Chichewa

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A language of Malawi

ISO 639-3
nya
Alternate Names
Chewa, Chinyanja, Nyanja, Nyanja-Chewa
Autonym
Chicheŵa
User Population

10,500,000 in Malawi (2020 World Factbook), based on ethnicity. 7,271,000 Chewa, 2,200,000 Ngoni, 678,000 Manganja, and 382,000 Nyanja (2020 World Factbook). Total users in all countries: 14,380,700.

Location

West central and southwest.

Language Maps
Language Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto language of national identity.

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, N, Chewa-Nyanja (N.31)
Dialects

Chewa (Cheva, Chichewa, Sheva), Ngoni, Manganja (Cimanganja, Waganga), Nyasa, Peta (Cipeta, Malawi, Marave, Maravi). Manganja is also a Chewa-influenced dialect of Sena [swk].

Typology

SVO.

Language Use

Most Ngoni in Malawi speak the Chewa dialect or Tumbuka [tum]. Used as L2 by Kokola [kzn], Malawi Lomwe [lon], Malawian Sign Language [lws], Yao [yao].

Language Development

Taught in all primary schools in grades 1–4. Newspapers. Radio. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1905–1998.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Chichewa
Writing

Braille script [Brai]. Latin script [Latn], primary usage.

Other Comments

Traditional religion, Christian.

Also spoken in:

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