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Mwanga, or Namwanga (Nyamwanga), is a Bantu language spoken by the Mwanga people in the Muchinga Province of Zambia (mainly in the districts of Isoka and Nakonde) and in Mbeya Region, Tanzania. The 2010 Zambian census found 140,000 speakers. The current number in Tanzania is unknown; Ethnologue cites a figure from 1987 of 87,000.

There are also some speakers of Namwanga in the north-west part of Chitipa District in northern Malawi.

The Namwanga language is similar to the Mambwe language spoken by the Mambwe people of Mbala and Mpulungu districts and the Lungu people also found in Isoka. Other similar smaller peoples include the Lambyas, the Nyikas and the Wandyas.

Alphabet

Nyamwanga has 5 vowels and 17 consonants, a total of 22 letters

Vowels: A E I O U

Consonants: B D F G HJ K L M N P S SH T V W Y Z

Sample text

• Amulandu ci wuno Yesu atalesizye umuntu wino wafumyanga iviwa mwi zina lyakwe nanti aca kuti atalinji pa wasambilizi wakwe?
• Why did Jesus not prevent a man from expelling demons, even though the man was not following him?
• Mwalinda tata?
• Good afternoon Father.

Namwanga Names

• Suwilanji
• Salifyanji
• Alinani
• Alinaswe
• Njavwa
• Lenganji
• Leukanji
• Nkusechela
• Lukundo
• Kundananji
• Vwambanji
• Vilezu
• Mukatakulima

Favourite foods

• Beans and Okra commonly known as Kumbi
• Cassava
• Millet

See also

• Languages of Zambia

References

1. ^ Namwanga at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
2. Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
3. Lee S. Bickmore (2000). "Downstep and fusion in Namwanga". Cambridge Journals (Cambridge University Press). Retrieved 2007-02-24.
4. University of Malawi Language Mapping Survey (2006), p. 29.

• Rukwa languages
• Languages of Tanzania
• Languages of Zambia
• Languages of Malawi