Mwanga language explained

Namwanga
Nativename:Ichinamwanga
States:Zambia, Tanzania
Ethnicity:Mwanga people
Date:1987– 2010 census
Ref:e18
Familycolor:Niger-Congo
Fam2:Atlantic–Congo
Fam3:Benue–Congo
Fam4:Bantoid
Fam5:Bantu
Fam6:Rukwa
Fam7:Mbozi
Fam8:Mwika
Dia1:Iwa
Dia2:Tambo
Iso3:mwn
Glotto:nyam1275
Glottorefname:Nyamwanga
Guthrie:M.22,26,27

Mwanga, or Namwanga (Nyamwanga), is a Bantu language spoken by the Mwanga people in the Muchinga Province of Zambia[1] (mainly in the districts of Isoka and Nakonde) and in Mbeya Region, Tanzania. The 2010 Zambian census found 140,000 speakers. The current number in Tanzania is unknown; Ethnologue cites a figure from 1987 of 87,000.

There are also some speakers of Namwanga in the north-west part of Chitipa District in northern Malawi.[2]

The Namwanga language is similar to the Mambwe language spoken by the Mambwe people of Mbala and Mpulungu districts and the Lungu people also found in Isoka. Other similar smaller peoples include the Lambyas, the Nyikas and the Wandyas.

Alphabet

Nyamwanga has 5 vowels and 17 consonants, a total of 22 letters

Vowels: A E I O U

Consonants: B D F G HJ K L M N P S SH T V W Y Z

Sample text

Namwanga Names

Favourite foods

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Downstep and fusion in Namwanga. Cambridge Journals (Cambridge University Press). Lee S. Bickmore. 2000. 2007-02-24.
  2. http://unima-cls.org/Docs/MappingNorthernMalawi/lm-northernmalawi.pdf University of Malawi Language Mapping Survey (2006)