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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Africa > Zimbabwe > Nambya

Nambya

A language of Zimbabwe

ISO 639-3: nmq

Population  90,000 in Zimbabwe (Chebanne and Nthapelelang 2000). Population total all countries: 105,000.
Region  Matabeleland North, primarily Hwange District; Lupane and Binga districts; Bulawayo. Also in Botswana.
Language map  Zimbabwe
Alternate names   Chinambya, Nambzya, Nanzva
Dialects  Slight pronunciation difference in Jambezi area: [Cwi] versus [Cu]. Most similar to Kalanga [kck].
Classification  Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Shona (S.10)
Language use  Since Nambya is rarely written and not taught in school, educated young people will often choose Ndebele [nde] as their mode of communication, unless speaking to other Nambya. Also use Ndebele, Dombe [dov], Tonga [toi], Shona [sna], or English.
Language development  Literacy in Ndebele and English. NT: 1993.
Writing system  Latin script.
Comments  ‘Nanzva’ is the Ndebele name for Nambya. ‘Banyai’ is a name for the people. Christian.

Also spoken in:

Botswana

Language name   Nambya
Population  15,000 in Botswana (2004 R. Cook).
Language map  Botswana
Alternate names  Chinambya, Nambzya, Nanzva
Comments  Christian.
 

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

HASSELBRING, Sue, author. 2000. A sociolinguistic survey of the languages of Botswana.