Chiyao
Yao
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Yao-Makonde)
Yao (Chiyao, also spelled Ciyawo) is a Bantu P21 language straddling the Mozambique-Malawi-Tanzania tri-border at the southern end of Lake Malawi. The Yao were major caravan-trade leaders in the 19th century, controlling the route from the Zanzibar coast to Lake Malawi — one reason Yao spread as a regional lingua franca. They are predominantly Muslim (a notable exception in the largely Christian or animist surrounding Bantu populations). The unyago female initiation rite is a defining cultural institution. Tonal with five contrastive heights.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Yao
Water
mesi
/mesi/
Fire
moto
/moto/
Sun
lyuwa
/ʎuwa/
Moon
mwesi
/mwesi/
Mother
amao
/amaː/
Father
atati
/atati/
Eat
kulya
/kuʎa/
Drink
kumwa
/kumwa/
Love
chikondi
/tʃikondi/
Heart
mtima
/mtima/
Tree
mtela
/mtela/
House
nyumba
/ɲumba/
Dog
mbwa
/mbwa/
Cat
paka
/paka/
Hand
ngaila
/ŋɡaila/
Eye
liso
/liso/
Hello
salama
/salama/
Thank you
nakwete
/nakwete/
One
mo
/mo/
Good
chechete
/tʃetʃete/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Yao-Makonde) languages
| Meaning | Yao | Makonde | Chewa | Sena | Shambala | Sangu | Lomwe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mesi /mesi/ | mashi /maʃi/ | madzi /madzi/ | madzi /madzi/ | mazi /mazi/ | ameenzi /ameːnzi/ | mahi /mahi/ |
| Fire | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | umoto /umoto/ | moro /moɾo/ |
| Sun | lyuwa /ʎuwa/ | lyuva /ʎuβa/ | dzuwa /dzuwa/ | dzuwa /dzuwa/ | zuwa /zuwa/ | liluga /liluɡa/ | nsuwa /nsuwa/ |
| Moon | mwesi /mwesi/ | mwedi /mwedi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | mwedzi /mwedzi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | umwesi /umwesi/ | mweri /mweɾi/ |
| Mother | amao /amaː/ | mama /mama/ | amayi /amaji/ | mai /mai/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | ammai /amːai/ |
| Father | atati /atati/ | baba /baba/ | abambo /abambo/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | atati /atati/ |
| Eat | kulya /kuʎa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kudya /kudja/ | kudya /kudja/ | kuya /kuja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | olya /oʎa/ |
| Drink | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | omwa /omwa/ |
| Love | chikondi /tʃikondi/ | kupenda /kupenda/ | chikondi /tʃikondi/ | kufuna /kufuna/ | kwenda /kwenda/ | ulungu /uluŋɡu/ | osivela /osivela/ |
| Heart | mtima /mtima/ | mtima /mtima/ | mtima /mtima/ | mtima /mtima/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ | umutima /umutima/ | murima /muɾima/ |
| Tree | mtela /mtela/ | mti /mti/ | mtengo /mteŋɡo/ | mtengo /mteŋɡo/ | mti /mti/ | umuti /umuti/ | mwiri /mwiɾi/ |
| House | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | inyumba /iɲumba/ | nupa /nupa/ |
| Dog | mbwa /mbwa/ | nshenye /nʃeɲe/ | galu /ɡalu/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | nampwe /nampwe/ |
| Cat | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | mphaka /mpʰaka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ |
| Hand | ngaila /ŋɡaila/ | nkono /nkono/ | dzanja /dzandʒa/ | nkono /nkono/ | ukono /ukono/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | nthata /ntʰata/ |
| Eye | liso /liso/ | liso /liso/ | diso /diso/ | diso /diso/ | izo /izo/ | iliho /iliho/ | nito /nito/ |
| Hello | salama /salama/ | nakushukuru /nakuʃukuɾu/ | moni /moni/ | mwadzukabwanji /mwadzukabwandʒi/ | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ | mbasala /mbasala/ | salama /salama/ |
| Thank you | nakwete /nakwete/ | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ | zikomo /zikomo/ | ndatenda /ndatenda/ | asante /asante/ | nashukulu /naʃukulu/ | ekoshelele /ekoʃelele/ |
| One | mo /mo/ | nimo /nimo/ | chimodzi /tʃimodzi/ | posi /posi/ | imo /imo/ | imo /imo/ | mosaa /mosaː/ |
| Good | chechete /tʃetʃete/ | shibwana /ʃibwana/ | chabwino /tʃabwino/ | nadidi /nadidi/ | hedi /hedi/ | kwifwa /kwifwa/ | orera /oɾeɾa/ |
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