The Rukwa languages are a group of
Bantu languages
The Bantu languages (English: , Proto-Bantu: *bantʊ̀) are a large family of languages spoken by the Bantu people of Central, Southern, Eastern africa and Southeast Africa. They form the largest branch of the Southern Bantoid languages.
The t ...
established by Nurse (1988) and Fourshey (2002). They constitute half of
Guthrie's Zone M, plus Bungu. The languages, or clusters, along with their Guthrie identifications, are:
*Rungwe (M30):
Nyakyusa–
Ngonde The Nyakyusa (also called the Sokile, Ngonde or Nkonde) are a Bantu ethnolinguistic group who live in the fertile mountains of southern Tanzania. They speak the Nyakyusa language, a member of the Bantu language family. In 1993 the Nyakusa populati ...
(Konde),
Ndali
*Mbozi
**Mbeya
***
Bungu (Wungu, F20)
***
Safwa (M20)
***South Mbeya (M20):
Malila
The Malila are an ethnic and linguistic group based in Mbeya Region in south-western Tanzania. In 2003 the Malila population was estimated to number 65,00
Their traditional area comprises the wards of Isuto, Ilembo, Iwiji, Masoko, Santilya
...
;
Lambya
The Lambya, also known as the Nkoya, are an ethnic and linguistic group based along the border of northwestern Malawi and in Mbeya Region, Tanzania. A minority also exists in Zambia. In 2001 the Lambya population was estimated to number 85,000, i ...
–Sukwa,
Nyiha The Nyiha are a Bantu ethnolinguistic group based in Mbeya Region, Tanzania and northeastern Zambia. In 1993 the Nyiha population was estimated to number 626,000, of which 306,000 were in Tanzania and 320,000 were in Zambia.
The Nyiha are scattere ...
**Mwika
***
Nyika (M20)
***North Mwika (M10):
Pimbwe,
Rungwa
***Plateau Mwika:
****
Fipa (M10)
****South:
Wanda
Wanda is a female given name of Polish origin. It probably derives from the tribal name of the Wends.Campbell, Mike"Meaning, Origin, and History of the Name Wanda."''Behind the Name.'' Accessed on August 12, 2010. The name has long been popular in ...
,
Namwanga–Iwa–Tambo (M20),
Mambwe-Lungu (M10)
Nurse (1988) had established a more limited Mbozi ("Corridor"), without Pimbwe or Bungu, and with the addition of Rungwe tentative.
Maho (2009) adds
Penja (possibly extinct), to M30, and
Kulwe as closest to Fipa.
Notes
{{Bantu-lang-stub