Neither Sepedi nor Northern Sotho/Sesotho sa Leboa is onomastically correct: a colonial imposition

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: The primary aim of the article is to assess the appropriateness of the names Sepedi and Northern Sotho/Sesotho sa Leboa, determining which should be officially used based on onomastic principles. Decoloniality and critical discourse analysis theories were used to inform and shape the argument. Employing a mixed-methods research approach, the article utilised survey questionnaires, face-to-face interviews and content analysis for data collection. Quota sampling was applied, selecting 267 participants from South African universities and relevant language authorities. The findings reveal linguistic and historical connections between Sepedi and Sesotho sa Leboa names and colonialism and the apartheid regime. It was further established that these names retain colonial vestiges, associated with a period of oppression that undermines authentic naming practices of African languages. The article concluded that neither Sepedi nor Northern Sotho/Sesotho sa Leboa accurately represent the official standard language, as their naming does not reflect indigenous linguistic traditions, being influenced by colonial power dynamics and other colonial forces.