Malila | Ethnologue

A language of Tanzania

ISO 639: mgq
Alternate Names: Bamalila, Ishimalilia, Kimalila, Malilia, Shimalilia
Autonym: Shɨmalɨla
Population: 78,000 (Mradi wa Lugha za Tanzania 2009).
Location:: Mbeya region: Mbeya Rural district, 40 km southwest of Mbeya town.
Language Status: 5 (Developing).
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, M, Nyiha-Safwa (M.24)
Typology: SVO; prepositions; noun head initial; noun classes; verbal affixation for subject, object, tense, aspect, mood and derivation; 36 consonant phonemes; 14 vowel phonemes; tonal.
Language Use: Vigorous. Other language speakers moving into the area learn Malila. Most domains including church and politics. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Swahili [swh].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: Low. SIL has transition literacy work (Swahili to Malila), and some pre-school basic literacy classes. Literature. NT: 2020.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Malila
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Little intermarriage. Christian.

Location: Mbeya region: Mbeya Rural district, 40 km southwest of Mbeya town.