Luyana language

Luyana (Luyaana), also known as Luyi (Louyi, Lui, Rouyi), is a Bantu language spoken in Zambia and perhaps in small numbers in neighboring countries. It appears to be a divergent lineage of Bantu.^[3] It is spoken by the Luyana people, a subgroup of the Lozi people.

Luyana
Esiluyana
Native to	Zambia; immigrants in Namibia, Angola
Region	Okavango River
Native speakers	480 Luyana proper (2010 census)[1] 2,900 all Luyana (Kwandi, Kwangwa, and Luyana proper) (2010 census)[1]
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Southern Bantoid Bantu (Zone K) Luyana
Writing system	Latin
Language codes
ISO 639-3	lyn
Glottolog	luya1241
Guthrie code	K.31[2]

Ethnologue lists Kwandi, Mbowe, Mbume, and possibly Kwangwa ("Kwanga") as dialects. Maho (2009) classifies these as distinct languages; it is not clear if any of them are part of the divergent Luyana branch of Bantu, or if they are Kavango languages.^[2]

The writing system of the Luyana language was developed in 2011^[4] and uses the Latin script.^[4]

The language is taught in primary schools and secondary schools.^[4]

Phonology

Vowels

Vowels^[5]

	Front	Back
Close	i	u
Mid	e	o
Open	a

Luyana has five simple vowels: ⟨a⟩, ⟨e⟩, ⟨i⟩, ⟨o⟩, and ⟨u⟩. ⟨o⟩ is almost always open and is rarely closed. Wherever there may be hesitation between ⟨o⟩ and ⟨u⟩, ⟨u⟩ should be used.^[6]

There are no diphthongs. When two vowels meet, they contract, or one is omitted.^[6]

Consonants

The consonant inventory of Luyana is shown below.^[5]

		Bilabial	Dental/Alveolar	Post-alveolar	Palatal	Velar
Plosive	voiceless	p	t̪			k
	voiced	b	d̪			ɡ
Affricate			dz	dʒ
Fricative			s	ʃ
Nasal		m	n		ɲ	ŋ
Approximant			l		j	w