Mwera–Swahili Dictionary (P.22) / Kamusi ya Kimwera–Kiswahili

Kamuci ja Cimwela–Cilungwana

Compiled by: Joseph K. Mbila. Edited by: Uta Reuster-Jahn. With an introduction by: Uta Reuster-Jahn. Series edited by: Bernd Heine, Wilhelm J.G. Möhlig †.

Series: EALD East African Languages and Dialects Volume 26

2016
16 pp. Roman, 208 pp.
2 tables
Text language(s): Swahili
Format: 145 x 205 mm
220 g
Paperback
€ 34.80

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Mwera is a language of Tanzania that is spoken in the south-eastern regions of Lindi and Mtwara – north of the Makonde area – and mainly in Nachingwea, Ruangwa and in rural districts. It is a language of the Yao cluster which belongs to the Bantu languages (Niger-Congo language family). According to Guthrie, Mwera receives the numerical assignment P.22, and the number of speakers comes to 469.000 people (estimation of 2001). Mwera is used for face-to-face communication by all generations. However, not much research has been done so far for the language and the culture.

The dictionary is the only one of its kind. On 208 pages, it provides comprehensive translations in an alphabetical order from Mwera into Swahili. The dictionary comprises more than 4,500 entries that were examined by the native-speaking Tanzanian co-author. It contains many plant terms and technical terms that are used for the agricultural economic system of the Mwera.

The co-author of this dictionary published a documentation about oral literature of the Mwera people in our programme, see the link below. Below you will find further descriptions of smaller or partly endangered Bantu languages of Tanzania:

Accompanying material:

• A Grammatical Sketch of Chindamba (ISBN 978-3-89645-706-6)
• A Grammatical Sketch of Mbugwe (Bantu F.34, Tanzania) (ISBN 978-3-89645-048-7)
• Erzählte Kultur und Erzählkultur bei den Mwera in Südost-Tansania (ISBN 978-3-89645-268-9)
• Luhala lwa Wavidunda – Vidunda Wisdom (G.38) (ISBN 978-3-89645-741-7)
• Mpoto Fables and Folktales (N.14, Tanzania) (ISBN 978-3-89645-738-7)
• The Ha Language of Tanzania (ISBN 978-3-89645-027-2)
• The Kagulu Language of Tanzania (G.12) (ISBN 978-3-89645-704-2)

Cross-reference:

• Bantu Languages (ISBN 978-3-89645-705-9)
• Beyond the Language Issue (ISBN 978-3-89645-819-3)
• Bongo Media Worlds (ISBN 978-3-89645-834-6)
• From the Tana River to Lake Chad – Research in African Oratures and Literatures (ISBN 978-3-89645-836-0)
• Kinyamwezi (ISBN 978-3-927620-40-7)

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