Why are many Khoisan languages endangered?

Many Khoisan languages are endangered due to a combination of inexorable social, economic, linguistic, and demographic pressures that marginalize indigenous minorities.1

A primary driver of this decline is the tendency for bilingual Khoisan speakers to shift rapidly toward dominant languages, such as Bantu languages or Afrikaans. As these speakers adopt the dominant language, they often cease transmitting their mother tongue to the next generation, leading to the contraction and eventual loss of the language. Historically, this process has been accelerated by long-term contact with European colonists and other regional groups, which frequently resulted in the rapid disappearance of Khoisan languages in favor of the dominant tongue.12

While most of these languages remain unwritten, some, such as Nama, have maintained a degree of vitality through literacy traditions and institutional support. In contrast, the Hadza language serves as a notable exception, having preserved its use through a pattern of stable bilingualism with Swahili.31