Fipa | Ethnologue

A language of Tanzania

ISO 639: fip
Alternate Names: Cifipa, Fiba, Icifipa, Kifipa
Autonym: Ichifipa
Population: 713,000 (Mradi wa Lugha za Tanzania 2009).
Location:: Rukwa region: Nkansi and Sumbawanga urban districts, between Tanganyika and Rukwa lakes.
Language Status: 6a (Vigorous).
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, M, Fipa-Mambwe (M.13)
Dialects: Kwa (Icikwa), Milanzi (Fipa-Sukuma, Icisukuuma, Sukuma, Sukuuma), Northern Fipa (Icikandaasi, Kandaasi, Kandasi), Southern Fipa, Siiwa (Icisiiwa), Nkwaamba (Icinkwaamba), Kwaafi (Icikwaafi), Ntile (Cile, Icintile, Yantili), Peemba (Icipeemba). Over half ethnic Fipa speak a speech variety called Fipa-Mambwe, which is a dialect of Mambwe-Lungu [mgr]. More research needed for whether Kwa dialect speakers can adequately understand the Northern variety. Lexical similarity: 69% with Rungwa [rnw]; 67% with Pimbwe [piw]; 65% with Nyika, Tanzania [nkt] (Roth 2011).
Language Use: Used by all. Used as L2 by Mambwe-Lungu [mgr].
Language Development: NT: 1988.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Fipa
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Christian, traditional religion.

Location: Rukwa region: Nkansi and Sumbawanga urban districts, between Tanganyika and Rukwa lakes.