| Isanzu | |
|---|---|
| Kinyihanzu | |
| Native to | Tanzania |
| Ethnicity | Anyihanzu |
Native speakers | 26,000 (2009)[1] |
Niger–Congo?
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | isn |
| Glottolog | isan1243 |
F.31B[2] | |
| ELP | Isanzu |
| Isanzu | |
|---|---|
| People | Anyihanzu |
| Language | Kinyihanzu |
| Country | Ihanzu |
Isanzu is aBantu language spoken by theIsanzu people south ofLake Eyasi inTanzania.
The position of Isanzu within the Bantu family is uncertain. It is rather distinct in certain features from other Bantu languages of the area, such asNyaturu, but is quite close in others. One easily recognizable feature is /h/ in words where neighboring languages have /s/ or /tʃ/, as in the name Isanzu ~Ihanzu, a feature it shares withIramba, and a reason it is commonly classified with Iramba.[citation needed]
| Labial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Glottal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plosive | pb | td | kg | ||
| Affricate | dz | dʒ | |||
| Fricative | f | s | ʃ | x | h |
| Nasal | m̥m | n̥n | ɲ | ŋ̊ŋ | |
| Approximant | w | r,l | j |
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | iiː | uuː | |
| Mid-high | eeː | ooː | |
| Mid-low | ɛɛː | ɔɔː | |
| Low | aaː |
Additionally, Isanzu distinguishes between high tone and low tone.[3]
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