Luhya language

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

Luhya
Luyia
Oluluhya
Native to	Kenya
Ethnicity	Luhya
Native speakers	30 million (2019 census)
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Volta-Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Southern Bantoid Bantu Northeast Bantu Great Lakes Bantu Masaba–Luhya Luhya
Writing system	Latin
Language codes
ISO 639-3	luy – 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
Glottolog	cent2288  Central Luyia (incl. some Nyore) kabr1240  Kabras
Guthrie code	JE.32

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:

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	Luhya	Kikuyu	Kinyarwanda	Lingala	Luganda	Shona	Swahili	Zulu
children	abana, baana, otwana, orwana, vaana	twana	abana	bana	baana, abaana	vana	wana	abantwana
dog	imbwa	ngui (pron. gui)	imbwa	mbwa	mbwa, embwa	mbwa, imbwa	mbwa	inja
fire	omuliro	mwaki	umuriro	moto	omuliro	moto	moto	umlilo

Phonology

The following is the phonology of the Luwanga dialect:

Vowels

	Front	Central	Back
Close	i iː		u uː
Mid	e eː		o oː
Open		a aː

Consonants

		Bilabial	Labio- dental	Alveolar	Post- alveolar	Palatal	Velar
Stop	plain	p		t			k
	prenasal	ᵐb		ⁿd		ᶮɟ	ᵑɡ
Affricate				ts	tʃ
Fricative	plain	β	f	s	ʃ		x
	prenasal			ⁿz
Nasal		m		n		ɲ	ŋ
Trill				r
Approximant				l		j	w

External links

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

References

• 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