Fipa language

Fipa (Fipa: Ichifipa) is a Bantu language of Tanzania. It is spoken by the Fipa people, who live on the Ufipa plateau in the Rukwa Region of South West Tanzania between Lake Tanganyika and Lake Rukwa. The ethnic group of the Fipa people is larger than the group of Fipa language speakers. On the Tanzanian side, people who speak Mambwe-Lungu may identify as Fipa and consider their language to be a dialect of Fipa. Lungu and Mambwe are also spoken in Zambia where they are considered languages and their speakers are considered to be ethnic groups in their own right, although linguists consider Lungu and Mambwe to be dialects of a single language. There are three dialects: Milanzi (also referred to as IchiSukuuma), Kwa (Ichikwa) and Nkansi.

Maho (2009) classifies M.131 Kulwe (Kuulwe, no ISO code) as closest to Fipa. Otherwise the dialects are Milanzi (Fipa-Sukuma, Icisukuuma), South Fipa, Kandaasi (Icikandaasi), Siiwa (Icisiiwa), Nkwaamba (Icinkwaamba), Kwa (Icikwa), Kwaafi (Icikwaafi), Ntile (Icintile, Cile), Peemba (Icipeemba).

Notes

References

• Labroussi, Catherine. 1998. Le couloir de lacs: Contributions linguistique à l’histoire des populations du sud-ouest de la Tanzanie. Doctoral Dissertation, INALCO.
• Labroussi, Catherine. 1999. Vowel systems and spirantization in S.W. Tanzania. In Bantu historical linguistics, ed. Jean-Marie Hombert and Larry M. Hyman, 335–377. Stanford, CA: CSLI Publications.
• Struck, Bernhard. 1911. Die Fipasprache. Anthropos 6:951–994.
• Walsh, Martin T., and Imani N. Swilla. 2000. Linguistics in the corridor: A review of research on the Bantu languages of south-west Tanzania, north-east Zambia and north Malawi. Ms, Dar es Salaam.
• Whiteley, W. H. 1964. Suggestions for recording a Bantu language in the field. Tanganyika Notes and Records 62:1–19.
• Willis, Roy G. 1966. The Fipa and related peoples of south-west Tanzania and north-east Zambia. London: International African Institute.
• Willis, Roy G. 1968. The Fipa. In Tanzania before 1900, ed. Andrew Roberts, 82–95. Nairobi: East African Publishing House.
• Willis, Roy G. 1978. There was a certain man: Spoken art of the Fipa. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Woodward, Mark, Anna-Lena Lindfors, and Louise Nagler. 2008. A sociolinguistic survey of the Fipa language community: Ethnic diversity and dialect diversity. SIL Electronic Survey Report, SIL International.

External links

• SIL sociolinguistic survey of the Fipa language community

Languages of Tanzania
Official languages	Swahili English
Indigenous languages	Bantu Northeast Bantu Bena–Kinga Bena Hehe Kinga Kisi Manda Pangwa Sangu Vwanji Chaga Central Kilimanjaro Gweno Rombo Rusa West Kilimanjaro Great Lakes Ha Hangaza Ikizu Ikoma Jita Kabwa Kara Kerewe Kuria Kwaya Ngoreme Nyambo Suba-Simbiti Sumbwa Vinza Zanaki Zinza Kikuyu–Kamba Sonjo Northeast Coast Digo Doe Gogo Kagulu Kami Kutu Kwere Luguru Ngulu Sagara Shambala Vidunda Zaramo Takama Holoholo Iramba Isanzu Kimbu Nyamwezi Sukuma Turu Kilombero Mbunga Ndamba Pogolo Rufiji–Ruvuma Matengo Matumbi Mpoto Mwera Ndendeule Ndengereko Ndonde Ngindo Ngoni Nindi Yao Rukwa Bungu Fipa Lambya Malila Mwanga Nyakyusa Nyiha Nyika Safwa Wanda Other Bantu Bemba Makhuwa Mbamba Bay Mbugwe Rangi Cushitic Alagwa Asa Burunge Gorowa Iraqw Kw'adza Nilo-Saharan Datooga Kisankasa Kwavi Maasai Mediak Mosiro Ngasa Ogiek Other Hadza Sandawe
Sign languages	Tanzanian sign languages