# Lamba language

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Lamba_language
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Lamba_language.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamba_language
> Source revision: 1334670034
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Bantu language spoken in Zambia and DRC

This article is about the Bantu language. For the Lama language spoken by the Lamba people of Togo, see [Lama language](/source/Lama_language).

Lamba Ichilamba Native to Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo Region Copperbelt Ethnicity Lamba people Native speakers 200,000 in Zambia (2010 census)[1] unknown but smaller number in DRC Language family Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Bantu Botatwe South Lamba Language codes ISO 639-2 lam ISO 639-3 lam Glottolog lamb1271 Guthrie code M.54,541,542[2]

**Lamba** is a language found in [Zambia](/source/Zambia) and is commonly spoken in the [Copperbelt](/source/Copperbelt). There are about 210,000 native speakers in the northern parts of Zambia and southern fringes of the [Democratic Republic of the Congo](/source/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo). Lamba is also spoken in [Lusaka](/source/Lusaka), mainly because many speakers have migrated there for jobs. Lamba is a [Bantu language](/source/Bantu_languages). (In fact, "mu ntu" means "one person" in Lamba and "ba ntu" means "two or more people".) Depending on who does the counting, Zambia has between 42 and 78 local languages besides [English](/source/English_language) – see [Languages of Zambia](/source/Languages_of_Zambia) for further details.

Maho (2009) lists the Lima (*Bulima*) and Temba varieties as distinct languages.

## Oral literature

In 1927, [Clement Doke](/source/Clement_Doke) published *Lamba Folklore,*[3] a collection of Lamba texts with English translations. The book contains 159 Lamba stories with English translations,[4] 1695 proverbs,[5] 144 riddles,[6] and 95 songs (lyrics but no music).[7] Here are some of the proverbs:

- "*Awana-wa-nkasi wa li awene umuninga.*" "The brothers divided a peanut. (The story goes that two brothers were so fond of one another that, when one picked up a single peanut, he split it in half to share with his brother.)" (#148)

- "*Cipa ca minwe, amenso a la wepa.*" "A gift is a thing for the hand, the eyes lie (i.e. don't consider a thing yours till you have it in your hand)." (#184)

- "*Funda-wutesi e u wa.*" "The one who warns against slipping is the one who falls (i.e. practice what you preach)." (#239)

- "*Iciwa mutima, iminwe ta iwa.*" "The thief is the heart, the fingers do not steal." (#327)

Here are some of the riddles:

- "*Aka mina nyina? Mbe'cikwamu.*" "The little thing that swallows its mother? A match (for, when struck, the fire consumes the match-stick)." (#7)

- "*Akanamaka kenda ku minefu, amafupa ka ka kakila-po? Mba kofwa.*" "A little animal that journeys on its flesh, and its bones it ties on top? The snail." (#10)

- "*Akasinga akapelele kwesu kwiwala? Mba kakumo.*" "The last little stump in our garden? The little toe." (#24)

- "*Ici tonkala mu masala? Mbo'mutima.*" "That which digs about in the deserted village? The heart (the heart always turns to think of the past)." (#75)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-e18_1-0)** [Lamba](https://www.ethnologue.com/18/language/lam/) at *[Ethnologue](/source/Ethnologue)* (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Guthrie_2-0)** Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. [New Updated Guthrie List Online](https://web.archive.org/web/20180203191542/http://goto.glocalnet.net/mahopapers/nuglonline.pdf)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Doke, Clement (1927). *[Lamba Folklore](https://archive.org/details/lambafolklore20doke)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Doke 1927](https://archive.org/details/lambafolklore20doke/page/23/mode/2up?view=theater), pp. 2-279.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Doke 1927](https://archive.org/details/lambafolklore20doke/page/282/mode/2up?view=theater), pp. 283-519.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Doke 1927](https://archive.org/details/lambafolklore20doke/page/549/mode/2up?view=theater), pp. 550-570.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [Doke 1927](https://archive.org/details/lambafolklore20doke/page/522/mode/2up?view=theater), pp. 523-545.

v t e Languages of Zambia Official language English Regional languages Bemba Kaonde Lozi Lunda Luvale Nyanja Tonga Tumbuka Indigenous languages Bwile Chokwe Ila Kuhane Kunda Kwangwa Lala-Bisa Lamba Lenje Luyana Mambwe-Lungu Mbamba Bay Mbowe Mbukushu Mbunda Mwanga Nkangala Nkoya Nsenga Shanjo Shona Soli Tabwa Wanda Yao Sign languages Zambian Sign Language

v t e Narrow Bantu languages (Zones J–M) (by Guthrie classification) Zone J* [J]D40 [J]D41 Konzo [J]D42 Ndandi [J]D43 Nyanga [J]D50 [J]D51 Hunde [J]D52 Haavu [J]D53 Nyabungu [J]D54 Bembe [J]D55 Buyi [J]D56 Kabwari [JD501 Nyindu [J]JD502 Yaka [J]JD531 Tembo [J]D60 [J]D61 Ruanda [J]D62 Rundi [J]D63 Fuliiro [J]D64 Subi [J]D65 Hangaza [J]D66 Ha [J]D67 Vinza [JD631 Vira [J]E10 [J]E11 Nyoro [J]E12 Tooro [J]E13 Nyankore [J]E14 Ciga [J]E15 Ganda [J]E16 Soga [J]E17 Gwere [J]E18 Nyala [JE101 Gungu JE102 Talinga-Bwisi JE103 Ruli JE121 Hema [J]E20 [J]E21 Nyambo [J]E22 Ziba [J]E23 Dzindza [J]E24 Kerebe [J]E25 Jita [JE221 Rashi JE251 Kwaya JE252 Kara JE253 Ruri [J]E30 [J]E31a Gisu [J]E31b Kisu [J]E31c Bukusu [J]E32a Hanga [J]E32b Tsotso [J]E33 Nyore [J]E34 Saamia [J]E35 Nyuli [JE341 Xaayo JE342 Marachi JE343 Songa [J]E40 [J]E41 Logooli [J]E42 Gusii [J]E43 Koria [J]E44 Zanaki [J]E45 Nata E46 Sonjo [JE401 Nguruimi JE402 Ikizu JE403 Suba/Suba-Simbiti JE404 Shashi JE405 Kabwa JE406 Singa JE407 Ware JE411 Idaxo JE412 Isuxa JE413 Tiriki JE431 Simbiti JE432 Hacha JE433 Surwa JE434 Sweta [J]F20 [J]F21 Sukuma [J]F22 Nyamwezi [J]F23 Sumbwa [J]F24 Kimbu [J]F25 Bungu Zone K K10 K11 Chokwe K12a Luimbi K12b Nyemba K13 Lucazi K14 Lwena K15 Mbunda K16 Nyengo K17 Mbwela K18 Nkangala K20 K21 Lozi K30 K31 Luyana K32 Mbowe K33 Kwangali K34 Mashi K35 Simaa K36 Sanjo K37 Kwangwa [K321 Mbume K322 Liyuwa K332 Manyo K333 Mbukushu K334 Mbogedu K351 Mulonga K352 Mwenyi K353 Koma K354 Imilangu K371 Kwandi K40 K41 Totela K42 Subiya [K402 Fwe K411 Totela of Namibia Zone L L10 L11 Pende L12 Samba & Holu L13 Kwese [L101 Sonde L20 L21 Kete L22 Binji Mbagani L23 Songe L24 Luna [L201 Budya L202 Yazi L221 Lwalwa L231 Binji L30 L31a Luba-Kasai L31b Lulua L32 Kanyoka L33 Luba-Katanga L34 Hemba L35 Sanga [L301 Kebwe L331 Zeela L40 L41 Kaonde L50 L51 Salampasu L52 Lunda L53 Ruund [L511 Luntu L60 L61 Mbwera L62 Nkoya [L601 Kolwe L602 Lushangi L603 Shasha Zone M M10 M11 Pimbwe M12 Rungwa M13 Fipa M14 Rungu M15 Mambwe [M131 Kuulwe M20 M21 Wanda M22 Mwanga M23 Nyiha M24 Malila M25 Safwa M26 Iwa M27 Tambo [M201 Lambya M202 Sukwa M30 M31 Nyakyusa [M301 Ndali M302 Penja M40 M41 Taabwa M42 Bemba [M401 Bwile M402 Aushi M50 M51 Biisa M52 Lala M53 Swaka M54 Lamba M55 Seba [M521 Ambo M522 Luano M541 Lima M542 Temba M60 M61 Lenje M62 Soli M63 Ila M64 Tonga [M611 Lukanga Twa M631 Sala M632 Lundwe M633 Kafue Twa Italics indicate extinct languages. Languages between parentheses are varieties of the language on their left. The Guthrie classification is geographic and its groupings do not imply a relationship between the languages within them. Narrow Bantu languages by Guthrie classification zone templates Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones A–B) Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones C–D) Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones E–H) Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones J–M) Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones N–S)

Authority control databases National United States Israel Other Yale LUX

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lamba language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamba_language) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamba_language?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.