Safwa language explained

Safwa
Nativename:Cisafwa, Ishisafwa
States:Tanzania
Ethnicity:Safwa people
Speakers:160,000
Date:1987
Ref:e18
Familycolor:Niger-Congo
Fam2:Atlantic–Congo
Fam3:Benue–Congo
Fam4:Bantoid
Fam5:Bantu
Fam6:Rukwa
Fam7:Mbozi
Fam8:Mbeya
Iso3:sbk
Glotto:safw1238
Glottorefname:Safwa
Guthrie:M.25

Safwa, or "Kisawfa" is a Bantu language spoken by the Safwa people of the Mbeya Region of Tanzania. Dialects are Guruka, Mbwila, Poroto, Songwe.

Language characteristics

There is uncertainty regarding whether Kisafwa is a seven-vowel or five-vowel language. The question revolves around the contrasting ATR (Advanced Tongue Root) closed vowels, specifically i/ɪ and u/ʊ. It is possible that the distribution of the seven- or five-vowel system is influenced by geographical factors or sociolects shaped by age or other factors. Labroussi (1999) notes that although Kisafwa maintains vowel length contrast, the distinction between +/- ATR (i/ɪ and u/ʊ) is not as clear. As a result, Labroussi prefers to consider Kisafwa as a seven-vowel system that is gradually reducing to a five-vowel system. However, Voorhoeve (n.d.) describes Kisafwa as a five-vowel system due to difficulties in discerning differences in vowel quality.

Previous research conducted in the Mbeya-Iringa project has identified variations in the choice and morphophonological realization of noun class prefixes across different varieties (Eaton 2006). However, there is no available information on the extent to which these differences are distributed among the varieties.

Additionally, previous research has also observed several lexical differences. However, prior to this survey's research, sufficient data had not been collected to determine the significance of these lexical differences between the varieties.[1]

Sample words

People!English!Safwa
personmtu
manmwanamume
womanmwanamke
mothermama
fatherbaba
childmtoto
sonmtoto wa kiume
daughtermtoto wa kike
brotherkaka

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Eaton . Helen . Krüger . Susanne . Kamwela . Ganana . Smith . Bryan . 2018 . Dialect Survey among the Safwa People . 2023-12-17 . sil.org.