Abstract
The main objective of this entry is to present the sociopolitical history of Nambya. The focus is on the geographical location, genetic affiliation, codification, political significance, social and cultural dimensions and the quality and quantity of literature on this language. Nambya is a cross-border southern Bantu language that belongs to the Shona group of languages and is spoken in some parts of Zimbabwe and Botswana. While it is an officially recognised language in Zimbabwe, it has no official status in Botswana. The ethnolinguistic vitality of Nambya is threatened by limited intergenerational transmission, small number of speakers, very few descriptive and theoretical studies and restricted usage in the home and cultural activities. The recently conferred official status in Zimbabwe is expected to improve the vitality of Nambya.
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Kadenge, M. (2018). Nambya. In: Kamusella, T., Ndhlovu, F. (eds) The Social and Political History of Southern Africa's Languages. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-01593-8_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-01593-8_11
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