Isanzu language

Isanzu
Kinyihanzu
Native to	Tanzania
Ethnicity	Anyihanzu
Native speakers	26,000 (2009)
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Volta-Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Southern Bantoid Bantu Nyaturu-Nilamba-Isanzu Isanzu
Language codes
ISO 639-3	isn
Glottolog	isan1243
Guthrie code	F.31B
ELP	Isanzu

Isanzu
People	Anyihanzu
Language	Kinyihanzu
Country	Ihanzu

Isanzu is a Bantu language spoken by the Isanzu people south of Lake Eyasi in Tanzania.

The position of Isanzu within the Bantu family is uncertain. It is rather distinct in certain features from other Bantu languages of the area, such as Nyaturu, but is quite close in others. One easily recognizable feature is /h/ in words where neighboring languages have /s/ or /tʃ/, as in the name Isanzu ~ Ihanzu, a feature it shares with Iramba, and a reason it is commonly classified with Iramba.

Phonology

Consonants

	Labial	Alveolar	Palatal	Velar	Glottal
Plosive	p b	t d		k g
Affricate		dz	dʒ
Fricative	f	s	ʃ	x	h
Nasal	m̥ m	n̥ n	ɲ	ŋ̊ ŋ
Approximant	w	r, l	j

Vowels

	Front	Central	Back
High	i iː		u uː
Mid-high	e eː		o oː
Mid-low	ɛ ɛː		ɔ ɔː
Low		a aː

Additionally, Isanzu distinguishes between high tone and low tone.