Luhya language

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Luhya
Luyia
Oluluhya
Native toKenya
EthnicityLuhya people
Native speakers
1.2 million, incl. West Nyala (2009 census)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3luy – inclusive code (includes all languages spoken by ethnic Luhya, not just the following)
Individual codes:
lrm – Marama
lwg – Wanga (Hanga)
lks – Kisa
lto – Tsotso
lkb – Kabras
nle – (East) Nyala
Glottologcent2288  Central Luyia (incl. some Nyore)
kabr1240  Kabras
JE.32[2]

Luhya (Luyia, Luhia, 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:[3]

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

Comparison

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

English Kisa Logoli Nyole Wanga
I (me) eshie nzi/ inze ise esie
words amakhuwa makuva amang'ana, amakhuwa amakhuwa
chair eshifumbi indeve/ endeve indebe eshisala
head omurwe mutwi omurwe om'rwe
money amapesa mang'ondo amang'ondo, am'mondo, etsilupia amapesa, irupia

Comparison to Bantu

English oluluyia Luganda Swahili Kikuyu Lingala Shona Zulu Isixhosa Kinyarwanda
children abana, baana, otwana, orwana, vaana baana, abaana wana twana bana vana umntwana
dog imbwa mbwa, embwa mbwa ngui (pronounced gui) mbwa mbwa, Imbwa inja
Fire Omuliro Omuliro Moto Mwaki Moto Moto Umlilo Umlilo

References

  1. ^ Luhya at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Marama at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Wanga (Hanga) at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Kisa at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Tsotso at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Kabras at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    (East) Nyala at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
  3. ^ Maho (2009)
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