Luhya language

{{Short description|Bantu language spoken in Kenya}} {{Infobox language |name=Luhya |altname=Luyia |nativename={{lang|luy|Oluluhya}} |states=Kenya |region = |ethnicity=Luhya |date= |ref=e27 |script=Latin |familycolor=Niger-Congo |fam2=Atlantic–Congo |fam3=Volta-Congo |fam4=Benue–Congo |fam5=Bantoid |fam6=Southern Bantoid |fam7=Bantu |fam8=Northeast Bantu |fam9=Great Lakes Bantu |fam10=Greater Luyia | protoname = '''Proto-Luhya'''<ref>{{cite thesis|url=https://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/154048|title=A Systematic Reconstruction Of The Phonology Of Proto-Luyia|last=Osotsi|first=Eric M.|degree=Master of Arts|publisher=University of Nairobi|date=2018}}</ref> |iso3=luy |iso3comment=(includes all languages spoken by ethnic Luhya, not just the following)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://iso639-3.sil.org/code/luy|title=639 Identifier Documentation: luy|publisher=SIL International}}</ref> |lc1=lrm|ld1=Marama |lc2=lwg|ld2=Wanga (Hanga) |lc3=lks|ld3=Kisa |lc4=lto|ld4=Tsotso |lc5=lkb|ld5=Kabras |lc6=nle|ld6=(East) Nyala |glotto=cent2288 |glottoname=Central Luyia (incl. some Nyore) |glottorefname=Central Luyia |glotto2=kabr1240 |glottoname2=Kabras |guthrie=JE.32 }}

'''Luhya''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|uː||j|ə}}; also '''Luyia''', '''Oluluyia''', '''Luhia''' or '''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:<ref>Maho (2019)</ref> *Wanga {{lang|lwg|(OluWanga)}} *Tsotso {{lang|lto|(OluTsotso)}} *Marama {{lang|lrm|(OluMarama)}} *Kisa {{lang|lks|(OluShisa)}} *Kabras {{lang|lkb|(LuKabarasi)}} *East Nyala {{lang|nle|(LuNyala)}}

===All Luhya subtribes=== #Banyala #Bukusu #Gisu #Idakho #Isukha #Kabras #Khayo #Kisa #Marachi #Maragoli #Marama #Masaaba #Nyole #Samia #Tachoni #Tiriki #Tsotso #Wanga

===Comparison=== A comparison between two dialects of Luhya proper, and to two other Bantu languages spoken by the Luhya: {|class="wikitable" ! '''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 === {|class="wikitable" ! '''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:<ref>{{Cite book|last=Abdulmajid|first=Akidah Mohammed|title=Luwanga morphophonemics: a natural generative phonology|publisher=University of Nairobi|year=2000}}</ref>

=== Vowels === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! !Front !Central !Back |- align="center" !Close |i iː | |u uː |- align="center" !Mid |e eː | |o oː |- align="center" !Open | |a aː | |}

=== Consonants === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan="2" | !Bilabial !Labio- dental !Alveolar !Post- alveolar !Palatal !Velar |- ! rowspan="2" |Stop !plain |p | |t | | |k |- !prenasal |ᵐb | |ⁿd | |ᶮɟ |ᵑɡ |- ! colspan="2" |Affricate | | |ts |tʃ | | |- ! rowspan="2" |Fricative !plain |β |f |s |ʃ | |x |- !prenasal | | |ⁿz | | | |- ! colspan="2" |Nasal |m | |n | |ɲ |ŋ |- ! colspan="2" |Trill | | |r | | | |- ! colspan="2" |Approximant | | |l | |j |w |}

== References == <references /> *[https://web.archive.org/web/20121011200803/http://www.sil.org/acpub/repository/22547.pdf 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).] *[https://www.academia.edu/9346974/Wanga_English_Dictionary Wanga-English Dictionary]

== External links == *[http://mammana.org/bcp/luhya1967/ Eshitabo Eshiokhulaama nende Tsisakalamendo nende Akebiima Bindi Bieikanisa] 1967 Anglican liturgical text digitized by Richard Mammana

{{Languages of Kenya}} {{Languages of Uganda}} {{Narrow Bantu languages (Zones E–H)}} {{Narrow Bantu languages (Zones J–M)}}

Category:Luhya language