Ngoni (Chingoni / Xingoni)

Ngoni is a Southern Bantu language spoken by about 311,000 people in Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi. Ngoni speakers can be found in the Mzimba and Karonga districts in the Northern Region, and in the Ntcheu District in the Central Region of Malawi; in the Chipata District in the Eastern Province of Zambia; in the Montepuez, Meluco, Mueda, Muidumbe, Nangade and Niassa districts in Cabo Delgado Province in northern Mozambique, and the Iringa, Morogoro, Ruvuma and Songea regions in the south of Tanzania.

Ngoni is also known as Chingoni, Xingoni, Angoni or Kisutu. The ancestors of the Ngoni people original lived in Zululand in South Africa. In the 1820s they fled the Shaka Zulu wars there and migrated to the areas where they now live. Ngoni is closely related to Zulu, and also to Xhosa, Ndebele and Swati, and used to be considered a dialect of Zulu. These days, however, it is generally classified as a separate language. In fact, the Ngoni spoken in Tanzania (Chingoni) and the Ngoni spoken in Mozambique (Xingoni) are classified as separate languages in some sources.

Ngoni alphabet

Ngoni alphabet

Download an alphabet chart for Ngoni (Excel)

Sample text (Lyôva ni mbôngo ngahimingana)

Linjôva limu, lyôva ni mbôngo ngahimingana. Vavênava axokolela kunyokonyana kaxinyene mwene jukulimba muni. Nga hênu-hênu ahika munalôme jumu jwakalihinikila likoti. Vavêna’ nga pakubaliana apala kuve’ mwene jumakili muni jwapala kuwoha likoti lya munalôme jônojo. Jandanda kuhika mbôngo kupôga ni makili gaku goha. Pajihandamuka kupôga, munalôme atela’ ukwendelela kulivilingi’ mulikoti lyaku. Hênu nga lihika lyôva, ni lixokola ung’ala ni makili muni. Ukati uxopoki, munalôme ahunukwi’ likoti. Paupêtite kavêna ukati, ahula likoti. Hêno mbôngo nga jikubilaye kutenda lyôva lina makili muni kuliku jôno’.

Translation (The sun and the north wind)

One day the sun and the north wind met. The two began to discuss among themselves who was the strongest. Soon came a man wrapped in a robe. The two agreed that it would be the strongest one who could take off that man's coat. First came the north wind and blew with all force. But the more he blew, the more the man wrapped himself in his robe. Then came the sun, and began to shine with great force. After a short time, the man opened his cloak. After a while, he took off his cloak. So the north wind had to admit that the sun was stronger than it.

Source: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Língua_ngoni#Texto_na_Língua_Ngoni

Sample videos in Ngoni

Information about Ngoni | Phrases | Numbers

Links

Information about the Ngoni language
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngoni_language
https://www.learnngonilanguage.co.uk/
https://lingweb.eva.mpg.de/channumerals/Chingoni.htm
https://lingweb.eva.mpg.de/channumerals/Xingoni.htm

Bantu languages

Bangi, Basaa, Bemba, Bena, Benga, Bhaca, Bukusu, Bulu, Central Teke, Chichewa, Chokwe, Chuwabu, Comorian, Digo, Duala, Eton, Ewondo, Fang, Ganda/Luganda, Gogo, Gusii, Gwere, Haya, Hehe, Herero, Ibinda, Ikizu, Ikoma, Jita, Kamba, Kiga, Kikuyu, Kimbundu, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Kisi, Kongo, Konjo, Koti, Kukuya, Kunda, Kuria, Lambya, Lingala, Loma, Lozi, Luba-Katanga, Luchazi, Lunda, Luvale, Makaa, Makonde, Makhuwa, Mandekan, Maore, Masaaba, Mbukushu, Mbunda, Mende, Mongo, Mushungulu, Mwani, Nambya, Nande, Ngoni, Nkore, North Teke, Northern Ndebele (South Africa), Northern Ndebele (Zimbabwe), Northern Sotho, Nyamwezi, Nyakyusa, Nyemba, Nyole, Nyungwe, Nzadi, Oroko, OshiWambo, Pagibete, Punu, Ronga, Safwa, Sena, Sengele, Shona, Soga, Songe, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Sukuma, Swahili, Swati, Tanga, Tembo, Tonga, Tshiluba, Tsonga, Tswa, Tswana, Tumbuka, Umbundu, Venda, Vwanji, Xhosa, Yao, Yasa, Zigula, Zinza, Zulu

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 14.11.24. Last modified: 14.11.24

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