Luvale language

Luvale
Native to	Angola, Zambia
Ethnicity	Lovale
Native speakers	640,000 (2001–2010)
Language family	Niger–Congo Atlantic–Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Bantu (Zone K) Chokwe–Luchazi (K.10) Luvale
Writing system	Latin (Luvale alphabet) Luvale Braille
Official status
Recognised minority language in	Zambia
Language codes
ISO 639-3	lue
Glottolog	luva1239
Guthrie code	K.14

Luvale (also spelled Chiluvale, Lovale, Lubale, Luena, Lwena) is a Bantu language spoken by the Lovale people of Angola and Zambia. It is recognized as a regional language for educational and administrative purposes in Zambia, where about 168,000 (2006) people speak it.

Luvale is closely related to Chokwe.

In fiction

In the Swedish 1997 murder mystery novel "Faceless Killers", Inspector Kurt Wallander investigates a murderous racist attack on a refugee center in Skane and finds it difficult to communicate with a witness who speaks only the Luvale language. The problem is resolved when a 90-year-old woman is found, who is a former missionary who speaks Luvale fluently, and she acts as the interpreter.

External links

• Moses C.B. Mulongesa, Vishimo vya Kuuko, Lubuto Library Special Collections, accessed May 3, 2014.
• Luvale language books, Lubuto Library Special Collections
• OLAC resources in and about the Luvale language