Chichewa

NYA

wider communication

Alternate Names: Chewa, Chinyanja, Nyanja, Nyanja-Chewa

Dialects: Chewa (Cheva, Chichewa, Sheva), Manganja (Cimanganja, Waganga), Ngoni, Nyasa, Peta (Cipeta, Malawi, Marave, Maravi). Manganja is also a Chewa-influenced dialect of Sena ,.

Status Notes: De facto language of national identity.

Genealogy:

Niger-Congo
Atlantic-Congo
Volta-Congo
Benue-Congo
Bantoid
Southern
Narrow Bantu
Central
N
Chewa-Nyanja (N.31)

Demographics: 7,000,000 in Malawi (Johnstone and Mandryk 2001). Population total all countries: 10,036,700.

Language Use: Most Ngoni in Malawi speak the Chewa dialect or Tumbuka [tum]. Used as L2 by Kokola [kzn], Malawi Lomwe [lon], Yao [yao].

Language Development: T. Newspapers. New media. Radio programs. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1905–1998.

Typology: SVO.

Spoken In: Malawi

Writing System: Braille, Latin

Nation of Origin: Malawi

Other Comments: Traditional religion, Christian.