Luyana language

{{short description|Language in the Bantu family}}

{{Infobox language

|name=Luyana

|nativename=Esiluyana

|states=Zambia; immigrants in Namibia, Angola

|region=Okavango River

|speakers={{sigfig|480|2}} Luyana proper

|date=2010 census

|ref=e25

|speakers2={{sigfig|2,880|2}} all Luyana (Kwandi, Kwangwa, and Luyana proper) (2010 census)

|script=Latin

|familycolor=Niger-Congo

|fam2=Atlantic–Congo

|fam3=Benue–Congo

|fam4=Southern Bantoid

|fam5=Bantu (Zone K)

|iso3=lyn

|glotto=luya1241

|glottorefname=Luyi

|guthrie=K.31

}}

Luyana (Luyaana), also known as Luyi (Louyi, Lui, Rouyi), is a Bantu language spoken in Zambia and perhaps in small numbers in neighboring countries. It appears to be a divergent lineage of Bantu.[http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/history/ehret/kinship/BantuClassification%204-09.pdf Bantu Classification] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624221430/http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/history/ehret/kinship/BantuClassification%204-09.pdf |date=2012-06-24 }}, Ehret, 2009. It is spoken by the Luyana people, a subgroup of the Lozi people.

Ethnologue lists Kwandi, Mbowe, Mbume, and possibly Kwangwa ("Kwanga") as dialects. Maho (2009) classifies these as distinct languages; it is not clear if any of them are part of the divergent Luyana branch of Bantu, or if they are Kavango languages.

The writing system of the Luyana language was developed in 2011 and uses the Latin script.

The language is taught in primary schools and secondary schools.https://www.ethnologue.com/language/lyn Luyana | Ethnologue