Zemba language

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Not to be confused with Zimba language.
Zemba
Dhimba
Native to Angola, Namibia
Ethnicity Herero, Tjimba
Native speakers
 30,000  (2009–2011)[1]
Niger–Congo
Language codes
ISO 639-3 dhm
R.311[2]

Zemba (Dhimba) is a Bantu language spoken mainly in Angola where the language has about 18,000 speakers, and also in Namibia with some 4,000.[3] It is closely related to Herero, and is often considered a dialect of that language, especially as the Zemba are ethnically Herero.

There are various spellings and pronunciations of the name: Zimba, Dhimba, Tjimba, Chimba, etc. However, when spelled Tjimba or Chimba in English, it generally refers to the Tjimba people, non-Herero hunter-gatherers who speak Zemba. The spelling Himba should be distinguished from the Himba people and their dialect of Herero.

Ethnologue separates Zemba as a distinct language from Himba, which according to the language map of Namibia it retains under Herero proper.[4] Maho (2009), however, sets up a Northwest Herero language, which includes Zemba; from the map, it would appear to include Himba and Hakaona as well.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Zemba reference at Ethnologue (17th ed., 2013)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
  3. ↑ Zemba language reference at Ethnologue (16th ed., 2009)
  4. ↑ Zemba language reference at Ethnologue (16th ed., 2009)


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