Nyakyusa-Ngonde

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A language of Tanzania

ISO 639-3
nyy
Alternate Names
Ikingonde, Ikinyakyusa, Ikinyikyusa, Kinyakyusa, Kinyakyusa-Ngonde, Konde, Kukwe, Mombe, Ngonde, Nkonde, Nyakusa, Nyekyosa, Nyikyusa, Sochile, Sokile, Sokili
Population

805,000 in Tanzania (2006), increasing. Population total all countries: 1,105,000.

Location

South Mbeya Region, Lake Malawi north end; Iringa Region, Makete district. Also in Malawi.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, M, Nyakyusa (M.31)
Dialects

Kukwe, Mwamba (Lungulu), Ngonde, Nyakyusa, Selya (Salya, Seria), Sukwa.

Typology

SVO; prepositions; noun head initial; noun classes; verbal affixation for subject, object, tense, aspect, mood and derivation; 18 consonant phonemes; 14 vowel phonemes; tonal

Language Use

Vigorous. Local non-Nykyusa speakers often learn Nyakyusa. Most domains and increasingly in politics. All ages. Positive attitudes.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 0%. SIL has transition literacy work (Swahili to Nyakyusa). Dictionary. Bible: 1993–1996.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Nyakyusa-Ngonde
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Traditional religion, Christian, Muslim.

Also spoken in:

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