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.
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 populatio ...
(Konde),
Ndali
*Mbozi
**Mbeya
***
Bungu (Wungu, F20)
***
Safwa
The Safwa are an ethnic and linguistic group based in the mountains of the Mbeya Region, Tanzania. The Safwa language is a member of the large Niger–Congo languages, Niger–Congo language family group. Alternate names for Safwa are Ishisafwa, C ...
(M20)
***South Mbeya (M20):
Malila;
Lambya–Sukwa,
Nyiha
**Mwika
***
Nyika Nyika is a Swahili word meaning "bush" or "hinterland" (of the East African coast). More specifically, it can refer to:
* Mijikenda peoples, nine ethnic groups in coastal Kenya (also: ''Wanyika'')
* Nyika language, a Bantu language of Tanzania and ...
(M20)
***North Mwika (M10):
Pimbwe
The Pimbwe are an ethnic and linguistic group based in the Rukwa Region
Rukwa Region (''Mkoa wa Rukwa'' in Swahili) is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions with a postcode number 55000. The regional capital is the municipality of Sum ...
,
Rungwa
***Plateau Mwika:
****
Fipa (M10)
****South:
Wanda,
Namwanga
Mwanga, or Namwanga (Nyamwanga), is a Bantu languages, Bantu language spoken by the Mwanga people in the Northern Province, Zambia, Northern Province of Zambia (mainly in the districts of Isoka District, Isoka and Nakonde District, Nakonde) and in ...
–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
Penja is a town and sub-district in the South-West Region of Cameroon. It is known for its production of Penja white pepper.
See also
*Communes of Cameroon
The Arrondissements of Cameroon are the third-level units of administration in Camer ...
(possibly extinct), to M30, and
Kulwe as closest to Fipa.
Notes
{{Bantu-lang-stub