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Safwa language - Wikipedia

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Safwa
Cisafwa, Ishisafwa
Native to	Tanzania
Ethnicity	Safwa people
Native speakers	(160,000 cited 1987)^[1]
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Bantu Rukwa Mbozi Mbeya Safwa
Language codes
ISO 639-3	`sbk`
Glottolog	`safw1238`
Guthrie code	`M.25`^[2]

Safwa, or "Kisawfa" is a Bantu language spoken by the Safwa people of the Mbeya Region of Tanzania. Dialects are Guruka, Mbwila, Poroto, Songwe.

Language characteristics

There is uncertainty regarding whether Kisafwa is a seven-vowel or five-vowel language. The question revolves around the contrasting ATR (Advanced Tongue Root) closed vowels, specifically i/ɪ and u/ʊ. It is possible that the distribution of the seven- or five-vowel system is influenced by geographical factors or sociolects shaped by age or other factors. Labroussi (1999) notes that although Kisafwa maintains vowel length contrast, the distinction between +/- ATR (i/ɪ and u/ʊ) is not as clear. As a result, Labroussi prefers to consider Kisafwa as a seven-vowel system that is gradually reducing to a five-vowel system. However, Voorhoeve (n.d.) describes Kisafwa as a five-vowel system due to difficulties in discerning differences in vowel quality.

Previous research conducted in the Mbeya-Iringa project has identified variations in the choice and morphophonological realization of noun class prefixes across different varieties (Eaton 2006). However, there is no available information on the extent to which these differences are distributed among the varieties.

Additionally, previous research has also observed several lexical differences. However, prior to this survey's research, sufficient data had not been collected to determine the significance of these lexical differences between the varieties.^[3]

Sample words

People^[3]
English	Safwa
person	mtu
man	mwanamume
woman	mwanamke
mother	mama
father	baba
child	mtoto
son	mtoto wa kiume
daughter	mtoto wa kike
brother	kaka

References

^ Safwa at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
^ ^a ^b Eaton, Helen; Krüger, Susanne; Kamwela, Ganana; Smith, Bryan (2018). "Dialect Survey among the Safwa People" (PDF). sil.org. Retrieved 17 December 2023.

Labroussi, Catherine (1998). Le couloir des lacs: contribution linguistique à l'histoire des populations du sud-ouest de la Tanzanie [The Lakes Corridor: Linguistic Contribution to the History of the Peoples of Southwestern Tanzania] (PhD thesis) (in French). Paris: Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (INALCO).
Msanjila, Yohana P. (2004). "The future of the Kisafwa language: a case study of Ituha village in Tanzania". Journal of Asian and African Studies / Ajia Afuriku Gengo Bunka Kenkyu. 68: 161–172.
Mwanyanje, Wambi Trezia (2012). Shisafwa noun phrase structure (MA thesis). University of Dar es Salaam.
Philippson, Gérard (1991). Tons et Accent dans les Langues Bantu d'Afrique Orientale: Étude Comparative Typologique et Diachronique (PhD thesis). Université de Paris V - René Descartes. OCLC 490044838.
Rugemalira, Josephat M. (2007). "The Structure of the Bantu Noun Phrase". SOAS Working Papers in Linguistics. 15: 135–148.
Turner, K.; Liddle, D.; Daggett, S.; Hadlock, T. (1998), Sociolinguistic survey among the Safwa people, Mbeya district, Mbeya region, Tanzania, Dodoma: SIL Tanzania

Languages of Tanzania

Official languages

Indigenous
languages

Bantu

Northeast
Bantu

Bena–Kinga	Bena Hehe Kinga Kisi Manda Pangwa Sangu Vwanji
Chaga	Central Kilimanjaro Mochi Gweno Rombo Rusa West Kilimanjaro
Great Lakes	Ha Hangaza Ikizu Ikoma Jita Kabwa Kara Kerewe Kuria Kwaya Ngoreme Nyambo Suba-Simbiti Sumbwa Vinza Zanaki Zinza
Kikuyu–Kamba	Sonjo
Northeast Coast	Digo Doe Gogo Kagulu Kami Kutu Kwere Luguru Ngulu Sagara Shambala Vidunda Zaramo
Takama	Holoholo Iramba Isanzu Kimbu Nyamwezi Sukuma Turu

Other Bantu

Isolates/unclassified

Sign languages

7 school sign languages

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)

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Language characteristics

Sample words

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