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: – Luchazi – Nyemba (Ngangela) – Mbwela |
Glottolog |
luch1239 Luchazinyem1238 Nyembambwe1238 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 prenasalised 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.