Bantu language spoken in Kenya
Luhya (; also Luyia , Oluluyia , Luhia or Luhiya ) is a Bantu language of western Kenya .
The various Luhya tribes speak several related languages and dialects, though some of them are no closer to each other than they are to neighboring non-Luhya languages. For example, the Bukusu people are ethnically Luhya, but the Bukusu dialect is a variety of Masaba . (See Luhya people for details.) However, there is a core of mutually intelligible dialects that comprise Luhya proper:[ 4]
Hanga (OluWanga)
Tsotso (OluTsotso)
Marama (OluMarama)
Kisa (OluShisa)
Kabras (LuKabarasi)
East Nyala (LuNyala) A comparison between two dialects of Luhya proper, and to two other Bantu languages spoken by the Luhya:
English
Kisa
Logoli
Nyole
Wanga
I (me)
eshie
nzi/ inze
ise
esie
words
amakhuwa
makuva
amang'ana, amakhuwa
amakhuwa
chair
eshifumbi
indeve/ endeve
indebe
eshisala
head
omurwe
mutwi
omurwe
om'rwe
money
amapesa
mang'ondo
amang'ondo, am'mondo, etsilupia
amapesa, irupia
Comparison to Bantu [ edit ]
English
Luhya
Kikuyu
Kinyarwanda
Lingala
Luganda
Shona
Swahili
Zulu
children
abana, baana, otwana, orwana, vaana
twana
abana
bana
baana, abaana
vana
wana
abantwana
dog
imbwa
ngui (pron. gui)
imbwa
mbwa
mbwa, embwa
mbwa, imbwa
mbwa
inja
fire
omuliro
mwaki
umuriro
moto
omuliro
moto
moto
umlilo
The following is the phonology of the Luwanga dialect:[ 5]
Official languages Indigenous languages
Immigrant languages Sign languages Urban languages
Official languages Indigenous languages
Zone E
[J]E10 [J]E20 [J]E30 [J]E40 E50 E60 E70
Zone F
Zone G
Zone H
Zone J*
[J]D40 [J]D50 [J]D60 [J]E10 [J]E20 [J]E30 [J]E40 [J]F20
Zone K
Zone L
Zone M