Kiwilwana | Ethnologue

A language of Kenya

ISO 639: mlk
Alternate Names: Elwana, Ilwana, Walwana, “Malakote” (pej.), “Malankote” (pej.)
Autonym: Kiwilwana
Population: 21,800 (2019 census), increasing. , based on ethnicity.
Location:: Garissa and Tana River counties: Tana River north of Pokomo, between Bura and Garissa.
Language Status: 5 (Developing).
Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, E, Nyika-Taita (E.701)
Dialects: Kulla, Mi’i. Not intelligible with Kipfokomo Pokomo [pkb]. Lexical similarity: 55%–57% with Kipfokomo [pkb].
Language Use: Vigorous. Home, community. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use English [eng]. Also use Kipfokomo [pkb]. Also use Swahili [swh]. Used as L2 by Waata [ssn].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: Below 5%. Orthography under development.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Kiwilwana
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Cushitic influence. Muslim.

Location: Garissa and Tana River counties: Tana River north of Pokomo, between Bura and Garissa.