chiManyika
Manyika
Niger-Congo
Manyika (chiManyika) is a Bantu language of the Shona cluster (Glottolog S13a), spoken by approximately 2 million people in Manicaland Province of eastern Zimbabwe (around Mutare/Old Umtali) and the adjacent border zones of Manica Province, Mozambique. Historically classified as a dialect of Shona under the 1931 Doke unification report, Manyika is increasingly recognised as a distinct cluster member with its own lexical inventory, phonological features (Manyika-specific tone patterns and consonant lenition), and rich literary tradition. Famous Manyika speakers include former Zimbabwe Prime Minister Robert Mugabe (born in Kutama, Zvimba District). Despite its 2M speaker count, Manyika faces ongoing pressure from Standard Shona in education and media; the Manyika literary tradition is preserved through hymnody, oral history (ngano), and regional poetry.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Manyika
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Niger-Congo
| Meaning | Manyika | Shona | Ndau | Sena | Tumbuka | Zambian Tonga | Chewa |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mvura /mvuɾa/ | mvura /mvura/ | mvura /mvuɾa/ | madzi /madzi/ | maji /madʒi/ | meenda /meːnda/ | madzi /madzi/ |
| Fire | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | muriro /muɾiɾo/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | mulilo /mulilo/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | zuva /zuva/ | zuva /zuva/ | zuva /zuva/ | dzuwa /dzuwa/ | zuŵa /zuβa/ | zuba /zuba/ | dzuwa /dzuwa/ |
| Moon | mwedzi /mwedzi/ | mwedzi /mwedzi/ | mwedzi /mwedzi/ | mwedzi /mwedzi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ |
| Star | nyeredzi /ɲeredzi/ | nyeredzi /ɲeredzi/ | nyeredzi /ɲeredzi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeˈɲezi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ |
| Night | usiku /usiku/ | usiku /usiku/ | usiku /usiku/ | usiku /usiku/ | usiku /usiku/ | busiku /busiku/ | usiku /usiku/ |
| Rain | mvura /mvura/ | mvura /mvura/ | mvura /mvura/ | mvura /mvura/ | vula /ˈvula/ | imvula /imvula/ | mvula /ˈmvula/ |
| Wind | mhepo /mʰepo/ | mhepo /ˈmʱepo/ | mhepo /mʰepo/ | mphepo /mpʰepo/ | mphepo /ˈmpʰepo/ | muwo /muwo/ | mphepo /ˈmpʰepo/ |
| Earth | ivhu /iβu/ | ivhu /iβu/ | ivhu /iβu/ | mataka /mataka/ | dongo /doŋɡo/ | bulongo /buloŋɡo/ | dothi /ˈdotʰi/ |
| Stone | ibwe /iɓwe/ | ibwe /iˈɓwe/ | buwe /buwe/ | mwala /mwala/ | libwe /liˈɓwe/ | ibbwe /iˈbwe/ | mwala /ˈmwala/ |
| Mountain | gomo /ɡomo/ | gomo /ˈɡomo/ | mutunhu /mutunʰu/ | phiri /pʰiri/ | phiri /pʰiɾi/ | cilundu /tʃilundu/ | phiri /ˈpʰiɾi/ |
| Sea | gungwa /ɡuŋɡwa/ | gungwa /ɡuŋɡwa/ | ruandhle /ruandɮe/ | bara /bara/ | nyanja /ɲandʒa/ | lwaanje /lwaːndʒe/ | nyanja /ɲandʒa/ |
| Mother | amai /amai/ | amai /amai/ | amai /amai/ | mai /mai/ | amama /amama/ | bama /bama/ | amayi /amaji/ |
| Father | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | adada /adada/ | bataata /bataːta/ | abambo /abambo/ |
| Daughter | mukunda /mukunda/ | mwanasikana /mwanasikana/ | mwanasikana /mwanasikana/ | mwana wankazi /mwana wankazi/ | mwana msungwana /mwana msuŋɡwana/ | mwana musimbi /mwana musimbi/ | mwana wamkazi /mwana wamkazi/ |
| I | ini /ini/ | ini /ini/ | ini /ini/ | ine /ine/ | ine /ine/ | ime /ime/ | ine /ine/ |
| You | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ |
| We | isu /isu/ | isu /isu/ | isusu /isusu/ | ife /ife/ | ise /ise/ | iswe /iswe/ | ife /ife/ |
| Name | zita /zita/ | zita /zita/ | zina /zina/ | dzina /dzina/ | zina /zina/ | izina /iˈziːna/ | dzina /dzina/ |
| Person | munhu /munʱu/ | munhu /muˈnʱu/ | munhu /munʰu/ | munthu /muntʰu/ | munthu /muntʰu/ | muntu /muntu/ | munthu /muntʰu/ |
| Head | musoro /musoro/ | musoro /musoro/ | soro /soro/ | nsolo /nsolo/ | mutu /mutu/ | mutwe /mutwe/ | mutu /mutu/ |
| Eye | ziso /ziso/ | ziso /ziso/ | dziso /dziso/ | diso /diso/ | jiso /dʒiso/ | liso /liso/ | diso /diso/ |
| Ear | nzeve /nzeve/ | nzeve /nzeβe/ | nzee /nzee/ | khutu /kʰutu/ | khutu /kʰutu/ | kutwi /kutwi/ | khutu /kʰutu/ |
| Nose | mhino /mʱino/ | mhino /mʱino/ | miro /miro/ | mphuno /mpʰuno/ | mphuno /mpʰuno/ | impemo /impemo/ | mphuno /mˈpʰuno/ |
| Mouth | muromo /muromo/ | muromo /muˈromo/ | muromo /muromo/ | nkanwa /nkanwa/ | mlomo /m̩lomo/ | kanwa /kanwa/ | kamwa /ˈkamʷa/ |
| Tooth | zino /zino/ | zino /zino/ | zino /zino/ | dzino /dzino/ | jino /dʒino/ | linyo /liɲo/ | dzino /dzino/ |
| Tongue | rurimi /rurimi/ | rurimi /rurimi/ | rurumi /ɾuɾumi/ | lirimi /lirimi/ | lulimi /lulimi/ | mulaka /mulaka/ | lilime /lilime/ |
| Hand | ruoko /ɾwoko/ | ruoko /rwoko/ | nyara /ɲara/ | nkono /nkono/ | woko /woko/ | kuboko /kuboko/ | dzanja /dzandʒa/ |
| Heart | mwoyo /mwojo/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ | ntima /ntima/ | mtima /m̩tima/ | moyo /mojo/ | mtima /mtima/ |
| Bone | godo /ɡodo/ | pfupa /pfupa/ | godo /ɡodo/ | gogodo /ɡoɡodo/ | chiwangwa /tʃiwaŋɡwa/ | ifuwa /ifuwa/ | fupa /fupa/ |
| Blood | ropa /ropa/ | ropa /ropa/ | ngazi /ŋɡazi/ | malopa /malopa/ | ndopa /ndopa/ | bulowa /bulowa/ | magazi /maɡazi/ |
| Poop | tsvina /tsvina/ | tsvina /tsvina/ | matuzvi /matuzvi/ | matubzwi /matubzwi/ | mavi /mavi/ | tubi /tubi/ | matuvi /matuvi/ |
| Love | rudo /ɾudo/ | rudo /rudo/ | rudo /ɾudo/ | kufuna /kufuna/ | kutemwa /kutemwa/ | luyando /lujando/ | chikondi /tʃikondi/ |
| Tree | muti /muti/ | muti /muti/ | muti /muti/ | muti /muti/ | khuni /kʰuni/ | cisamu /tʃisamu/ | mtengo /mteŋɡo/ |
| Dog | mbwa /mbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | ncheŵe /ntʃeβe/ | muvwa /muvwa/ | galu /ɡalu/ |
| Cat | katsi /katsi/ | katsi /katsi/ | kiti /kiti/ | paka /paka/ | chona /tʃona/ | kaaze /kaːze/ | mphaka /mpʰaka/ |
| Fish | hove /hove/ | hove /hove/ | hove /hove/ | omba /omba/ | somba /somba/ | inswi /inswi/ | nsomba /nsomba/ |
| Bird | shiri /ʃiri/ | shiri /ʃiri/ | shiri /ʃiri/ | mbalame /mbalame/ | chiyuni /tʃijuni/ | kayuni /kajuni/ | mbalame /mɓaˈlame/ |
| Egg | zai /zai/ | zai /zai/ | zanda /zanda/ | dzai /dzai/ | sumbi /sumbi/ | iji /idʒi/ | dzira /dzira/ |
| Horse | bhiza /biza/ | bhiza /biza/ | hachi /hatʃi/ | kavalo /kavalo/ | hachi /hatʃi/ | ibbiza /iˈbiza/ | hatchi /hatʃʰi/ |
| House | mhatso /mhatso/ | imba /imba/ | mhatso /mʰatso/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | ngʼanda /ŋanda/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ |
| Milk | mukaka /mukaka/ | mukaka /mukaka/ | mukaka /mukaka/ | nkaka /nkaka/ | mkaka /m̩kaka/ | mukupa /mukupa/ | mkaka /m̩kaka/ |
| Honey | uchi /utʃi/ | uchi /utʃi/ | uchi /utʃi/ | uci /utʃi/ | uchi /utʃi/ | buci /butʃi/ | uchi /utʃi/ |
| Salt | munyu /muɲu/ | munyu /muɲu/ | munyu /muɲu/ | munyu /muɲu/ | mchere /m̩tʃere/ | munyo /muɲo/ | mchere /mtʃere/ |
| Wine | waini /waini/ | waini /waini/ | vhini /vini/ | vinyu /viɲu/ | vinyo /viɲo/ | waini /waini/ | vinyo /viɲo/ |
| Rice | mupunga /mupuŋɡa/ | mupunga /mupuŋɡa/ | mupunga /mupuŋɡa/ | mpunga /mpuŋɡa/ | mpunga /mpuŋɡa/ | mupunga /mupuŋɡa/ | mpunga /mpuŋɡa/ |
| Iron | simbi /simbi/ | simbi /ˈsimbi/ | simbi /simbi/ | utale /utale/ | chisulo /tʃiˈsulo/ | butale /butale/ | chitsulo /tʃiˈtsulo/ |
| Wheel | vhiri /βiri/ | vhiri /viri/ | vhiri /viɾi/ | roda /roda/ | khwiro /kʰwiro/ | ivwili /iˈvwili/ | gudumu /ɡudumu/ |
| Silk | siriki /siriki/ | sirika /sirika/ | sirika /siɾika/ | seda /seda/ | siliki /siliki/ | — | silika /silika/ |
| Book | bhuku /buku/ | bhuku /ˈɓuku/ | tsamba /tsamba/ | bukhu /bukʰu/ | buku /buku/ | ibbuku /iˈbuku/ | buku /ˈbuku/ |
| Eat | kudya /kudʒa/ | kudya /kudja/ | kudya /kudʒa/ | kudya /kudja/ | kurya /kuɾja/ | kulya /kulja/ | kudya /kudja/ |
| Drink | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ |
| Sleep | rara /ˈraɾa/ | kurara /kuˈrara/ | kuata /kuata/ | kugona /kuɡona/ | kugona /kuˈɡona/ | koona /koːna/ | kugona /kuˈɡona/ |
| One | rimwe /ɾimwe/ | potsi /potsi/ | chimwe /tʃimwe/ | posi /posi/ | chimoza /tʃimoza/ | mwi /mwi/ | chimodzi /tʃimodzi/ |
| Two | piri /piri/ | piri /piri/ | piri /piɾi/ | piŵiri /piwiri/ | viŵiri /viβiɾi/ | bili /bili/ | awiri /awiri/ |
| Three | tatu /tatu/ | tatu /tatu/ | tatu /tatu/ | pitatu /pitatu/ | vitatu /vitatu/ | totatwe /totatwe/ | zitatu /zitatu/ |
| Four | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | pinai /pinai/ | vinayi /vinaji/ | ne /ne/ | zinayi /zinaji/ |
| Five | shanu /ʃanu/ | shanu /ʃanu/ | shanu /ʃanu/ | xanu /ʃanu/ | vinkhonde /viŋkʰonde/ | musanu /musanu/ | sanu /sanu/ |
| Hundred | zana /zana/ | zana /zana/ | zana /zana/ | dzana /dzana/ | zana /zana/ | mwaanda /mwaːnda/ | zana /zana/ |
| Hello | makadii /makadiː/ | mhoro /mʱoro/ | mhoroi /mhoɾoji/ | mwadzukabwanji /mwadzukabwandʒi/ | monire /moniɾe/ | mwabuka buti /mwabuka buti/ | moni /moni/ |
| Thank you | mazviita /mazviita/ | maita /maita/ | ndatenda /ndatenda/ | ndatenda /ndatenda/ | yewo /jewo/ | twalumba /twalumba/ | zikomo /zikomo/ |
| Good | kunaka /kunaka/ | chakanaka /tʃakanaka/ | kanaka /kanaka/ | nadidi /nadidi/ | chiweme /tʃiweme/ | kabotu /kabotu/ | chabwino /tʃabwino/ |
| New | itsva /itsva/ | itsva /itsva/ | tsva /tsva/ | ipsa /ipsa/ | chiphya /tʃipʰja/ | pya /pja/ | chatsopano /tʃatsopano/ |
| Red | tsvuku /tsvuku/ | tsvuku /tsvuku/ | tsvuku /tsvuku/ | funga /funɡa/ | swesi /swesi/ | subila /subila/ | chofiira /tʃofiːra/ |
| White | chena /tʃena/ | chena /tʃena/ | chena /tʃena/ | cena /tʃena/ | tuŵa /tuβa/ | salala /salala/ | yoyera /joˈjeɾa/ |
| Black | tema /tema/ | tema /tema/ | svipa /svipa/ | psipa /psipa/ | fipa /fipa/ | siya /sija/ | chakuda /tʃakuda/ |
| Ninety-nine | makumi mapfumbamwe namapfumbamwe /makumi mapfumbamwe namapfumbamwe/ | makumi mapfumbamwe nepfumbamwe /makumi mapfumbamwe nepfumbamwe/ | makumi mapfumbamwe nepfumbamwe /makumi mapfumbamwe nepfumbamwe/ | makumapfemba na mapfemba /makumapfemba na mapfemba/ | makhumi ghankhonde na ghanayi na vinkhonde na vinayi /makʰumi ɣaŋkʰonde na ɣanaji na viŋkʰonde na vinaji/ | makumi aali fuka afuka /makumi aːli fuka afuka/ | makumi asanu ndi anayi mphambu zisanu ndi zinayi /makumi asanu ndi anaji mpʰambu zisanu ndi zinaji/ |
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