Eshisango
Sangu
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Western Tanzania)
Sangu (Eshisango, also Kisangu) is a Bantu F13 language of the Usangu plains in southwestern Tanzania, near the Ruaha National Park. The Sangu people were historically rivals of the Hehe (Hehe-Sangu wars of the 19th century under chiefs Mkwawa and Mwinyikupinga), and developed a distinctive cattle-herding identity that contrasts with neighboring Bantu agricultural societies. Despite the small modern speaker base, retains active intergenerational transmission in rural communities.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Sangu
Water
ameenzi
/ameːnzi/
Fire
umoto
/umoto/
Sun
liluga
/liluɡa/
Moon
umwesi
/umwesi/
Mother
mama
/mama/
Father
baba
/baba/
Eat
kulya
/kuʎa/
Drink
kunwa
/kunwa/
Love
ulungu
/uluŋɡu/
Heart
umutima
/umutima/
Tree
umuti
/umuti/
House
inyumba
/iɲumba/
Dog
imbwa
/imbwa/
Cat
paka
/paka/
Hand
ukuboko
/ukuboko/
Eye
iliho
/iliho/
Hello
mbasala
/mbasala/
Thank you
nashukulu
/naʃukulu/
One
imo
/imo/
Good
kwifwa
/kwifwa/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Western Tanzania) languages
| Meaning | Sangu | Nyaturu | Makonde | Nyamwezi | Shambala | Bemba | Sukuma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ameenzi /ameːnzi/ | maazi /maːzi/ | mashi /maʃi/ | minzi /minzi/ | mazi /mazi/ | amenshi /amenʃi/ | minzi /minzi/ |
| Fire | umoto /umoto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | umulilo /umulilo/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | liluga /liluɡa/ | nzua /nzua/ | lyuva /ʎuβa/ | izuba /izuβa/ | zuwa /zuwa/ | akasuba /akasuba/ | ilyuva /iʎuβa/ |
| Moon | umwesi /umwesi/ | umweri /umweɾi/ | mwedi /mwedi/ | ng'wezi /ŋweːzi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | umweshi /umweʃi/ | ng'wezi /ŋweːzi/ |
| Mother | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mayu /majʊ/ | mama /mama/ | bamayo /bamajo/ | mayu /maju/ |
| Father | baba /baba/ | tata /tata/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | bataata /bataːta/ | baba /baba/ |
| Eat | kulya /kuʎa/ | kuria /kuɾia/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kuya /kuja/ | ukulya /ukulja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ |
| Drink | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | ukunwa /ukunwa/ | kuhwa /kuhwa/ |
| Love | ulungu /uluŋɡu/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | kupenda /kupenda/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | kwenda /kwenda/ | ukutemwa /ukutemwa/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ |
| Heart | umutima /umutima/ | umutima /umutima/ | mtima /mtima/ | mtima /mtima/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ | umutima /umutima/ | ngholo /ŋɡoːlo/ |
| Tree | umuti /umuti/ | umuti /umuti/ | mti /mti/ | mti /mti/ | mti /mti/ | icimuti /itʃimuti/ | mti /mti/ |
| House | inyumba /iɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | kaya /kaja/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | ing'anda /iŋːanda/ | kaya /kaja/ |
| Dog | imbwa /imbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | nshenye /nʃeɲe/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ |
| Cat | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | pushi /puʃi/ | kalulu /kalulu/ |
| Hand | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | nkono /nkono/ | ikobo /ikoβo/ | ukono /ukono/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | nkhono /ŋkono/ |
| Eye | iliho /iliho/ | iriiso /iɾiːso/ | liso /liso/ | liso /liso/ | izo /izo/ | ilinso /ilinso/ | liso /liso/ |
| Hello | mbasala /mbasala/ | mbukire /mbukiɾe/ | nakushukuru /nakuʃukuɾu/ | mwadita /mwadita/ | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ | muli shani /muli ʃani/ | mwangaluka /mwaŋɡaluka/ |
| Thank you | nashukulu /naʃukulu/ | ahsante /ahsante/ | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ | twabakaba /twaβakaβa/ | asante /asante/ | natotela /natotela/ | nakulumba /nakulumba/ |
| One | imo /imo/ | umwe /umwe/ | nimo /nimo/ | imo /imo/ | imo /imo/ | cimo /tʃimo/ | imo /imo/ |
| Good | kwifwa /kwifwa/ | kihi /kihi/ | shibwana /ʃibwana/ | lihi /lihi/ | hedi /hedi/ | chisuma /tʃisuma/ | shihi /ʃihi/ |
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