- Tumbuka language
-
Tumbuka chiTumbuka Spoken in 
Malawi
Zambia
TanzaniaRegion Africa Native speakers 2 million (date missing) Language family Language codes ISO 639-2 tum ISO 639-3 tum The Tumbuka language is a Bantu language which is spoken in parts of Malawi, Zambia, and Tanzania.
The language of the Tumbuka people is called chiTumbuka — the chi- marker in front of Tumbuka means “thing”, “concept”, and is understood in this case “the language of (the Tumbuka people)”. This marker is similar to shi- in shimaore, se- (si- in some parts of this language area) in seTswana / siTswana or ki- in kiSwahili, and iki- (or ki-) in Ikinyarwanda / Kinyarwanda, among several examples.
The World Almanac (1998) estimates approximately 2,000,000 Tumbuka speakers exist in the aforementioned three countries.
There are substantial differences between the form of Tumbuka spoken in urban areas (which borrows some words from Chichewa/Nyanja) and the "village" or "deep" Tumbuka spoken in villages. The Rumphi variant is often regarded as the most "linguistically pure", and is sometimes called "real Tumbuka". The Mzimba dialect has been strongly influenced by Zulu (chiNgoni), even so far as to have clicks in words like chitha [ʇʰitʰa] "urinate", which do not occur in other dialects. Senga is not actually Tumbuka at all, but a Sabi language more closely related to Bemba.
Contents
Linguistic descriptions
Some remarks on Tumbuka as well as the related Tonga language can be found in W.M.Turner, Tumbuka–Tonga–English Dictionary The Hetherwick Press, Blantyre (now Malawi) MCMLII. Unlike most Bantu languages, Tumbuka does not have tone.
Some Vocabulary
- bingu = cloud
- bondo = spoor, hoofmarks of game
- chaka = year, annual sports day - plural: *vyaka
- charu = country, land
- chigwere = hippo
- dongo = earth, soil, mud, clay
- -finyi (adjective) = narrow
- jambuloko = a ford, a wading-across place
- kaya = village
- khutu = ear
- kubwaranthika = to leap
- woko = hand, arm
- lizgu = word, voice
- lukutu = pen, fold, roofed kraal for livestock - plural: * malukutu
Helpful Phrases
- Enya = Yes
- Yayi = No
- Yewo = Thank you
- nkumba chakurya! = I want some food !
- munga nipako chakurya? = could you give me some food?
- Ine nkhuyowoya chiTumbuka yayi! = I do not speak chiTumbuka!
- Yendani makola. = Travel well.
- Nkhukumba maji yakumya. = I would like water to drink.
Greetings
- Mwawuka uli ? = Good morning. (How did you wake up?)
- Tawuka makola. Kwali imwe? = Fine. And you? (I woke up well. I don't know about you?)
- Tawuka makola = I am fine. (I woke up well.)
- Muli uli ? = How are you?
- Nili makola. Kwali imwe? = I am fine. How are you?
- Mwatandala uli? = Good afternoon. (How did you spend the day?)
- Natandala makola. Kwali imwe? = Good afternoon. How are you? (I spent the day well. I don't know about you?)
- Monile. = somewhat more formal than "Hi." Perhaps best translated as "Greetings."
- Tisanganenge = We shall meet again.
People
- Ba nyamata = boys
- mu nyamata = boy
- Ba sungwana = girls
- mu sungwana = girl
- ba mwali = young ladies
- ba mama = mother
- ba dada = dad
- ba gogo = grandmother
- ba buya = grandmother, also used when addressing old female persons
- ba sekulu = grandfather
- ba nkazi = paternal aunty
- ba mama ba choko / kulu = maternal aunty usually your mother's younger/older sister
- ba sibweni = maternal uncle
- ba dada ba choko/kulu = paternal uncle usually your father's younger/older brother
- mu dumbu wane = my brother/ sister ( for addressing sibling of the opposite sex )
- mu choko wane = my brother/ sister ( for addressing sibling of the same sex)
Verbs
- Kusebela = to play
- Kuseka = to laugh
- Kurya = to eat
- Kugona = to sleep
- Kwenda = to walk
- Kuchimbila = to run
- Kulemba = to write
- Kuchapa = to do laundry
- Kugeza = to bath
- Kupika = to cook
- Kulima = to dig / cultivate
- Kupanda = to plant
- Kuvina = to dance
- Kwimba = to sing
Animals
- Fulu = Tortoise
- Kalulu = Hare
- Chimbwi = hyena
- njoka = Snake
- nkhumba = pig
- n'gombe = cow
- nchebe = dog
- chona/pusi = cat
- mbelele = sheep
- nkalamu = lion
- mbuzi = goat
See also
External links
- Tumbuka phrasebook from Wikitravel.
- Very brief report on Tumbuka language.
- Some more chiTumbuka vocabulary.
- History of the Tumbuka language in Malawi.
- PanAfrican L10n page on Tumbuka
Categories:- Language articles with undated speaker data
- Nyasa languages
- Languages of Malawi
- Languages of Tanzania
- Languages of Zambia
- Tumbuka people
- Non-tonal languages in tonal families
- Niger-Congo language stubs
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