Tonga is a Bantu language spoken mainly in Zambia, and also in Zimbabwe. In Zambia Tonga is spoken by about 1.33 million people in the Southern province, and in the Sesheke district of the Western province. There are about 200,000 speakers of Tonga in the Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Matabeleland North, and Midlands provinces in northern Zimbabwe.
Tonga is also known as Batonga, Plateau Tonga, Zambezi or iciTonga. Dialects include Chitonga, Leya, Toka, We, Shanjo, Twa of Kafwe and Mala.
Tonga is written with the Latin alphabet. There are various ways to write the language developed by missionaries. It is taught in primary schools in Zambia, and used in literature and the media.
Download an alphabet chart for Tonga (Excel)
Hear how to pronounce Tonga:
Bantu boonse balazyalwa kabaangulukide alimwi kabeelene alimwi akwaanguluka kucita zyobayanda. Balazyalwa amaanu akuyeeya, aakusala alimwi beelede kulanga bambi mbuli banabokwabo.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
Information about Tonga | Tower of Babel
Information about Tonga
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonga_language_(Zambia_and_Zimbabwe)
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/toi
https://chrismschroeder.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/chitonga-–-the-language-of-zambia/
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Languages written with the Latin alphabet
Page created: 31.03.22. Last modified: 31.03.22
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