Sandawe

The Sandawe language is a language spoken in Tanzania by the Sandawe people. It is closely related to the Hadza language, and is sometimes considered a dialect of Hadza. The Sandawe language is not mutually intelligible with any other language, and has no known dialects. The Sandawe language is a member of the Khoesan family of languages, which includes languages like !Kung and Khoekhoe. The Khoesan family is thought to be the oldest language family in Africa, and possibly the world. The Sandawe language is thought to have diverged from other Khoesan languages around 10,000 years ago. The Sandawe language is notable for its use of click consonants, which are made by sucking in air and then releasing it with a popping sound. Click consonants are also found in other Khoesan languages, as well as in some Bantu languages. The Sandawe language is written using a version of the Latin alphabet. However, the Sandawe alphabet only has 21 letters, as some of the sounds of the Sandawe language are not represented in the Latin alphabet. The Sandawe language is endangered, with only about 30,000 speakers remaining. The Sandawe people are increasingly adopting the Swahili language, which is the national language of Tanzania. However, efforts are being made to preserve the Sandawe language, and it is still used in some homes and communities.