SOCIOLOLINGUISTIC SURVEYS - Centre for Language Studies

there is l and w are repalced by d and b respectively. For instance:
l and d
Word
liso (yesterday/eye)
ugali (thick porridge)
litaka (soil)
Namwera Chiyao
diso
ugadi
ditaka
w and b
m’wutuche (run)
m’wale
m’butuche
m’bwale
Some variations were also observed in the vocabulary. In Salima and Nkhotakota the
common word for fingernails is ngose while in Mangochi the word in common usage is
ngalawesa. Significant variation was observed in the word used for a group chiwanja, in
the survey’s wordlist. The word was not commonly used. Instead, alternatives were used
in different areas. In Dedza, Tambala area, the word in common usage was unganya,
while in other areas the word often used is the word borrowed from Chichewa gulu. A
few old people in Namwera mentioned likuga. Another word which had variations is
kuliunde (heaven/sky).
In areas such as Mangochi, Dedza, Nkhotakota and Salima the favoured word was
kwiinani.
Variations were also observed in the use of the second person plural/honorific pronoun
“you”. In Machinga wao is used while in Namwera walakwe is commonly used.
These variations should be taken into consideration when issues of standardization of
orthography and compilation of dictionaries arise.
The high percentage of respondents who named Mangochi Chiyao points to the
significant fact that Mangochi Chiyao is widely known throughout the Chiyao speaking
communities in Malawi. This fact implies that were the Mangochi variety selected for
teaching in schools and for use in the print and electronic media, its acceptance will be
guaranteed.
Following the wide knowledge about Mangochi Chiyao, the next better known variety of
the language is Machinga Chiyao. This again points towards the possible acceptability of
the variety were it to be a candidate for standardization.
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