Nyamwezi language

Last updated
Nyamwezi
Region Tanzania
Ethnicity Nyamwezi
Native speakers
(1.5 million cited 1987–2016) [1]
Language codes
ISO 639-2 nym
ISO 639-3 nym
Glottolog nyam1276
F.22 [2]

Nyamwezi is a major Bantu language of central Tanzania. It forms a dialect continuum with Sukuma, but is more distinct from it.

Contents

Konongo and Ruwila are sometimes considered dialects.

Phonology

Consonants

Bilabial Labio-
dental
Alveolar Post-
alveolar
Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive plainp bt dɟk ɡ
prenasalᵐbⁿdᶮɟᵑɡ
Affricate plainc͡ʃ
prenasalᶮc͡ʃ
Fricative plainβf vs zʃh
prenasalᶬf ᶬvⁿs ⁿzᶮʃ
Nasal m̥ mn̥ nɲ̊ ɲŋ̊ ŋ
Approximant ljw

Vowels

Front Central Back
High i iːu uː
ɪ ɪːʊ ʊː
Mid ɛ ɛːɔ ɔː
Low a aː

Tones

Tones present in Nyamwezi are high /v́/, low /v̀/, and rising /v̌/. [3]

Sample text

Banhu bose bubyalagwa biyagalulile, n'ikujo haki zilenganelile. Banhu bose bina masala na wiganiki, hu kuyomba ihayilwe bitogwe giti bana ba mbyazi bumo.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. [4]

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References

  1. Nyamwezi at Ethnologue (22nd ed., 2019) Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  2. Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
  3. Maganga, Clement; Schadeberg, Thilo C. (1992). Kinyamwezi: Grammar, Texts, Vocabulary. Cologne: Rüdiger Köppe. pp. 15–53.
  4. "Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Kinyamwezi (Nyamwezi)". Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. United Nations Development Programme, Tanzania. Retrieved 26 March 2022.