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Luhya (/ˈluːjə/; also Luyia, Oluluyia, Luhia or Luhiya) is a Bantu language of western Kenya.

Dialects

The various Luhya tribes speak several related languages and dialects, though some of them are no closer to each other than they are to neighboring non-Luhya languages. For example, the Bukusu people are ethnically Luhya, but the Bukusu dialect is a variety of Masaba. (See Luhya people for details.) However, there is a core of mutually intelligible dialects that comprise Luhya proper:

• Wanga (OluWanga)
• Tsotso (OluTsotso)
• Marama (OluMarama)
• Kisa (OluShisa)
• Kabras (LuKabarasi)
• East Nyala (LuNyala)

All Luhya subtribes

1. Banyala
2. Bukusu
3. Gisu people
4. Idakho
5. Isukha
6. Kabras
7. Khayo
8. Kisa tribe
9. Marachi
10. Maragoli
11. Marama
12. Masaaba
13. Nyole
14. Samia
15. Tachoni
16. Tiriki
17. Tsotso
18. Wanga

Comparison

A comparison between two dialects of Luhya proper, and to two other Bantu languages spoken by the Luhya:

Comparison to Bantu

Phonology

The following is the phonology of the Luwanga dialect:

Vowels

Consonants

External links

• Eshitabo Eshiokhulaama nende Tsisakalamendo nende Akebiima Bindi Bieikanisa 1967 Anglican liturgical text digitized by Richard Mammana

References

1. Luhya at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024)
   Marama at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024)
   Wanga (Hanga) at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024)
   Kisa at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024)
   Tsotso at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024)
   Kabras at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024)
   (East) Nyala at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024)
2. "639 Identifier Documentation: luy". SIL International.
3. Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
4. Maho (2019)
5. Abdulmajid, Akidah Mohammed (2000). Luwanga morphophonemics: a natural generative phonology. University of Nairobi.

• Musimbi Kanyoro (1989), "The Abaluyia of Kenya; one people, one language: What can be learned from the Luyia project": The Abaluyia of Western Kenya. (p. 27).
• Wanga-English Dictionary

• Luhya language