Kwangali | Ethnologue

A language of Namibia

ISO 639: kwn
Alternate Names: Kwangare, Kwangari, Rukwangari, Sikwangali, Vakwángali
Autonym: Rukwángali
Population: 170,000 in Namibia (2018). Ethnic population: 175,000 (2018). Total users in all countries: 192,000.
Location:: Kavango East and Kavango West regions.
Language Status: 4 (Educational). Recognized language (2009, National Curriculum, Basic Education, Sections 4.1.5.1 and 5.5), mainly used as education medium in primary grades.
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, K, Luyana (K.33)
Dialects: Shambyu (Sambio, Sambiu, Sambyu, Shisambyu). May be intelligible of Gciriku [diu].
Typology: SVO; prepositions; 18 noun classes; passives; tense and aspect; causatives; 18 consonants and 5 vowels; tonal (2 tones: high, low); partial vowel harmony; 1 click phoneme.
Language Use: All domains, including education. Used by all. Used as L2 by Hai|ǁom [hgm].
Language Development: Taught in primary schools, as medium of instruction. Taught in secondary schools, as a subject. Radio. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible: 1987.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Kwangali
Writing: Latin script [Latn].