how is the word “Xhosa” pronounced?
The X is a palatal click–touch your tongue to the top of your mouth as if pronouncing “t,” then move in back a little. Now click there. (click)-hosa, with not much emphasis on the h.
Either HHHHO sa (with the initial sound like the Spanish rough breathed jota) or HO sa.
Go to Merriam-Webster at http://www.m-w-com/ and look up “Xhosa”. They have two audio files demonstrating the alternative pronunciations.
The palatal click is the right way. Most white South Africans that I know say it with a hard K. With a flattish o similar to the one in brother, stress on the first syllable.
IIRC there are a number of clicks in Xhosa, Zulu, and other South African languages. These IIRC are represented by 'q’s, 'x’s, and 'k’s in the language. Even the K in Kwazulu is a mild click, although most say it as just Kwazulu. It has been a while since I had an in depth discussion about it with a Xhosa speaker (and I have had that discussion before…)