Luyia - oluLuyia
< Luo, Acholi, Lango | Major Languages | Maasai >
Categories: Languages, Kenya, Uganda
On this page... (hide)
- 1. Classification / Classification
- 2. Where Spoken / Localisation géographique
- 3. Number of Speakers / Nombre de locuteurs
- 4. Dialect Survey / Enquête de dialecte
- 5. Usage / Utilisation
- 6. Orthography / Orthographe
- 7. Use in ICT / Utilisation dans les TIC
- 8. Localisation resources / Ressources pour localisation
- 9. Comments / Remarques
- 10. References / Références
1. Classification / Classification
Luyia (the spelling Luhya is not currently favored) belongs to the Central-Luhya Group of Bantu (Guthrie E32) (Webbook?)
Ethnologue? lists the classification as: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, J, Masaba-Luyia (J.30), Luyia
2. Where Spoken / Localisation géographique
It is spoken in neighboring areas of Kenya and Uganda near Lake Victoria. (Webbook)
3. Number of Speakers / Nombre de locuteurs
According to Ethnologue:
- 3,418,083 in Kenya (1989 census)
- 225,378 in Uganda (1991 census)
- Population total all countries: 3,643,461
Wikipedia gives a figure of 4,600,000
4. Dialect Survey / Enquête de dialecte
Most sources report that Luyia has around 17 or 18 dialects. (Webbook)
According to Ethnologue:
- Kisa (Shisa, Lushisa)
- Marama
- Wanga (Hanga, Luhanga, Oluhanga, Kawanga, Oluwanga)
- Tsotso
- Saamia (Samia, Olusamia, Lusamia, Lusaamia, Samya) (Saamia has 88% lexical similarity with Wanga, 80% with Nyore, 62% with Masaba, 59% to 61% with Ganda, 52% with Isuxa, 51% with Gwere)
- West Nyala (Nyala-B)
- Khayo
- Songa
- Marachi
- Kabras
- Lugwe
- (Dialects in [Kenya and] Uganda have 92% lexical similarity
5. Usage / Utilisation
Luyia is a regional first language. It is heard on Voice of Kenya. (Webbook)
Literacy rate of Luyia speakers in Kenya (according to Ethnologue, accessed 2007):
- L1: 10% to 30%
- L2: 25% to 75%
6. Orthography / Orthographe
6.1 Status / Statut
Nandwa (personal communication, 1983) reports there was a standardized orthography, but due to political pressures different orthographies have been developed in some of the dialects. (Webbook) [current status?]
The orthography is Latin-based and appears not to include any extended characters or diacritics. [verify!]
6.2 Sample Alphabet / Alphabet exemple
A sample text is shown on the "Language Museum" site at http://www.language-museum.com/l/luyia.htm
7. Use in ICT / Utilisation dans les TIC
7.1 Fonts / Polices
Most standard fonts may suffice [verify!]
7.2 Keyboard layouts / Dispositions de clavier
7.3 Content on computers & internet / Contenu en informatique et sur l'Internet
7.4 Localized software / Logiciels localisés
Not aware of any.
7.5 Language codes / Codes de langue
- ISO 639-1: -
- ISO 639-2: -
- ISO 639-3: luy
7.6 Other / Autre
Luyia Dictionary Project (aims to "provide dictionary materials for all of the 18+ Luyia dialects of western Kenya and eastern Uganda") https://sites.google.com/site/indiana-edu-luyiadictionaryproject-teams-edition-backup/
8. Localisation resources / Ressources pour localisation
8.1 Individuals (experts) / Individuelles (experts)
Linguist list report on linguists who have done research on Luyia
8.2 Institutions / Institutions
8.3 On the internet / Sur la toile
9. Comments / Remarques
10. References / Références
Dwyer, David (1997), Webbook of African Languages, http://africa.isp.msu.edu/afrlang/hiermenu.html (page on "Luyia," http://africa.isp.msu.edu/afrlang/Luyia_root.html )
SIL International, Ethnologue: Languages of the World, "Luyia," http://www.ethnologue.com/language/luy
SIL International, "ISO 639 Code Tables," http://www-01.sil.org/iso639-3/codes.asp
U.S. Library of Congress, "ISO 639.2: Codes for the Representation of Names of Languages: Alpha-3 codes arranged alphabetically by the English name of language," http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/English_list.php
Wikipedia, "Luhya language," https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luhya_language
< Luo, Acholi, Lango | Major Languages | Maasai >