Languages of Malawi

[afr]   Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Franconian 
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[eng] 16,000 in Malawi (1993).  Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English 
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[kfr]   Alternate names: Cuchi, Cutch, Kacchi, Kachi, Katchi.  Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Northwestern zone, Sindhi 
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[kzn] 200,000 in Malawi (2000). Population total all countries: 280,000. Southeast border, south of Mlanje and Cholo, north of Chiromo. Also in Mozambique. Alternate names: Kokhola.  Dialects: May be a subvariety of Lolo, which is itself a subvariety of Lomwe [lon]. May be intelligible with Lomwe [lon]. Similar to Marendje [vmr] and Takwane [tke].  Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, P, Makua (P.30) 
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[lai] 45,000 in Malawi (Johnstone and Mandryk 2001). Population total all countries: 87,000. Northwest tip, Tanzania and Zambia border. Also in Tanzania, Zambia. Alternate names: Ichilambya, Lambia, Lambwa, Rambia.  Dialects: Ndali [ndh] (1,000 to 3,000 in 1992) in the Sukwa Hills, northern Malawi, came from Tanzania, and may be intelligible with Lambya.  Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, M, Nyika-Safwa (M.20) 
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[lon] 250,000 (Johnstone and Mandryk 2001). Southeast, south of Lake Kilwa, south of the Yao, northeast of the Sena. Alternate names: Anguru, Nguru.  Dialects: Not intelligible with Lomwe [ngl] of Mozambique. Different from Ngulu [ngp] (Kingulu) of Tanzania.  Classification: Mixed language, Makhua-Nyanja 
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[ndh] 70,000 in Malawi (2003 SIL).  Dialects: Sukwa.  Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, M, Nyika-Safwa (M.20) 
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[nyy] 300,000 in Malawi (Johnstone 1993). North tip, south of the Lambya, west of Lake Malawi. Alternate names: Ikingonde, Ikinyikyusa, Kinyakyusa, Konde, Kukwe, Mombe, Ngonde, Nkhonde, Nkonde, Nyakusa, Nyekyosa, Sochile, Sokile.  Dialects: Nyakyusa, Nkonde, Sukwa.  Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, M, Nyakyusa (M.30) 
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[nya] 7,000,000 in Malawi (Johnstone and Mandryk 2001). Population total all countries: 8,659,700. West central and southwest. Also in Botswana, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Alternate names: Chewa, Chinyanja.  Dialects: Chewa (Chichewa, Cheva, Sheva), Ngoni, Manganja (Waganga, Cimanganja), Nyasa, Peta (Cipeta, Maravi, Marave, Malawi).  Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, N, Nyanja (N.30) 
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[nyr] 10,000 (2007). Northern Province, Chitipa Division, villages around the town of Kameme. Alternate names: Shinyiha, Kinyiha.  Dialects: Similar to Nyiha [nih].  Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, M, Nyika-Safwa (M.20) 
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[nkv] 5,000 in Malawi (2007). Population total all countries: 10,000. Northern Province, Chitipa Division, Chisenga area villages. Also in Zambia. Alternate names: Chinyika, Kinyika.  Dialects: Similar to Malawi Nyiha [nyr].  Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, M, Nyika-Safwa (M.20) 
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[swk] 270,000 (Johnstone and Mandryk 2001). South tip bordering Mozambique. Alternate names: Chisena, Cisena.  Dialects: Closely related to Kunda [kdn].  Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, N, Senga-Sena (N.40), Sena 
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[tog] 170,000 (Johnstone and Mandryk 2001). Northern Province, North of Bandawe, west shore of Lake Malawi. Alternate names: Chitonga, Kitonga, Siska, Sisya, Western Nyasa.  Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, N, Manda (N.10) 
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[tum] 1,000,000 in Malawi (Johnstone and Mandryk 2001). Population total all countries: 1,142,000. Northern Province, west shore of Lake Malawi, south of the Ngonde, north of the Tonga and Ngoni. Also in Zambia. Alternate names: Chitumbuka, Tamboka, Tambuka, Timbuka, Tombucas, Tumboka.  Dialects: Chitumbuka, Chikamanga (Kamanga, Henga), Nenya, Poka (Chipoka, Phoka), Yombe, Senga, Nthali, Fungwe, Wenya, Hewe (Hewa).  Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, N, Tumbuka (N.20) 
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[yao] 1,000,000 in Malawi (Johnstone and Mandryk 2001). Population total all countries: 1,916,000. Southeast tip of Lake Malawi area, bordering Mozambique. Also in Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia. Alternate names: Achawa, Adsawa, Adsoa, Ajawa, Ayao, Ayawa, Ayo, Chiyao, Djao, Haiao, Hiao, Hyao, Jao, Veiao, Wajao.  Dialects: Mangoche.  Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, P, Yao (P.20) 
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[zul] 37,500 in Malawi (1966 census).  Alternate names: Isizulu, Kingoni, Ngoni, Zunda.  Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Nguni (S.40) 
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