The Makwe or Macue language (Kimakwe) is a close relative of Swahili spoken on the coast of the Cabo Delgado Province of Mozambique, and across the border in Mtwara Region of Tanzania. Although it shares high lexical similarity (60%) with Swahili, it is not intelligible with it, nor with its cousin Mwani. Arends et al. suggest it might turn out to be a Makonde–Swahili mixed language.[3]

Makwe
Kimakwe
Native toMozambique, Tanzania
RegionCabo Delgado Province, Mtwara Region
Native speakers
150,000 (2009–2017)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3ymk
Glottologmakw1236
G.402[2]
ELPMakwe

A grammar of the Makwe language by Maud Devos was published in 2008.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Makwe at Ethnologue (26th ed., 2023)  
  2. ^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
  3. ^ Arends, Jacques; Muysken, Pieter; Smith, Norval (1995). Pidgins and Creoles: An Introduction. Creole Language Library. Vol. 15. John Benjamins. doi:10.1075/cll.15. ISBN 9781556191695.
  4. ^ Devos, Maud (2008). A Grammar of Makwe. LINCOM. ISBN 978-3895861079.