Vwanji

Print

A language of Tanzania

ISO 639-3
wbi
Alternate Names
Kivwanji, Kiwanji, Wanji
Population

28,000 (2003 SIL).

Location

Iringa Region, Makete district, Kipengere mountain range. West of Bena [bez], south of Sangu [sbp], north of Kinga [zga] language areas.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, G, Bena-Kinga (G.66)
Typology

SVO; Prepositions; Noun Head Initial; Noun classes; Verbal affixation for subject, object, tense, aspect, mood and derivation; 25 consonant phonemes; 14 vowel phonemes, 7 qualities; tonal

Language Use

Adolescents prefer Swahili [swh]. Those who stay in the area often go back to Vwanji when they get older. Private domains. All ages. Positive attitudes.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: Very low. SIL has transition literacy work (Swahili to Vwanji); some pre-school basic literacy classes. Bible portions: 1979–2012.
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Christian.