View source for Languages of Zambia

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[[File:Zambia - Street in Lusaka.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Street view in Lusaka with signs in English.]]

[[Zambia]] has several major indigenous [[languages]], all of them members of the [[Bantu languages|Bantu]] family, together with English, which is the [[official language]] and the major language of business and education.

== Indigenous languages ==

Zambia is widely claimed to have over 72 languages, although many of these might be better regarded as dialects. Some of these languages have a long history within Zambia, while others, such as [[Lozi language|Lozi]], arose as a result of 18th and 19th-century migrations. All of Zambia's vernacular languages are members of the [[Bantu languages|Bantu family]] and are closely related to one another.

Seven vernacular languages have official status. Together these represent the major languages of each province: [[Bemba language|Bemba]] ([[Northern Province, Zambia|Northern Province]], [[Luapula Province|Luapula]], [[Muchinga Province|Muchinga]] and the [[Copperbelt Province|Copperbelt]]), [[Nyanja language|Nyanja]] ([[Eastern Province, Zambia|Eastern Province]] and [[Lusaka Province|Lusaka]]), [[Lozi language|Lozi]] ([[Western Province, Zambia|Western Province]]), [[Tonga language (Zambia)|Tonga]] ([[Southern Province, Zambia|Southern Province]]), and [[Kaonde language|Kaonde]], [[Luvale language|Luvale]] and [[Lunda language|Lunda]] ([[Northwestern Province, Zambia|Northwestern Province]]). These seven languages are used, together with English, in early primary schooling and in some government publications.  A common orthography was approved by the Ministry of Education in 1977.<ref> Chimuka, S. S. 1977. ''Zambian languages: orthography approved by the Ministry of Education''. Lusaka : National Educational Company of Zambia (NECZAM).</ref><ref>Kashoki, Mubanga E. 1981. ''[http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0003/000333/033385EB.pdf Harmonization of African languages: standardization of orthography in Zambia]'' in ''In African Languages: Proceedings of the Meeting of Experts on the Transcription and Harmonization of African Languages'', Niamey (Niger), 17–21 July 1978, (pp.&nbsp;164–75). Paris: UNESCO.</ref>

According to the 2000 census, Zambia's most widely spoken languages are [[Bemba language|Bemba]] (spoken by 52% of the population as either a first or second language), [[Nyanja language|Nyanja]] (37%), [[Tonga language (Zambia)|Tonga]] (15%) and [[Lozi language|Lozi]] (11%). 

In some languages, particularly [[Bemba language|Bemba]] and [[Nyanja language|Nyanja]], Zambians distinguish between a "deep" form of the language, associated with older and more traditional speakers in rural areas, and urban forms (sometimes called "town language" or ''Chitauni'', such as [[Town Bemba]] and [[Town Nyanja]]) that incorporate a large number of borrowings from English and other innovations.

An urban variety of [[Nyanja language|Nyanja]] is the [[lingua franca]] of the capital [[Lusaka]] and is widely spoken as a second language throughout Zambia. [[Bemba language|Bemba]], the country's largest indigenous language, also serves as a lingua franca is some areas.

== Zambian English ==

[[English language|English]], the former colonial language, serves as a common language among educated Zambians. At independence in 1964, English was declared the national language. English is the first language of only 2% of Zambians but is the most commonly used second language.

The English spoken in Zambia has some distinctive features, such as the omission of certain object pronouns that would be obligatory in Western English ("Did you reach?"), the simplification of some [[phrasal verbs]] ("throw" instead of "throw away"), subtle differences in the usage of [[auxiliary verbs]] such as "should", simplification of vowel sounds (Some Zambians may regard "taste" and "test" as the same word), and the incorporation of particles derived from Zambia's indigenous languages (such as ''chi'' "big/bad" and ''ka'' "little"). Zambian English also incorporates South African words such as ''braai'' for "barbecue".

See also [[Zambian slang]], although note that the features listed above are standard within Zambia and should therefore not be regarded as slang.

== Percentage distribution of major language groups ==

{| class="wikitable sortable" 
|-
! Language Group !! 1990 !! 2000 !! 2010
|-
| Bemba || 39.9 || 38.5 || 41.0
|-
| Nyanja || 20.1 || 20.6 || 23.3
|-
| Tonga || 14.8 || 13.9 || 14.5
|-
| North Western || 8.8 || 7.7 || 6.6
|-
| Barotse || 7.5 || 6.9 || 6.3
|-
| Tumbuka || 3.7 || 3.2 || 3.3
|-
| Mambwe || 3.4 || 3.2 || 3.2
|-
| English || 1.1 || 1.7 || 1.7
|-
| Other || 0.8 || 4.3 || 0.3
|-
|}
Source: 2010 Census<ref>[http://www.zamstats.gov.zm/report/Census/2010/2010%20Census%20of%20Population%20National%20Analytical%20Report%20-%202010%20Census.pdf 2010 Census]  {{wayback|url=http://www.zamstats.gov.zm/report/Census/2010/2010%20Census%20of%20Population%20National%20Analytical%20Report%20-%202010%20Census.pdf |date=20131217101229 }}</ref>

== List of languages ==
{{Multicol}}
* [[Afrikaans]]
* Ambo
* Aushi
* [[Bemba language|Bemba]]
* Bisa
* [[Chewa language|Chewa]]
* Chikunda
* Cishinga
* Chokwe
* [[English language|English]]
* Gova
{{Multicol-break}}
* Ila
* namwanga
* Iwa
* Kabende
* [[Kaonde language|Kaonde]]
* Kosa
* Kundai
* Kwandi
* Kwandu
* Kwangwa
{{Multicol-break}}
* Lala
* Lamba
* Lenje
* Leya
* Lima
* Liyuwa
* [[Lozi language|Lozi]]
* Luano
* Luchazi
* Lumbu
* [[Lunda language|Lunda]]
* Lundwe
* Lungu
* Luunda
* [[Luvale]]
{{Multicol-break}}
* Makoma
* Mambwe
* Mashasha
* Mashi
* Mbowe
* Mbukushu
* Mbumi
* [[Mbunda language|Mbunda]]
* Mbwela
* Mukulu
* Mulonga
{{Multicol-break}}
* Namwanga
* Ndembu
* Ng'umbo
* Nkoya
* Nsenga
* Nyengo
* Nyiha
{{Multicol-break}}
* Sala
* Seba
* Senga
* Shanjo
* Shila
* Simaa
* Soli
* Subiya
* Swaka
{{Multicol-break}}
* Tabwa
* Tambo
* Toka
* [[Tonga language (Zambia)|Tonga]]
* Totela
* [[Tumbuka language|Tumbuka]]
* Twa
* Unga
* Wandya
* Yombe
{{Multicol-end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
* Kashoki, Mubanga E. and Ohannessian, Sirarpa. (1978) ''Language in Zambia''. London: International African Institute.
* Kashoki, Mubanga E. (1990) ''The Factor of Language in Zambia''. Lusaka: Kenneth Kaunda Foundation.
* Tordoff, William (ed.) (1974) ''Politics in Zambia''. Manchester: Manchester University Press
* [Republic of Zambia]. Constitution of Zambia 1991 (as amended by Act no. 18 of 1996).

==External links==
* [http://www.zamstats.gov.zm/census.php Census data from Zambia] from Central Statistical Office, Zambia
* [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=ZM Ethnologue Listing of Zambian Languages]
* [http://www.albany.edu/~lb527/LOZ.html Bibliography of books on languages spoken in Zambia]

{{Languages of Zambia}}



[[Category:Languages of Zambia]]
[[Category:Culture and traditions of Zambia]]