Alternate Names: Ishimalilia, Kimalila, Malilia, Shimalilia
Genealogy:
Demographics: 65,000 (2003 SIL).
Language Use: Vigorous. Other language speakers moving into the area learn Malila. Most domains including church and politics. All ages. Positive attitudes. Also use Swahili [swh].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 0%. Literacy rate in L2: Low. SIL has transition literacy work (Swahili to Malila), and some pre-school basic literacy classes. Bible portions: 2010–2012.
Typology: SVO; prepositions; noun head initial; noun classes; verbal affixation for subject, object, tense, aspect, mood and derivation; 36 consonant phonemes; 14 vowel phonemes; tonal.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Tanzania
Other Comments: Little intermarriage. Christian.