This article is about the African language. For the group of Southeast Asian languages, see Mienic languages. For the extinct language of Trinidad, see Yao language (Trinidad).
Yao
chiYao
Native to
Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania
Ethnicity
Yao
Native speakers
3.7 million (2017–2020)[1]
Language family
Niger–Congo?
Atlantic–Congo
Volta-Congo
Benue–Congo
Bantoid
Southern Bantoid
Bantu
Rufiji–Ruvuma
Ruvuma
Yao–Mwera
Yao
Writing system
Latin
Official status
Recognised minority language in
Malawi
Language codes
ISO 639-2
yao
ISO 639-3
yao
Glottolog
yaoo1241
Guthrie code
P.21[2]
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Person
'Myao
People
WaYao
Language
chiYao
Country
Uyao[3]
Yao is a Bantu language in Africa with approximately two million speakers in Malawi, and half a million each in Tanzania and Mozambique. There are also some speakers in Zambia. In Malawi, the main dialect is Mangochi, mostly spoken around Lake Malawi. In Mozambique, the main dialects are Makale and Massaninga. The language has also gone by several other names in English, including chiYao or ciYao (the prefixed form), Achawa, Adsawa, Adsoa, Ajawa, Ayawa, Ayo, Ayao, Djao, Haiao, Hiao, Hyao, Jao, Veiao, and waJao.[4]
In Malawi, most Yao speakers live in the Southern Region near the southeast tip of Lake Malawi and bordering Mozambique to the east. In Mozambique most speakers live in Niassa Province from the eastern shore of Lake Malawi (Lago Niassa) to the Lugenda River up to where it meets the Rovuma River. In Tanzania most speakers live in the south central, Mtwara Region, Masasi district and in the Ruvuma Region, Tunduru district, east of Lake Malawi along the Mozambican border.
In common with very many vernacular languages in Africa, it has historically enjoyed little official recognition, and literary work in the region where Yao is spoken has taken place in such languages as Arabic, English, German and Portuguese.
^Yao at Ethnologue (26th ed., 2023)
^Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
^"The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland". Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 25 April 1872 – via Google Books.
^Cite error: The named reference e17 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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