Luchazi | |
---|---|
Ngangela | |
Chiluchazi | |
Native to | Angola, Zambia |
Native speakers
|
(undated figure of 900,000) |
Niger–Congo
|
|
Official status | |
Recognised minority
language in |
Angola (as "Nganguela" or "Ganguela")
|
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 |
– inclusive codeIndividual codes: lch – Luchazi nba – Nyemba (Ngangela) mfu – Mbwela |
Glottolog |
luch1239 (Luchazi)nyem1238 (Nyemba)mbwe1238 (Mbwela)
|
K.13, K.12b, K.17 |
Luchazi (Lucazi, Chiluchazi) is a Bantu language of Angola and Zambia. Ethnically distinct varieties, many of which are subsumed under the generic term Ngangela, are all "fully intelligible". These are Luchazi itself, Nyemba, Mbwela of Angola (Ambuella, Shimbwera, not to be confused with Mbwela of Zambia) and Ngonzela.
Luchazi proper has five vowels (/a ɛ i ɔ u/), three tone levels, and the following consonants:
There are also prenasalized stops, /mpʰ ntʰ ŋkʰ/, /mb nd ɲdʒ ŋɡ/.
There are possibly other consonants, such as /ts/(?) and /tʲ/(?). /ʃ/ and /ŋ/ are rare and may be from loans.