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
31 core words in Yao
Water
mesi
/mesi/
Fire
moto
/moto/
Sun
lyuwa
/ʎuwa/
Moon
mwesi
/mwesi/
Star
ndondwa
/ndondwa/
Mother
amao
/amaː/
Father
atati
/atati/
I
une
/une/
You
mmwe
/mːwe/
Name
lina
/lina/
Eye
liso
/liso/
Hand
ngaila
/ŋɡaila/
Heart
mtima
/mtima/
Love
chikondi
/tʃikondi/
Tree
mtela
/mtela/
House
nyumba
/ɲumba/
Dog
mbwa
/mbwa/
Cat
paka
/paka/
Eat
kulya
/kuʎa/
Drink
kumwa
/kumwa/
One
mo
/mo/
Two
iŵili
/iβili/
Hello
salama
/salama/
Thank you
nakwete
/nakwete/
Good
chechete
/tʃetʃete/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Yao-Makonde) languages
| Meaning | Yao | Makonde | Chewa | Sena | Sangu | Nyamwezi | Shambala |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mesi /mesi/ | mashi /maʃi/ | madzi /madzi/ | madzi /madzi/ | ameenzi /ameːnzi/ | minzi /minzi/ | mazi /mazi/ |
| Fire | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | umoto /umoto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | lyuwa /ʎuwa/ | lyuva /ʎuβa/ | dzuwa /dzuwa/ | dzuwa /dzuwa/ | liluga /liluɡa/ | izuba /izuβa/ | zuwa /zuwa/ |
| Moon | mwesi /mwesi/ | mwedi /mwedi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | mwedzi /mwedzi/ | umwesi /umwesi/ | ng'wezi /ŋweːzi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ |
| Star | ndondwa /ndondwa/ | ntondwa /ntondwa/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | nyenyeezi /ɲeˈɲeːzi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ |
| Mother | amao /amaː/ | mama /mama/ | amayi /amaji/ | mai /mai/ | mama /mama/ | mayu /majʊ/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | atati /atati/ | baba /baba/ | abambo /abambo/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ |
| I | une /une/ | une /une/ | ine /ine/ | ine /ine/ | une /une/ | nene /ˈnene/ | niye /nije/ |
| You | mmwe /mːwe/ | uve /uve/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | uwe /uwe/ | gwegwe /ˈɡweɡwe/ | weye /weje/ |
| Name | lina /lina/ | lina /lina/ | dzina /dzina/ | dzina /dzina/ | litawa /litawa/ | lina /ˈlina/ | izina /izina/ |
| Eye | liso /liso/ | liso /liso/ | diso /diso/ | diso /diso/ | iliho /iliho/ | liso /liso/ | izo /izo/ |
| Hand | ngaila /ŋɡaila/ | nkono /nkono/ | dzanja /dzandʒa/ | nkono /nkono/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | ikobo /ikoβo/ | ukono /ukono/ |
| Heart | mtima /mtima/ | mtima /mtima/ | mtima /mtima/ | mtima /mtima/ | umutima /umutima/ | mtima /mtima/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ |
| Love | chikondi /tʃikondi/ | kupenda /kupenda/ | chikondi /tʃikondi/ | kufuna /kufuna/ | ulungu /uluŋɡu/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | kwenda /kwenda/ |
| Tree | mtela /mtela/ | mti /mti/ | mtengo /mteŋɡo/ | mtengo /mteŋɡo/ | umuti /umuti/ | mti /mti/ | mti /mti/ |
| House | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | inyumba /iɲumba/ | kaya /kaja/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ |
| Dog | mbwa /mbwa/ | nshenye /nʃeɲe/ | galu /ɡalu/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ |
| Cat | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | mphaka /mpʰaka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ |
| Eat | kulya /kuʎa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kudya /kudja/ | kudya /kudja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kuya /kuja/ |
| Drink | kumwa /kumwa/ | kukumbila /kukumbila/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ |
| One | mo /mo/ | nimo /nimo/ | chimodzi /tʃimodzi/ | posi /posi/ | imo /imo/ | imo /imo/ | imo /imo/ |
| Two | iŵili /iβili/ | vavili /vaʋili/ | awiri /awiri/ | piŵiri /piwiri/ | avili /aβili/ | ibili /iβili/ | mbili /mbili/ |
| Hello | salama /salama/ | nakushukuru /nakuʃukuɾu/ | moni /moni/ | mwadzukabwanji /mwadzukabwandʒi/ | mbasala /mbasala/ | mwadita /mwadita/ | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ |
| Thank you | nakwete /nakwete/ | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ | zikomo /zikomo/ | ndatenda /ndatenda/ | nashukulu /naʃukulu/ | twabakaba /twaβakaβa/ | asante /asante/ |
| Good | chechete /tʃetʃete/ | shibwana /ʃibwana/ | chabwino /tʃabwino/ | nadidi /nadidi/ | kwifwa /kwifwa/ | lihi /lihi/ | hedi /hedi/ |
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