Ethnologue.com home

Ethnologue: Languages of the World
16th edition

Ethnologue: Languages of the World
US$ 100.00
Add to cart

Preview print edition

Most Recent
SIL Publications
Reduced Price SIL Publications


ABOUT SSL CERTIFICATES
Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Africa > Tanzania > Sukuma

Sukuma

A language of Tanzania

ISO 639-3: suk

Population  5,430,000 (2006).
Region  Northwest, between Lake Victoria and Lake Rukwa, Shinyanga to Serengeti Plain (Kiya); also Mwanza (Gwe). Few in cities; 88% in the traditional area.
Language maps  Tanzania, reference number 20
Tanzania, reference number 20
Alternate names   Kisukuma
Dialects  Kiya, Gwe (Kigwe). Dialects contiguous with Nyamwezi are intelligible with it. Lexical similarity: 84% with Nyamwezi [nym], 59% with Sumbwa [suw] and Nyaturu [rim], 57% with Kimbu [kiv], 55% with Nilamba [nim], 49% with Langi [lag].
Classification  Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, F, Sukuma-Nyamwezi (F.20)
Language use  Vigorous. All ages. Also use Swahili [swh].
Language development  Bible: 1960.
Writing system  Latin script.
Comments  Pastoralists: cattle; agriculturalists: sorghum, millet, maize, rice, sweet potatoes, cassava, peanuts, beans, chick-peas, gourds, sunflowers, cotton, tobacco; fishermen. Traditional religion, Christian, Muslim.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

KRÖGER, Heidrun, author. 2003. "O tom nas línguas Bantu."