ChiTumbuka

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ChiTumbuka
Chitumbuka
Native toMalawi, Tanzania, Zambia
Native speakers
7 miliyoni (2022)
Official status
Recognised minority
language in
Language codes
ISO 639-2tum
ISO 639-3tum
Glottologtumb1250
N.21[1]
Linguasphere99-AUS-wc (+ chi-Kamanga)
incl. varieties 99-AUS-wca...-wcl

ChiTumbuka ntchiyowoyero cha ŵanthu ŵa mtundu wachi Bantu icho chikuyowoyeka mu Malaŵi, Zambia, na Tanzania.[2] Lizgu ili likumanyikwaso kuti Chitumbuka panji Citumbuka. Chi- icho chili kunthazi kwa Tumbuka chikung'anamura "mu nthowa ya", ndipo apa likung'anamura "chiyowoyero cha ŵanthu ŵa Tumbuka". ChiTumbuka chili mu chiyowoyero chimoza na Chichewa na Sena.[3]

Buku linyake (The World Almanac) likuti mu charu ichi muli ŵanthu pafupifupi 2,080,000. Ŵanthu ŵanandi ŵakuyowoya Chitumbuka, nangauli ŵanyake ŵakuti ŵalipo ŵachoko chomene. Ŵanthu ŵanandi awo ŵakuyowoya Chitumbuka ŵakukhala mu Malaŵi.[2] ChiTumbuka ndicho chikuyowoyeka chomene kumpoto kwa Malawi, chomenechomene mu vigaŵa vya Rumphi, Mzuzu, na Mzimba.[4]

Pali mphambano yikuru pakati pa ciyowoyero ca chiTumbuka ico cikuyowoyeka mu misumba ya ku Malawi (ico cili na mazgu ghanyake kufuma ku Ciswahili na Chichewa) na ciyowoyero ca chiTumbuka ico cikuyowoyeka mu mizi. Ŵanthu ŵanandi ŵakuwona kuti chiyowoyero cha Rumphi ndicho ntchakutowa chomene.[5] Chiyowoyero cha ku Mzimba chikakhwaskika chomene na chiNgoni (Zulu).

Kwamba kale, ŵanthu ŵanandi ŵakuyowoya Chitumbuka na Chichewa. Ndipouli, ciyowoyero ca Tumbuka cikasuzgika comene mu nyengo ya muwuso wa Pulezidenti Hastings Kamuzu Banda, cifukwa mu 1968 cifukwa ca fundo yake yakuti paŵe mtundu umoza na ciyowoyero cimoza, ciyowoyero ici cikaleka kuŵa ca boma mu Malawi. Ntheura, mu masukulu, pa wayilesi, na mu manyuzipepara ŵakafumiskamo ciyowoyero ici.[6] Mu 1994, apo boma la Tumbuka likamba kulamulira na vipani vinandi, ŵakambaso kutegherezga maungano gha pa wayilesi. Kweni mabuku na mabuku ghanyake ghakaŵa ghanandi yayi.[7]

Malembelo[lemba | kulemba source]

Temwa wakuyowoya ChiTumbuka.

Pali nthowa ziŵiri zakulembera chiTumbuka izo zikugwiliskirika nchito: kalembero ka kaluso (kakulembeka mu Baibolo la Chitumbuka la Wikipedia na mu nyuzipepara ya Fuko), umo mazgu gha banthu 'ŵanthu' na chaka 'chaka' ghakulembeka na 'b' na 'ch', na kalembero ka kaluso (kakulembeka mu dikishonare ya Citumbuka iyo yikufumiskika pa Intaneti na Centre for Language Studies na mu Baibolo la pa Intaneti), umo mazgu ghakulembeka na 'ŵ' na 'c', nga ŵanthu na caka. (Sumu ya 'ŵ' ni [w] yakuzingilizgika makora iyo yikuzunulika na lulimi pafupi na i).[8] Ŵanthu ŵakumanya yayi apo ŵakwenera kulemba 'r' na 'l', nga ni cakulya (Dikishonare) panji cakurya (Baibolo) 'chakurya.' (Nadi, [l] na [r] ni mazgu ghakupambanapambana gha chiyowoyero chimoza.) Kweniso pali kukayikira pakati pa mazgu ghakuti'sk' na'sy' (miskombe na misyombe ('bamboo') ghali mu dikishonare ya Citumbuka).[9]

Kuyowoya mazgu[lemba | kulemba source]

Vowels[lemba | kulemba source]

Mu chiyowoyero cha Tumbuka muli mazgu ghakuyana waka nga ni /a/, /ɛ/, /i/, /ɔ/, /u/ na /m̩/ aghoso ghali mu Chichewa.[10]

Kutauzgana mu ChiTumbuka.

Consonants[lemba | kulemba source]

Malizga gha chiyowoyero cha Tumbuka ghakuyana waka na gha Chichewa, kweni ghakupambana. Mu chiyowoyero cha Chichewa mulije mazgu ghakuti /ɣ/, /β/, na /h/. Kweniso ŵanthu ŵakutemwa kupulika mazgu agho ghakufuma mu mulomo /vʲ/, /fʲ/, /bʲ/, /pʲ/, /skʲ/, /zgʲ/, and /ɽʲ/.

Mu chiTumbuka mulije vilembo vya Chichewa nga ni /psj/, /bzj/, /t͡s/, /d͡z/. Mazgu gha /s/ na /z/ ghakusangika yayi mu ChiTumbuka, ntheura Chewa nsómba ('somba') = Tumbuka somba. Lizgu lakuti /ʃ/ likusangika mu mazgu gha ku vyaru vinyake pera nga ni shati ('shati') na shuga ('shuga'). ChiTumbuka /?? / nyengo zinyake chikuyana na Chichewa /d/, chiChewa kudwala 'kuŵa mulwari' = Tumbuka kulwala, Chichewa kudya 'kurya' = Tumbuka kulya. Kuyowoya kwa lizgu lakuti "sk" na lizgu lakuti "zg" vikupambana kuyana na chiyowoyero.

Ma consonants gha Tumbuka kanandi ghakusangika mu viyowoyero vinyake. Vinyake vingalembeka pambere chindindindi chindambe kufuma. Pa chithuzithuzi ichi, pali mazgu agho ghangaŵa pa chilembo ichi:

Malembo gha Tumbuka[11][12]
labial dental palatal velar glottal
plain lab. pal. plain lab. pal. plain lab. plain lab.
nasal ma
/m/ 		mwa
/mʷ/ 		mya
/mʲ/ 		na
/n/ 		nwa
/nʷ/ 		nya
/nʲ/ 		ng'a
/ŋ/ 		ng'wa
/ŋʷ/
plosive/
affricate 		unvoiced pa
/p/ 		pwa
/pʷ/ 		pya
/pʲ/ 		ta
/t/ 		twa
/tʷ/ 		tya
/tʲ/ 		ca
/t͡ʃ/ 		cwa
/t͡ʃʷ/ 		ka
/k/ 		kwa
/kʷ/
voiced ba
/ɓ/ 		bwa
/ɓʷ/ 		bya
/bʲ/ 		da
/ɗ/ 		dwa
/ɗʷ/ 		dya
/ɗʲ/ 		ja
/d͡ʒ/ 		jwa
/d͡ʒʷ/ 		ga
/g/ 		gwa
/gʷ/
aspirated pha
/pʰ/ 		phwa
/pʷʰ/ 		phya
/pʲʰ/ 		tha
/tʰ/ 		thwa
/tʷʰ/ 		thya
/tʲʰ/ 		cha
/t͡ʃʰ/ 		kha
/kʰ/ 		khwa
/kʷʰ/
nasalised mba
/ᵐb/ 		mbwa
/ᵐbʷ/ 		mbya
/ᵐbʲ/ 		nda
/ⁿd/ 		ndwa
/ⁿdʷ/ 		(ndya)[lower-alpha 1]
/ⁿdʲ/ 		nja
/ⁿd͡ʒ/ 		nga
/ᵑg/ 		ngwa
/ᵑgʷ/
nasalised
aspirated 		mpha
/ᵐpʰ/ 		mphwa
/ᵐpʷʰ/ 		mphya
/ᵐpʲʰ/ 		ntha
/ⁿtʰ/ 		nthwa
/ⁿtʷʰ/ 		(nthya)
/ⁿtʲʰ/ 		ncha
/ⁿt͡ʃʰ/ 		nkha
/ᵑkʰ/ 		nkhwa
/ᵑkʷʰ/
fricative unvoiced fa
/f/ 		fwa
/fʷ/ 		fya
/fʲ/ 		sa
/s/ 		swa
/sʷ/ 		ska (sya)
/sʲ/ 		(sha)
/ʃ/ 		ha
/h/
voiced va
/v/ 		vwa
/vʷ/ 		vya
/vʲ/ 		za
/z/ 		zwa
/zʷ/ 		zga
/zʲ/
semivowel/ liquid ŵa
/β/ 		wa
/w/ 		la/ra
/ɽ/ 		lwa/rwa
/ɽʷ/ 		lya/rya
/ɽʲ/ 		ya
/j/ 		gha
/ɣ/
  1. ↑ Only in the word ndyali.

Kapulikikilo[lemba | kulemba source]

Kupambana kukuru pakati pa Chichewa na Chitumbuka nkhwa kuti Chichewa ni chiyowoyero icho chikuyowoya mazgu ghakupambanapambana.

ChiTumbuka chili na mazgu ghakupambanapambana, chifukwa lizgu lililose ilo likuyowoyeka payekha likuyana waka na lizgu lakwamba ilo likufuma pa lizgu laumaliro.[13] Ntheura, mu Citumbuka nchambura macitiko kupambaniska mazgu ghaŵiri ghakupambanapambana, nga umo vikuŵira mu Chichewa na viyowoyero vinyake vya Bantu. Ndipouli, lizgu laumaliro yayi ndilo likuŵa pa lizgu lililose, kweni lizgu laumaliro pera:[14]

  • ti-ku-phika sî:ma 'tikuphika sima'

A greater variety of tonal patterns is found in the ideophones (expressive words) of Tumbuka; for example Low (yoyoyo 'disintegrating into small pieces'), High (fyá: 'swooping low (of birds)'), High-Low (phúli 'sound of thing bursting'), and Low-High (yií 'sudden disappearance'), etc.[15]

Intonational tones are also used in Tumbuka; for example, in yes-no questions there is often a High-Low fall on the final syllable of the question:[16]

  • ku-limirâ-so ngô:mâ? 'are you also weeding the maize?'

There does not seem to be any consistent, direct correlation between tone in Tumbuka and focus.[17]

Mazina[lemba | kulemba source]

Noun classes[lemba | kulemba source]

Nga umo vikuŵira na viyowoyero vya ŵanthu ŵa ku Bantu, mazina gha ChiTumbuka ghakupangika mu vigaŵa vyakupambanapambana kuyana na vigaŵa vya mazina. Lizgu lililose lili na lizgu lake lakwimira, lizgu lakwimira, na lizgu la chiyowoyero. Para pali mphindano pakati pa mazgu agha na mazgu ghakwambilira, mazgu agha ndigho ghakuŵa pakwamba pakusankha zina. Mwaciyelezgero, lizgu lakuti katundu 'vinthu,' nangauli lili na lizgu lakuti ka-, lili mu gulu 1, cifukwa munthu wakuyowoya katundu uyu 'vinthu ivi' na lizgu lakuti uyu. Ŵanthu ŵa ku Malaŵi (nga umo viliri mu dikishonare ya Citumbuka ya pa Yunivesite ya Malawi) ŵakuzunura mazina gha viŵaro mu viyowoyero vinyake nga ni "Mu-Ŵa-"; kweni ŵanthu ŵa ku Bantu ŵakuzunura viŵaro mu manambara (1/2 etc.) agho ghakuyana na viŵaro vya viŵaro mu viyowoyero vinyake vya ku Bantu. Nyengo zinyake mazina ghakukolerana yayi na magulu ghakulondezgapo agha, nga ni fumu'mukuru' (kalasi 9) uyo wali na mazina ghanandi mu kilasi 6.

Class 1/2 (Mu-Ŵa-)

Some nouns in this class lack the prefix Mu-:

  • Munthu pl. ŵanthu (banthu) = person
  • Muzungu pl. ŵazungu (bazungu) = foreigner, white man
  • Mwana pl. ŵana (bana) = child
  • Bulu pl. ŵabulu = donkey
  • Sibweni pl. ŵasibweni = maternal uncle
  • Katundu (no pl.) = goods, possessions

Class 3/4 (Mu-Mi-)

  • Mutu pl. mitu = head
  • Mkuyu pl. mikuyu = fig-tree
  • Moyo pl. miyoyo = life
  • Mtima pl. mitima = heart

Class 5/6 (Li-Ma-)

  • Bele (bhele pl. mabele (mabhele) = breast
  • Boma (bhoma) pl. maboma (mabhoma) = government, district
  • Botolo (bhotolo) pl. mabotolo (mabhotolo) = bottle
  • Fuko pl. mafuko = tribe, nation
  • Jiso pl. maso = eye
  • Maji (no singular) = water
  • Phiri pl. mapiri = hill
  • Suzgo pl. masuzgo = problem, trouble
  • Woko pl. mawoko = hand

Class 7/8 (Ci-Vi-)

  • Caka (chaka) pl. vyaka = year
  • Caro (charo) pl. vyaro = country, land
  • Ciŵeto (chibeto) pl. viŵeto (vibeto) = farm animal
  • Cidakwa (chidakwa) pl. vidakwa = drunkard
  • Cikoti (chikoti) pl. vikoti = whip

Class 9/10 (Yi-Zi-)

  • Mbale pl. mbale (mambale) = plate
  • Ndalama pl. ndalama = money
  • Njelwa pl. njelwa = brick
  • Nkhuku pl. nkhuku = chicken
  • Somba pl. somba = fish

Class 11 (Lu-)

Some speakers treat words in this class as if they were in class 5/6.[18]

  • Lwande = side
  • Lumbiri = fame
  • Lulimi = tongue

Class 12/13 (Ka-Tu-)

  • Kanthu (kantu) pl. tunthu (tuntu) = small thing
  • Kamwana pl. tuŵana (tubana) = baby
  • Kayuni pl. tuyuni = bird
  • Tulo (no singular) = sleep

Class 14/6 (U-Ma-)

These nouns are frequently abstract and have no plural.

  • Usiku = night
  • Ulimi = farming
  • Ulalo pl. maulalo = bridge
  • Uta pl. mauta = bow

Class 15 (Ku-) Infinitive

  • Kugula = to buy, buying
  • Kwiba (kwibha) = to steal, stealing

Classes 16, 17, 18 (Pa-, Ku-, Mu-) Locative

  • Pasi = underneath
  • Kunthazi (kuntazi) = in front, before
  • Mukati = inside

Concords[lemba | kulemba source]

Viyezgo, vimanyikwiro, manambara, mazgu ghakupambanapambana, na vimanyikwiro mu Chitumbuka vikwenera kukolerana na lizgu ilo likuyowoyeka. Ŵakuchita nthena na vilembo vyakwambilira, vyakunthazi, panji vyakunthazi ivyo vikuchemeka 'concords.' Mtundu 1 uli na viyowoyero vyakupambanapambana, nga ni mazina ghakwimira vinthu, mazgu ghakwamba, mazgu ghaumaliro, manambara, vimanyikwiro, na mazgu ghaumaliro:[19][20][21]

  • Mwana uyu = this child
  • Mwana yumoza = one child
  • Mwana uyo = that child
  • Mwana yose = the whole child
  • Mwana waliyose = every child
  • Mwana wakamuwona = the child saw him
  • Mwana muchoko (coko) = the small child
  • Mwana wa Khumbo = Khumbo's child
  • Mwana wane = my child
  • Mwana wawona = the child has seen

Other noun classes have a smaller variety of concords, as can be seen from the table below:

Table of Tumbuka concords
noun English this num that all subj object adj of perf
1 mwana child uyu yu- uyo yose wa- -mu- mu- wa wa-
2 ŵana children aŵa ŵa- awo wose ŵa- -ŵa- ŵa- ŵa ŵa-
3 mutu head uwu wu- uwo wose wu- -wu- wu- wa wa-
4 mitu heads iyi yi- iyo yose yi- -yi- yi- ya ya-
5 jiso eye ili li- ilo lose li- -li- li- la la-
6 maso eyes agha gha- agho ghose gha- -gha- gha- gha gha-
7 caka year ici ci- ico cose ci- -ci- ci- ca ca-
8 vyaka years ivi vi- ivyo vyose vi- -vi- vi- vya vya-
9 nyumba house iyi yi- iyo yose yi- -yi- yi- ya ya-
10 nyumba houses izi zi- izo zose zi- -zi- zi- za za-
11 lwande side ulu lu- ulo lose lu- -lu- lu- lwa lwa-
(or: ili li- ilo lose li- -li- li- la la-)
12 kayuni bird aka ka- ako kose ka- -ka- ka- ka ka-
13 tuyuni birds utu tu- uto tose tu- -tu- tu- twa twa-
14 uta bow uwu wu- uwo wose wu- -wu- wu- wa wa-
15 kugula buying uku ku- uko kose ku- -ku- ku- kwa kwa-
16 pasi underneath apa pa- apo pose pa- -pa- pa- pa pa-
17 kunthazi in front uku ku- uko kose ku- -ku- ku- kwa kwa-
18 mukati inside umu mu- umo mose mu- -mu- mu- mwa mwa-

Viyelezgero vya mazgu na malemba[lemba | kulemba source]

Mazgu agha ndigho munthu wangayowoya para wakuluta ku chigaŵa icho ŵanthu ŵanandi ŵakuyowoya Chitumbuka:

Tumbuka Chizungu
Moni Hello
Monile hello, to a group of people
Muli makola?

Mwaŵa uli?

how are you?
Muli makola?

Mwaŵa uli?

How are you?, to a group of people
Nili makola I'm okay
Tili makola We're okay
Naonga (chomene) Thank you (a lot)
Yewo (chomene) Thanks (a lot)
Ndiwe njani zina lako? What is your name?
Zina lane ndine.... My name is....
Nyengo ili uli? What is the time?
Ningakuvwila? Can I help you?
Uyende makola Goodbye/go well/safe travels
Mwende makola Goodbye/go well/safe travels

(said to a group of people)

Enya/ Eh Yes
Yayi/Chala No
Kwali I don't know
Mukumanya kuyowoya Chizungu? Can you speak English?
Nayambapo kusambilila ChiTumbuka I've just started learning Tumbuka
Mukung'anamula vichi? What do you mean?
Chonde, ningaluta kubafa? May I please go to the bathroom?
Nakutemwa/Nkhukutemwa "I love you"
Phepa Sorry
Phepani Sorry (to agroup of people)
Banja Family
Yowoya Talk/speak

Verbs[lemba | kulemba source]

Subject prefix[lemba | kulemba source]

Viyezgo vyose vikwenera kuŵa na lizgu lakunjilira ilo likuyana na lizgu lakunjilira. Mwaciyerezgero, lizgu lakuti ciŵinda'muthondo' lili mu gulu la 7, ntheura usange ni munthu, verebu ili lili na c-:

ciŵinda ci-ka-koma nkhalamu = 'the hunter killed a lion'[22]

It is also possible for the subject to be a locative noun (classes 16, 17, 18), in which case the verb has a locative prefix:[23]

pamphasa pa-ka-khala mwana = 'on the mat there sat down a child'

The locative prefix ku- (class 17) is also used impersonally when discussing the weather:[24]

kukuzizima madazi ghano = 'it's cold these days'

When the subject is a personal pronoun, the subject prefixes are as follows (the pronoun itself may be omitted, but not the subject prefix):

(ine) n-kha-gula = 'I bought' (nkha- stands for ni-ka-)
(iwe) u-ka-gula = 'you bought' (informal, singular)
(iyo)[25] wa-ka-gula = 'he, she bought'
(ise) ti-ka-gula = 'we bought'
(imwe) mu-ka-gula = 'you bought' (plural or respectful)
(iwo) ŵa-ka-gula = 'they bought', 'he/she bought' (plural or respectful)

In the perfect tense, these are shortened to n-a-, w-a-, w-a-, t-a-, mw-a-, ŵ-a-, e.g. t-a-gula 'we have bought'.

In Karonga dialect, in the 3rd person singular a- is found instead of wa-, and the 3rd plural is wa- instead of ŵa-, except in the perfect tense, when wa- and ŵa- are used.[26]

Object-marker[lemba | kulemba source]

To indicate the object, an infix can be added to the verb immediately before the verb root. Generally speaking, the object-marker is optional:[27]

Pokani wa(yi)gula galimoto = 'Pokani has bought a car' (class 9)
Changa waka(mu)nyamula katundu = 'Changa carried the luggage' (class 1)

The object-marker agrees with the class of the object, as shown on the table of concords above.

The object-marker can also be a locative (classes 16, 17, or 18):[28]

Kondwani wa(pa)kwera pa nyumba = 'Kondwani has climbed on top of the house'

The locative markers for personal pronouns are as follows:[29]

waniona (ine) = 'he has seen me'
wakuona (iwe) = 'he has seen you'
wamuona = 'he has seen him/her'
wationa = 'he has seen us'
wamuonani = 'he has seen you' (plural or respectful)
waŵaona = 'he has seen them'

Tenses[lemba | kulemba source]

Tenses in Tumbuka are made partly by adding infixes, and partly by suffixes. Unlike Chichewa, tones do not form any part of the distinction between one tense and another.

In the past a distinction is made between hodiernal tenses (referring to events of today) and remote tenses (referring to events of yesterday or some time ago). However, the boundary between recent and remote is not exact.[30]

Pali mphambano yikuru pakati pa nyengo iyo yajumpha na nyengo iyo yajumpha. Para munthu wakuyowoya mu nyengo yakufikapo, wakuyowoya kuti vinthu vicali makora, nga ni para wakuti: 'Vikondamoyo vyatandazgika mu munda.' Para munthu wakuyowoya lizgu lakuti ndakhala, wakung'anamura kuti "Nkhukhala" panji ndakondwa. Chizindikiro cha kutali chikugwiliskirika nchito pa vinthu ivyo vikacitika kale comene kweni ivyo vikucitika mazuŵa ghano, nga ni libwe lilikuwa 'libwe lawira' panji walikutayika 'wali kufwa.'[31][32]

Nyengo zakunthazi nazo zikupambaniska pakati pa vyakuchitika vyapafupi na vyakutali. Vinyake vikulongora kuti cakucitika ici cizamucitikira kunyake, nga ni ndamukuchezga 'Nizamuluta kukacezga.'[33]

Compound tenses are also found in Tumbuka, such as wati wagona 'he had slept', wakaŵa kuti wafumapo 'he had just left' and wazamukuŵa waguliska 'he will have sold'.[34]

Some Tumbuka tenses[35]
Tense Tense marker Example Translation
Present infinitive ku- ku-luta ‘to go'
Present simple -ku- wa-ku-luta ‘he/she goes/is going’
Present habitual -ku-...-anga wa-ku-lut-anga ‘he/she goes’ (some speakers only)
Present perfect -a- w-a-luta ‘he/she has gone’
Present perfect continuous -a-...-anga w-a-lut-anga ‘he/she has been going'
Remote perfect -liku- wa-liku-luta ‘he/she has gone’
Recent past simple -angu- w-angu-luta ‘he/she went’ (today)
Recent past continuous -angu-...-anga w-angu-lut-anga ‘he/she was going' (today)
Remote past simple -ka- wa-ka-luta ‘he/she went’
Remote past continuous -ka-...-anga wa-ka-lut-anga ‘he/she was going/used to go'
Near future ...-enge wa-lut-enge 'he will go' (now or today)
Emphatic future[36] -ti-...-enge wa-ti-lut-enge 'he will certainly go'
Distal future[37] -amu-(ku)- w-amuku-gula ‘he/she will buy’ (elsewhere)
Remote future -zamu-(ku)- wa-zamu-luta ‘he/she will go’ (tomorrow or later)
Remote future continuous -zamu-...-anga wa-zamu-lut-anga ‘he/she will be going' (tomorrow or later)
Present subjunctive -e ti-lut-e ‘let's go'
Distal subjunctive -ka-...-e wa-ka-gul-e ‘so that he can buy (elsewhere)'
Potential -nga- wa-nga-luta 'he can go'[38]

Other future tenses are given by Vail (1972) and others.[39]

In the 1st person singular, ni-ku- and ni-ka- are shortened to nkhu- and nkha-: nkhuluta 'I am going', 'I go', nkhalutanga 'I used to go'.[40]

Negative verbs[lemba | kulemba source]

To make the negative of a verb in Tumbuka, the word yayi or cha(ra) is added at or near the end of the clause. It seems that yayi is preferred by younger speakers:[41]

wakulemba kalata yayi
'he is not writing a letter'
tizamugwira ntchito cha machero
'we will not work tomorrow'

With the present perfect tense, however, a separate form exists, adding -nda- and ending in -e:[42]

enya, nakumana nawo
'yes, I have met him'
yayi, nindakumane nawo
'no, I haven't met him'

The Ngoni influence on Tumbuka[lemba | kulemba source]

Words of Ngoni (Zulu/Ndwandwe) origin found in Tumbuka:

Viyowoyero vyose vya Chitumbuka vikakhwaskika na chiyowoyero cha Chigoni, chomenechomene mu chigaŵa cha Mzimba ku Malawi. Chiyowoyero cha Ngoni chikamba na ŵanthu ŵa mtundu wa Ndwandwe awo ŵakaŵa ŵazengezgani ŵa fuko la Zulu pambere Ŵazulu ŵandaŵathereske. Ntheura chiyowoyero icho Ŵandwandwe ŵakayowoyanga chikaŵa chakuyana waka na cha Ŵazulu. Apa pali viyelezgero vinyake vya mazgu gha Chitumbuka agho ghali kufuma ku chiZulu/Ndwandwe, nangauli ghanandi ghali na mazgu ghakwambilira gha Chitumbuka agho ghakung'anamulika mu chiyowoyero ichi.

English Tumbuka Tumbuka-Ngoni dialect
See Wona Bheka
Smoke Khweŵa Bhema
Man Mwanalume Doda
Virgin Mwali Nthombi

An example of Tumbuka[lemba | kulemba source]

Months in Tumbuka:

English Tumbuka
January Mathipa
February Muswela
March Nyakanyaka
April Masika
May Vuna
June Zizima
July Mphepo
August Mpupulu
September Lupya
October Zimya
November Thukila
December Vula

Chiyelezgero cha nkhani ya ŵanthu iyo yikang'anamulika mu Chitumbuka na viyowoyero vinyake vya kumpoto kwa Malawi chili mu buku la Language Mapping Survey for Northern Malawi, ilo likalembeka na Center for Language Studies of the University of Malawi.[43] Buku la Chitumbuka ilo lili na nkhani iyi likuti:

KALULU NA FULU (Citumbuka)
Fulu wakaluta kukapemphiska vyakulya ku ŵanthu. Pakuyeya thumba lake wakacita kukaka ku cingwe citali na kuvwara mu singo, ndipo pakwenda thumba lake likizanga kunyuma kwakhe.
Wali mu nthowa, kalulu wakiza kunyuma kwakhe ndipo wakati “bowo, thumba lane!” Fulu wakati, "Thumba ndane iwe, wona cingwe ici ndakaka sono nkhuguza pakwenda.” Kalulu wakakana nipera, ndipo wakati “Tilute ku Mphala yikateruzge.” Mphala yikadumula mlandu na kuceketa cingwe ico Fulu wakakakira thumba. Ŵakatola thumba lira ndipo ŵakapa kalulu.
Pa zuŵa linyakhe Kalulu wakendanga, Fulu wakamsanga ndipo wakati, "Bowo, mcira wane!" Kalulu wakati, “Ake! Fulu iwe m'cira ngwane." Fulu wakakana, ndipo wakati, "Ndasola ngwane." Ŵakaluta ku mphala, kuti yikaŵeruzge. Ku Mphala kula mlandu ukatowera Fulu. Ŵakadumula m'cira wa Kalulu nakupa Fulu.
(Translation)
THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE
Tortoise went to beg food from people. To carry his bag, he tied it to a long string and wore it round his neck. As he walked along, the bag was coming behind him.
As he was on his way, Hare came up behind him and said, "There it is, my bag!" Tortoise said "The bag is mine, see this string I've tied now I'm pulling it as I go." Hare refused to accept this and said "Let's go the Court, so that it can judge us." The Court examined the case and cut Tortoise's string which he'd tied the bag with. They took that bag and gave it to Hare.
Another day when Hare was walking along, Tortoise found him and said, "There it is, my tail!" Hare said, "Nonsense, this is my tail, Tortoise." Tortoise refused to accept this and said, "What I've got is mine." They went to the Court so that it could make a judgement. In that Court, the case went in Tortoise's favour. They cut off Hare's tail and gave it to Tortoise.

Some vocabulary[lemba | kulemba source]

Helpful phrases[lemba | kulemba source]

  • Enya = Yes
  • Yayi = No
  • Yebo (yeŵo) = Thank you
  • Taonga = We are thankful
  • Nkhukhumba chakurya! = I want some food !
  • Munganipako chakurya? = could you give me some food?
  • Ine nkhuyowoya chiTumbuka yayi! = I do not speak chiTumbuka!
  • Yendani makola = Travel well.
  • Nkukhumba maji yakumwa = I would like water to drink.

Greetings[lemba | kulemba source]

  • Mwawuka uli? = Good morning. (How did you wake up?)
  • Tawuka makola. Kwali imwe? = Fine. And you? (I woke up well. I don't know about you?)
  • Muli uli? = How are you?
  • Nili makola, kwali imwe? = I am fine, how are you?
  • Mwatandala uli? = Good afternoon. (How did you spend the day?)
  • Natandala makola. Kwali imwe? = Good afternoon. How are you? (I spent the day well. I don't know about you?)
  • Monile = somewhat more formal than "Hi". Perhaps best translated as "Greetings".
  • Tionanenge = We shall meet again.

People[lemba | kulemba source]

The plural ba- (ŵa-) is often used for politeness when referring to elders:

  • Munyamata = boy
  • Banyamata (ŵanyamata) = boys
  • Musungwana = girl
  • Basungwana (ŵasungwana) = girls
  • Bamwali (ŵamwali) = young ladies
  • Banchembere (ŵancembele) = a woman with babies
  • Bamama (ŵamama) = mother
  • Badada(ŵadhadha) = dad
  • Bagogo (ŵagogo) = grandmother
  • Babuya (ŵabhuya) = grandmother, also used when addressing old female persons
  • Basekulu (ŵasekulu) = grandfather
  • Bankhazi (ŵankhazi) = paternal aunt
  • ŵa/Bamama ŵa/bachoko / ŵa/bakulu = maternal aunt usually your mother's younger/older sister
  • Basibweni (ŵasibweni) = maternal uncle
  • Badada(ŵadhadha) bachoko / bakulu = paternal uncle usually your father's younger/older brother
  • Mudumbu(mudhumbu) wane = my brother/ sister (for addressing a sibling of the opposite sex)
  • Muchoko wane / muzuna wane/ munung'una wane = my young brother / sister (for addressing a sibling of the same sex)
  • Mukuru wane / mulala wane = my elder brother / sister (for addressing a sibling of the same sex)

Verbs[lemba | kulemba source]

  • Kusebela (Kuseŵera) = to play
  • Kuseka = to laugh
  • Kurya = to eat
  • Kugona = to sleep
  • Kwenda = to walk
  • Kuchimbila = to run
  • Kulemba = to write
  • Kuchapa = to do laundry
  • Kugeza = to bath
  • Kuphika = to cook
  • Kulima = to dig / cultivate
  • Kupanda = to plant
  • Kuvina = to dance
  • Kwimba = to sing

Animals[lemba | kulemba source]

  • Fulu = tortoise
  • Kalulu = hare
  • Gwere = hippo
  • Chimbwi = hyena
  • Njoka = snake
  • Nkhumba = pig
  • Ng'ombe = cow
  • Nchebe (Ncheŵe) = dog
  • Chona/pusi/kiti = cat
  • Mbelele = sheep
  • Nkalamu = lion
  • Mbuzi = goat
  • Nkhuku = chicken

Wonaniso[lemba | kulemba source]

Notable Tumbuka People[lemba | kulemba source]

Ukaboni[lemba | kulemba source]

  1. ↑ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Michigan State University African Studies Center information page.
  3. ↑ Kiso (2012), pp.21ff.
  4. ↑ University of Malawi (2006) Language Mapping Survey for Northern Malawi.
  5. ↑ Kamwendo (2004), p.282.
  6. ↑ Kamwendo (2004), p.278.
  7. ↑ See Language Mapping Survey for Northern Malawi (2006), pp.38-40 for a list of publications.
  8. ↑ Atkins, Guy (1950) "Suggestions for an Amended Spelling and Word Division of Nyanja" Africa: Journal of the International African Institute, Vol. 20, No. 3, p.205.
  9. ↑ See entries citatanga, cidunga, cihengo.
  10. ↑ Vail (1972), p. 1.
  11. ↑ Chavula (2016), pp. 11–13.
  12. ↑ Vail (1972), pp. 4–19.
  13. ↑ Downing (2008, 2012).
  14. ↑ Downing (2012), p.123.
  15. ↑ Moto (1999), pp.112-120.
  16. ↑ Downing (2008), p.55.
  17. ↑ Downing (2012), p.129.
  18. ↑ Shiozaki (2004).
  19. ↑ Chase (2004).
  20. ↑ Shiozaki (2004)
  21. ↑ Vail (1971).
  22. ↑ Chavula (2016), p. 42.
  23. ↑ Chavula (2016), p. 23.
  24. ↑ Chavula (2016), p. 24.
  25. ↑ Chavula (2016), p. 23. But Kishindo et al. (2018), s.v. iye, have iye.
  26. ↑ McNicholl (2010), pp. 7–8.
  27. ↑ Chavula (2016), pp. 51–64.
  28. ↑ Chavula (2016), p. 56.
  29. ↑ Chavula (2016), pp. 53–4.
  30. ↑ Kiso (2012), p. 176.
  31. ↑ Kiso (2012), pp. 171, 178.
  32. ↑ Kiso (2012), p. 171, quoting Vail (1972).
  33. ↑ Kiso (2012), p. 184, quoting Vail (1972).
  34. ↑ Kiso (2012), pp. 172, 182, 184, quoting Vail (1972).
  35. ↑ Kiso (2012), pp. 163–192.
  36. ↑ Kiso (2012), p. 183, quoting Vail (1972).
  37. ↑ Kiso (2012), p. 184, 185, quoting Vail (1972). For the term 'distal', see Botne (1999).
  38. ↑ McNicholl (2010), p. 8.
  39. ↑ See Kiso (2012) pp. 182–188.
  40. ↑ Kiso (2012), pp. 163, 173.
  41. ↑ Kiso (2012), p. 190.
  42. ↑ Kiso (2012), p. 191.
  43. ↑ Language Mapping Survey, p. 60-64.

Bibliography[lemba | kulemba source]

  • Botne, Robert (1999). "Future and distal -ka-'s: Proto-Bantu or nascent form(s)?". In: Jean-Marie Hombert and Larry M. Hyman (eds.), Bantu Historical Linguistics: Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives. Stanford, CA: Center for the Study of Language and Information, pp. 473–515.
  • Chase, Robert (2004). "A Comparison of Demonstratives in the Karonga and Henga Dialects of Tumbuka". Undergraduate paper. Amherst: Dept. of Linguistics, Univ. of Massachusetts.
  • Chavula, Jean Josephine (2016). "Verbal derivation and valency in Chitumbuka". Leiden University doctoral thesis.
  • Downing, Laura J. (2006). "The Prosody and Syntax of Focus in Chitumbuka". ZAS Papers in Linguistics 43, 55-79.
  • Downing, Laura J. (2008). "Focus and prominence in Chichewa, Chitumbuka and Durban Zulu". ZAS Papers in Linguistics 49, 47-65.
  • Downing, Laura J. (2012). "On the (Non-)congruence of Focus and Prominence in Tumbuka". Selected Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Conference on African Linguistics, ed. Michael R. Marlo et al., 122-133. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project.
  • Downing, Laura J. (2017). "Tone and intonation in Chichewa and Tumbuka". In Laura J. Downing & Annie Rialland (eds) Intonation in African Tone Languages. de Gruyter, Berlin/Boston, pp. 365–392.
  • Downing, Laura J. (2019). "Tumbuka prosody: Between tone and stress". In: Emily Clem et al (eds). Theory and Description in African Linguistics: Selected papers from the 47th Annual Conference on African Linguistics, 75-94. Also available online at: [1]
  • Elmslie, Walter Angus (1923): Introductory Grammar of the Tumbuka Language. Livingstonia Mission Press.
  • Kamwendo, Gregory H. (2004). Kamwendo "Your Chitumbuka is Shallow. It's not the Real Chitumbuka: Linguistic Purism Among Chitumbuka Speakers in Malawi", Nordic Journal of African Studies 13(3): 275–288.
  • Kishindo, Pascal J. et Allan L. Lipenga (2006). Parlons citumbuka : langue et culture du Malawi et de la Zambie, L'Harmattan, Paris, Budapest, Kinshasa, 138 pages. ISBN 2-296-00470-9
  • Kishindo, Pascal J. (ed), Jean J. Chavula and others (2018). Mung'anamulira mazgo wa Citumbuka (Citumbuka dictionary). Centre for Language Studies, University of Malawi. ISBN 978-99960-9-610-5
  • Kiso, Andrea (2012). "Tense and Aspect in Chichewa, Citumbuka, and Cisena". Ph.D. Thesis. Stockholm University.
  • McNicholl, Duncan (2010). "The No-Nonsense Guide to Learning Chitumbuka: Volume 1".
  • Moto, Francis (1999). "The Tonal Phonology of Bantu Ideophones". Malilime: Malawian Journal of Linguistics no.1, 100-120. (pp. 112–119 deals with tone in Chitumbuka ideophones).
  • Mphande, L. (1989). "A Phonological Analysis of the Ideophone in Chitumbuka". Ph.D. Dissertation. The University of Texas, Austin.
  • Shiozaki, Lisa (2004). "Concordial agreement in the Karonga dialect of Tumbuka". Undergraduate paper. Amherst: Dept. of Linguistics, Univ. of Massachusetts.
  • Turner, W.M. (1952). Tumbuka–Tonga–English Dictionary The Hetherwick Press, Blantyre, Nyasaland (now Malawi).
  • University of Malawi Centre for Language Studies (2006). "Language Mapping Survey for Northern Malawi".
  • Vail, Hazen Leroy (1971). "The noun classes of Tumbuka". African studies, v. 30, 1, p. 35-59.
  • Vail, Hazen Leroy (1972). "Aspects of the Tumbuka Verb". Ph.D. dissertation, University of Wisconsin.

External links[lemba | kulemba source]

Tumbuka edition of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wikivoyage has a phrasebook for Tumbuka.
Kufuma ku "https://tum.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=ChiTumbuka&oldid=109531"