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Ethnologue: Languages of the World
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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Africa > Mozambique > Makwe

Makwe

A language of Mozambique

ISO 639-3: ymk

Population  22,000 in Mozambique (2003). Population total all countries: 32,000.
Region  Cabo Delgado Province coast, Tanzania border south to Quionga, Palma, to just south of Olumbe; interior along Ruvuma River to Pundanhar. Also in Tanzania.
Language map  Mozambique, reference number 18
Alternate names   Kimakwe, Macue, Palma
Dialects  Coastal Makwe (Palma), Interior Makwe. Not inherently intelligible with Swahili [swh]. Lexical similarity: 60% with Swahili [swh], 57% with Mwani [wmw], 48% with Yao [yao].
Classification  Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, G, Swahili (G.40)
Language use  Men also use Swahili [swh]. Most Palma men also use Mwani [wmw]. Some also use Makonde [kde]. Those who have been to school can read Portuguese or Kiswahili [swh].
Language development  Literacy rate in L2: 20%. Motivation for literacy is high. Grammar.
Comments  Muslim.

Also spoken in:

Tanzania

Language name   Maraba
Population  10,000 in Tanzania (2003).
Region  Southeast.
Language map  Tanzania, reference number 114
Alternate names  Kimakwe, Makwe, Palma
Language use  Also use Swahili [swh].
Language development  Motivation for literacy is high.
Comments  Muslim.