Sangu

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A language of Tanzania

ISO 639-3
sbp
Alternate Names
Ishisango, Ishisangu, Kisangu, Lori, Rori, Sangi, Sango, Shisango
Autonym
Shisangu
User Population

119,000 (Mradi wa Lugha za Tanzania 2009), decreasing.

Location

Iringa region: west central; Mbeya region: Mbarale district, Usangu plains.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, G, Bena-Kinga (G.61)
Dialects

Central Sangu, Eastern Sangu (Mahango), Northern Sangu, South-Central Sangu (Kapunga), Western Sangu (Kilambo).

Typology

SVO; Prepositions; Noun Head Initial; Noun classes; Verbal affixation for subject, object, tense, aspect, mood, and derivation; 29 consonant phonemes; 10 vowel phonemes; tonal.

Language Use

Some of all ages. Positive attitudes. Also use Swahili [swh].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: Low in Swahili [swh]. SIL has transition literacy work (Swahili to Sangu). Literature. Texts. NT: 2020.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Sangu
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Different from Sango [sag] of Central African Republic, from Sanga [sng] of Democratic Republic of the Congo, and from Sangu [snq] of Gabon. Muslim, traditional religion.