ya folaga ya Botswana e emetse eng. Fa maina a merafe e e buang Setswana a le mane le e e sa bueng Setswana a le mane. Kwala pina ya setšhaba fa tlase. Kwala selekanyo sa tsebe ka ditso tsa morafe mongwe wa Botswana. Ratsie Setlhako ke mang?

Re ka akanya dipotso tse dingwe tse di farologanyeng tse di tlhomamisang gore batho ba ba kgatlhegelang go nna banni ba Botswana ba tsaya matsapa a go ithuta Setswana, puo, mekgwa le ditso. Kitso ya puo, mekgwa le ditso tsa Setswana e tlaa dira gore baikopedi ba kgone go bereka mo mafelong a a farologanyeng a Botswana, ba bue le bagolo ba ba sa itseng Sekgoa mo metseng ya selegae ka Setswana. Kitso e gape e tlaa dira gore ba amogelesege, Batswana ba itumelele gore ba tsere matsapa a go ithuta puo ya bone, e seng gore ba nne batswakwa ba sennelaruri ba ba nnang mo lefatsheng la Botswana.