Lozi, also known as Silozi and Rozi, is a Bantu language of the Niger–Congo language family within the Sotho–Tswana branch of Zone S (S.30), that is spoken by the Lozi people, primarily in southwestern Zambia and in surrounding countries. The language is most closely related to Northern Sotho (Sesotho sa Leboa), Tswana (Setswana), Kgalagari (SheKgalagari) and Sotho (Sesotho/Southern Sotho). Lozi, sometimes written as Rotse, and its dialects are spoken and understood by approximately six per cent of the population of Zambia. Silozi is the endonym (the name of the language used by its native speakers) as defined by the United Nations. Lozi is the exonym. The origins of Silozi can be traced back to a mixture of languages, primarily Luyana and Kololo. The Luyana people migrated south from the Kingdom of Luba and Kingdom of Lunda in the Katanga area of the Congo River basin, either late in the 17th century or early in the 18th century. They settled on the floodplains of the upper Zambezi River in what is now western Zambia, where they established a kingdom called Barotseland or Bulozi. In the 1830s, the Kololo people, originally from the Free State province of South Africa, fled northwards to escape the Mfecane under King Shaka Zulu (died 1828). They employed tactics learned from the Zulu armies to conquer the Luyana on the Zambezi floodplains, imposing their rule and language. However, by 1864, the indigenous population revolted and overthrew the Kololo. By then, the original Luyana language had largely been replaced by a new hybrid language, Silozi. Today, Silozi is spoken in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, reflecting its historical development and cultural significance in the region.

Phonology

Lozi has 5 vowels: 20 consonants are in Lozi: Tone is marked as high or low.

Orthography

Lozi uses the Latin script, which was introduced by missionaries. In 1977, Zambia standardised the language's orthography.

Vocabulary

Counting numbers in Silozi 1 kalikamu 2 totubeli 3 totulalu 4 totune 5 ketalizoho 6 silezi 7 supile 8 ketalizoho ni totulalu 9 ketalizoho ni totune 10 lishumi 20 mashumi a mabeli 30 mashumi a malalu 40 mashumi a mane 50 mashumi a ketalizoho 60 mashumi a silezi 70 mashumi a supile 80 mashumi a supile ni kalikamu 90 mashumi a supile ni totubeli 100 muanda

Silozi text

The following is a sample text in Silozi. Silozi: Kakuli Mulimu U latile hahulu batu ba lifasi, mane U ba file Mwan'a Hae wa libanda kuli mutu ufi ni ufi ya lumela ku Yena a si ke a shwa, kono a be ni bupilo bo bu sa feli. Joani 3:16 English: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Lozi language stories